how to make a partition for windows 7 on Windows Vista Sp1

I want to beta test Windows 7.
I have Vista Premium sp1 on a 160gig hd (no partition)
I would like to keep the vista premium but be able to partition the hd and
be able to install Windows 7 onto the other partition and dual boot them?
How can I do this?
thanks
robin

On Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:31:39 -0500, robinb wrote:

> I want to beta test Windows 7.
> I have Vista Premium sp1 on a 160gig hd (no partition) I would like to
> keep the vista premium but be able to partition the hd and be able to
> install Windows 7 onto the other partition and dual boot them? How can I
> do this?
> thanks
> robin

One way would be to boot a Linux Live CD and use gparted. I advise against
trying to resize a mounted partition.

You need to create a new partition but, as your C: drive is taking up all of
your hard drive space this will need to be shrunk. In other words you need
to shrink your C: drive to give you enough free space to create a second
partition.

While Vista 'can' shrink a partition it isn't very successful at doing it,
for this reason it is better to shrink the partition using third party
software such a Acronis Disk Director or something similar.

Once you have shrunk your C: drive, then create a new partition in the
available free space; I usually allocate around 60GB for Win 7. Again you
can create the new partition using Acronis Disk Director (or use Vista own
Disk Management tools, if you wish).

Once the new partition has been created ensure it has a drive letter and it
is best to 'name' the partition so that you don't get confused when
installing Win 7. For simplicity I would name the partition 'Win 7.'

All that is left to do is to slip the Win 7 DVD into your CD/DVD (making
sure that the CD/DVD is the first boot option in the BIOS - if your machine
is 3 years or less in age the CD/DVD should be the first boot option by
default anyway.)

Once the DVD is in the drive reboot your machine. You will see a screen
which says 'press any key to boot from CD/DVD; just press the space bar or
Enter key for the installation to start. Installing Win 7 isn't any
different from installing any other version of Windows, only slightly
faster. Just make sure you install Win 7 to your 'Win 7' named partition (or
whatever name you have called the partition.)

After Win 7 has been installed and you reboot your computer a menu will
appear asking you which version of Windows you wish to boot to. Just select
either Vista or Windows 7 and the relevant window version will load.

--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..


"robinb" <> wrote in message
news:5DE6E6E3-158E-4472-839B-...
> I want to beta test Windows 7.
> I have Vista Premium sp1 on a 160gig hd (no partition)
> I would like to keep the vista premium but be able to partition the hd and
> be able to install Windows 7 onto the other partition and dual boot them?
> How can I do this?
> thanks
> robin
>
>
>

robinb;933509 Wrote:
> I want to beta test Windows 7
> I have Vista Premium sp1 on a 160gig hd (no partition
> I would like to keep the vista premium but be able to partition the h
> an
> be able to install Windows 7 onto the other partition and dual boo
> them
> How can I do this
> thank
> robi

The disk management console will allow you to do this, no reason to us
a linsux c

--
wwoods

The safest thing by far would be to buy and fit a second hard disk. They
are very cheap. You can even unplug your existing hard drive whilst playing
with W7, thus avoiding any risk of mishap.

I always do that.

SteveT

"John Barnett MVP" <> kirjoitti
viestissä:O#...
> You need to create a new partition but, as your C: drive is taking up all
> of your hard drive space this will need to be shrunk. In other words you
> need to shrink your C: drive to give you enough free space to create a
> second partition.
>
> While Vista 'can' shrink a partition it isn't very successful at doing it,
> for this reason it is better to shrink the partition using third party
> software such a Acronis Disk Director or something similar.
>
> Once you have shrunk your C: drive, then create a new partition in the
> available free space; I usually allocate around 60GB for Win 7. Again you
> can create the new partition using Acronis Disk Director (or use Vista own
> Disk Management tools, if you wish).
>
> Once the new partition has been created ensure it has a drive letter and
> it is best to 'name' the partition so that you don't get confused when
> installing Win 7. For simplicity I would name the partition 'Win 7.'
>
> All that is left to do is to slip the Win 7 DVD into your CD/DVD (making
> sure that the CD/DVD is the first boot option in the BIOS - if your
> machine is 3 years or less in age the CD/DVD should be the first boot
> option by default anyway.)
>
> Once the DVD is in the drive reboot your machine. You will see a screen
> which says 'press any key to boot from CD/DVD; just press the space bar or
> Enter key for the installation to start. Installing Win 7 isn't any
> different from installing any other version of Windows, only slightly
> faster. Just make sure you install Win 7 to your 'Win 7' named partition
> (or whatever name you have called the partition.)
>
> After Win 7 has been installed and you reboot your computer a menu will
> appear asking you which version of Windows you wish to boot to. Just
> select either Vista or Windows 7 and the relevant window version will
> load.



And if I want to remove the Win7 beta and go back to Vista alone?


>
> --
> John Barnett MVP
> Windows XP Associate Expert
> Windows Desktop Experience
>
> Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk
> Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
> Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
>
> The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
> kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
> reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable
> for
> any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of
> the
> use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
> mail/post..
>
>
> "robinb" <> wrote in message
> news:5DE6E6E3-158E-4472-839B-...
>> I want to beta test Windows 7.
>> I have Vista Premium sp1 on a 160gig hd (no partition)
>> I would like to keep the vista premium but be able to partition the hd
>> and be able to install Windows 7 onto the other partition and dual boot
>> them?
>> How can I do this?
>> thanks
>> robin
>>
>>
>>

I happen to have a extra 80gig sata hd (this machine only takes sata
drives)
if I loaded up this drive, how can I install windows 7 so that I can keep
both of them without unplugging the first hd that has vista on it?

robin

"Steve Thackery" <> wrote in message
news:#...
> The safest thing by far would be to buy and fit a second hard disk. They
> are very cheap. You can even unplug your existing hard drive whilst
> playing with W7, thus avoiding any risk of mishap.
>
> I always do that.
>
> SteveT

also how would the computer see either OS?
and when the beta's have expired, by removing the drive will Vista re boot
up via the main drive again?
robin

"robinb" <> wrote in message
newsC962BAC-8AD9-4B85-A2A0-...
> I happen to have a extra 80gig sata hd (this machine only takes sata
> drives)
> if I loaded up this drive, how can I install windows 7 so that I can keep
> both of them without unplugging the first hd that has vista on it?
>
> robin
>
> "Steve Thackery" <> wrote in message
> news:#...
>> The safest thing by far would be to buy and fit a second hard disk. They
>> are very cheap. You can even unplug your existing hard drive whilst
>> playing with W7, thus avoiding any risk of mishap.
>>
>> I always do that.
>>
>> SteveT
>

SATA drives are easy to unplug, and there is always the chance of "mishap"
with any new operating system, especially in beta. If you must, just
install the second drive and install Windows 7 there. It "should" present a
dual boot menu after you are done, with Vista as one of the alternatives.

Earle

"robinb" <> escribió en el mensaje de noticias
newsC962BAC-8AD9-4B85-A2A0-...
>I happen to have a extra 80gig sata hd (this machine only takes sata
>drives)
> if I loaded up this drive, how can I install windows 7 so that I can keep
> both of them without unplugging the first hd that has vista on it?
>
> robin
>
> "Steve Thackery" <> wrote in message
> news:#...
>> The safest thing by far would be to buy and fit a second hard disk. They
>> are very cheap. You can even unplug your existing hard drive whilst
>> playing with W7, thus avoiding any risk of mishap.
>>
>> I always do that.
>>
>> SteveT
>

Robin

It is too early and it just got out of Alpha . The 1st Beta is for official testers
and that is for a reason. Wait until it becomes public and then give it a whirl

The best advice that I can give you at present is not to install any Beta that just
came out of the Alpha stage on a machine that you use everyday. It is asking for
problems.

If you really want to try it and work with it at this stage get another machine and
use it as a test machine only with the present Windows7 Beta alone.
--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"robinb" <> wrote in message
news:FF67CE86-909F-4F27-8D2F-...
> also how would the computer see either OS?
> and when the beta's have expired, by removing the drive will Vista re boot up via
> the main drive again?
> robin
>
> "robinb" <> wrote in message
> newsC962BAC-8AD9-4B85-A2A0-...
>> I happen to have a extra 80gig sata hd (this machine only takes sata drives)
>> if I loaded up this drive, how can I install windows 7 so that I can keep both of
>> them without unplugging the first hd that has vista on it?
>>
>> robin
>>
>> "Steve Thackery" <> wrote in message
>> news:#...
>>> The safest thing by far would be to buy and fit a second hard disk. They are
>>> very cheap. You can even unplug your existing hard drive whilst playing with
>>> W7, thus avoiding any risk of mishap.
>>>
>>> I always do that.
>>>
>>> SteveT
>>