How I installed Windows 7 to dual boot with Windows XP

I finally got some time yesterday to download and install the Windows 7 release client available as a free download from Microsoft. As I have all my favorite applications installed & configured to my taste in the Windows XP and also considering the fact that Windows 7 is a release client, I have decided to install it to dual boot with the existing Windows XP. This way I can still have a stable operating system to access all my files and data while trying out the Windows 7. Below is how I managed to install Windows 7 without disturbing my existing OS.

Initial Setup : A laptop with 1.63 GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 80 GB hard disk and Windows XP. The hard rive was not divided into partitions and the entire space is in C drive.

Precautions : It is always better to be safe than sorry. Installing an operating system that is not final itself is a risk and my current hard drive state requires disk partitioning to be able to install the new OS. SO, I have backed up everything important to me. Do backup all the stuff you care about before you proceed.

Pre-requisites :

1. Download the Windows 7 RC from Microsoft. Microsoft will give you a key that is required for installation. Print it or write it on a sticky. You will need it during the installation.
2. Download ImgBurn to write the ISO file downloaded above to a DVD (you can skip this if you already have a software to burn ISO files to DVD).
3. If you have to partition the hard-drive to install the new OS
1. Download the GParted Live software to resize the existing space (download the ISO file if you want to use a CD as boot device to partition the drive or download the zip file if you want to use the USB drive).
2. Download Live USB Helper to load the GParted onto your USB drive and use it as a boot disk (you can skip this and the one below if you prefer to burn a CD of GParted ISO file and use it).
3. Go to http://www.dll-files.com/, search & download the file ‘vb6stkit.dll’. Live USB Helper needs this file to work.

Steps :

1. Skip the first 3 steps mentioned below if you already have the space to install Windows 7 and partitioning the drive is not required.
2. Install Live USB Helper downloaded above and try to run it. If it asks for ‘vb6stkit.dll’, copy the DLL file downloaded above into the system32 folder inside Windows (Alternately, write the GParted ISO file to a CD).
3. Using Live USB Helper, extract the GParted Live to USB drive (Skip this step if you are using CD).
4. Shutdown the system and boot it with the GParted USB or CD prepared above and resize the hard disk to carve out at least 20 GB space for Windows 7. Check this guide if you need more help.
5. Shutdown the system and boot it with the Windows 7 boot disk (DVD prepared above).
6. Select the space that you have allocated to install Windows 7 and start the installation process.
7. Follow the on-screen information and enter the key when asked for.

Windows 7 installation was over under 30 minutes and it detected and installed all the required drivers for me (I had to download and install display drivers separately for my monitor to work properly with Windows XP). The installation process and information provided when an action is required during the installation are very easy to understand even for the basic users.

Once the installation is complete, you will see the option to either boot into Windows 7 or Windows XP (listed as “Earlier version of Windows”) every time you start the system.

My overall feeling about Windows 7 after using it for only few hours is very positive. Even with 1GB RAM, it was responding well and looked as speedy as my XP. But let’s see how it works after I install all the software that I use (Windows tends to get slower as you install and uninstall software).