After buying a new laptop(XPS L501X) with windows 7 preinstalled, I decided to make it dual boot with windows Vista. I now know about the issue with installing previous versions of windows, and the deletion of the MBR. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but Microsoft no longer sends install disks with their computers, so there is no way to just re-install windows 7. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated. Data preservation is not an issue, as the laptop is new.
1 Answer
First, it's not Microsoft who no longer sends install disks, it is Dell who stopped it to save the measly cost of printing a DVD. I would simply create another partition from Disk Manager in 7, then reboot from Vista installer and put it there, later, running EasyBCD on Vista to restore the 7 boot option