How to install 2 operating systems?

[Deleted User]

Hello. My dad got a pc and the thing is that he installed windows 10 pro with an activation disk, but he also wants to install windows 7 with my disk, to run windows xp mode. do i need to shrink the partitions and cut them or anything like that? thanks!

 

[Minox]

If the main reason for installing Windows 7 is to install Windows XP Mode I believe there are better alternatives available.

1. Installing Windows XP in a more advanced virtual machine such as VMware Workstation Player or Virtualbox.
2. Installing Windows XP Mode in Windows 10 Hyper-V. From a bit of research this can be accomplished if you have a Hyper-V capable CPU and Windows 10 Pro of which the latter you already have. There are then instructions to install XP as a virtual machine, but doing this requires more steps and doesn't accomplish much more than what VMware or Virtualbox does.

 

[Deleted User]

If the main reason for installing Windows 7 is to install Windows XP Mode I believe there are better alternatives available.

1. Installing Windows XP in a more advanced virtual machine such as VMware Workstation Player or Virtualbox.
2. Installing Windows XP Mode in Windows 10 Hyper-V. From a bit of research this can be accomplished if you have a Hyper-V capable CPU and Windows 10 Pro of which the latter you already have. There are then instructions to install XP as a virtual machine, but doing this requires more steps and doesn't accomplish much more than what VMware or Virtualbox does.

I dont want to install windows xp as a virtual machine because i dont own a product key.
how do i know if my cpu supports hyper v?

 

[Minox]

I dont want to install windows xp as a virtual machine because i dont own a product key.
how do i know if my cpu supports hyper v?

The latter option would still require a serial key since it's not running within the originally intended software so if that is the concern then the latter option would not work either. I do not believe a serial key for an unsupported OS would cost too much, but that is not a solution unless you'd be willing to buy a key from somewhere.

 

[Deleted User]

The latter option would still require a serial key since it's not running within the originally intended software so if that is the concern then the latter option would not work either. I do not believe a serial key for an unsupported OS would cost too much, but that is not a solution unless you'd be willing to buy a key from somewhere.

Yeah I just shrunk the primary partition to half and then installed windows 7 with the disk. Thanks

 

[Hayato213]

Yeah I just shrunk the primary partition to half and then installed windows 7 with the disk. Thanks

Keep in mind that Windows 7 support end next January, so he only really go few months to mess around with it if he want OEM supports. As for how you can install Windows 7 , you can either set up another partition on the same HDD, use a second HDD, or use like a virtual machine.