Datasheet

Install Windows 7 39

As you have seen, you can migrate your users’ data, but let’s say

you have software installed and you can’t locate the CD/DVD for that

software package. It might be beneﬁcial to a user or organization to

upgrade the Windows XP machine to Windows Vista. After that instal-

lation is complete, upgrade the Vista machine to Windows 7.

This is just another option that is available to you when you migrate

your users to the Windows 7 operating system.

Another option you may choose is to run two different operating sys-

tems on the same computer system. Called dual-booting, this approach

gives you the choice of which operating system you want to boot into

when the system starts. Installing multiple operating systems onto the

same computer is called dual-booting or multibooting.

Supporting Multiboot Options

You might want to install Windows 7 but still be able to run other oper-

ating systems. Dual-booting or multibooting allows your computer to

boot multiple operating systems. Your computer will be automatically

conﬁgured for dual- or multibooting if there was a supported operat-

ing system on your computer prior to the Windows 7 installation, you

didn’t upgrade from that operating system, and you installed Windows

7 into a different partition.

One reason for multibooting is to test various systems. If you have a

limited number of computers in your test lab and you want to be able

to test multiple conﬁgurations, you should multiboot. For example,

you might conﬁgure one computer to multiboot with Windows XP

Professional, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

Here are some keys to successful multiboot conﬁgurations:

Make sure you have plenty of disk space.

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Windows 7 must be installed on a separate partition in order to

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dual- or multiboot with other operating systems.

If you want to support dual- or multibooting with Windows XP

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and Windows 7, Windows XP must be installed ﬁrst. If you install

Windows 7 ﬁrst, you cannot install Windows XP without ruining

your Windows 7 conﬁguration. This requirement also applies to

Windows 9x, Windows 2000, and Windows Vista.

Never, ever upgrade to Windows 7 dynamic disks. Dynamic

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disks are seen only by Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional,

Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, and

Installation

PART I

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