Can I install Windows 7 when Windows XP is on drive C:?

Question

Windows XP is on the C drive.

want to install Windows 7 on d drive,

or

Back up important data to an external drive before you install W7, just to be safe.

Jack · Answer 1 · 2011-01-18 13:47:18Z

Yes this is possible - no it won't erase XP.

1) Boot from your Windows 7 installation disc.

2) Click install now.

3) Select drive D (make sure it's the right one - look at the size if you aren't sure)

4) Finish installing.

5) Restart to see a boot selection screen. You have the choice to boot to Windows 7 or to 'An earlier version of Windows' i.e. XP.

Good luck!

I'd also recommend giving "speaking" names to partitions, such as "XP" for C: and "Seven" for D:. This makes it a lot easier to identify the right partition and helps afterwards, since Windows 7 always mounts the partition it's installed on as C:
And in 6 months, you'll look at both drives, and try to figure out which one contains which OS!

migrated from stackoverflow.com Jan 18 '11 at 13:51