Windows 7 64-bit update installation

[John Gray]

I want to end up with a hard disk which has Windows XP on one partition, and Windows 7 Pro 64-bit on the second, with booting 'controlled' by EasyBCD.

I already have Windows XP installed on the first partition, and (now!) it boots fine (having changed the start sector from 63, as appears in another thread). The other partition is sitting there, waiting, but empty.

I have a product key and a whole variety of Windows 7 Pro 64-bit update DVDs but none of them is bootable.

I have Googled extensively, but can't find any way of installing Windows 7. Since XP is 32-bit, it won't run the 64-bit Windows 7 setup.exe.

Does anyone have any suggestions, please?

[HansV]

I take it that this is different from the situation in How to do a clean install with a nonbootable DVD in the Windows Secrets Lounge?

[John Gray]

No, virtually identical - but you hardly expect me to remember something I did 18 months ago, do you?!
I will revisit the original thread - thanks!

I will see if I can boot-and-install the Windows 8 Consumer Preview 64-bit, and run the Windows 7 setup.exe from there. Or maybe put the drive in a USB caddy, and connect it to the WS2008 64-bit server! (I have, in fact, got four partitions on this new disk, three for booting from, and the fourth for Software and Backups...)

[JoeP]

See Windows 7 with SP1 for ISO file download links from Digital River who are the official download channel.

Joe

[John Gray]

Thanks, Joe - a vital link for all aged techies!

[viking33]

John,
I have installed the Win 7 64 bit to dual boot with a choice of XP or 7. With a large enough partition to fit the new Win 7, I just ran the Win 7 setup ( from XP ) and chose "Custom" install. It should lead you to the point where it asks where you want to install and you just point it to the new partition. After it does it's "thing," you should have Win 7 as the default boot option on start up.
Now run EasyBCD to choose which OS you want as default boot OS.
There was no special changes to make or clashes with 32 bit and 64 bit.
I just now verified this method with the little install sheet that comes with the Win 7 DVDs. They of course don't mention Easy BCD but that's an item to use after the two OSs are installed.

[John Gray]

I tried running the Windows 7 64-bit setup from XP, and it failed saying that it wasn't a proper Windows program (can't remember the exact wording).

If I can boot from one of the bootable ISOs suggested by Joe, there should be no problem at all - provided I can get it to install to the correct partition!

[viking33]

I tried running the Windows 7 64-bit setup from XP, and it failed saying that it wasn't a proper Windows program (can't remember the exact wording).

If I can boot from one of the bootable ISOs suggested by Joe, there should be no problem at all - provided I can get it to install to the correct partition!

That's strange, since I was reading direct from the instructions provided with the DVDs?
Getting it in the proper partition should be part of the "custom" option.
See lines 4 & 5.

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