Windows 10 & XP dual boot. Best way?

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  1. Posts : 258
    Windows 10 (Home Ed.)
    Thread Starter
       #21

    Well, I'll look into it, certainly.

    Would I have Win10x64 as the host and Win XPx64 as the guest, or could I do vice-versa?? One thing I must have is a Roland dummy (musical) keyboard (USB) for inputting notes into a music programme called Sibelius, working in WinXP (the version of the software I have doesn't work in Win7 or Win10). Would the Roland USB keyboard work OK in the virtual XP environment? And my printer??

    With this all set up, when you install new programmes for example, how do you choose whether they install into Win10 or XP? Would I install the host and virtual O/Ss on the same SSD? (I suppose you have to select where to install).

    This is new to me, as I say... Worth investigating, that's for sure. I've already downloaded VMware Player and some user guides... but am I going to have hardware issues?
    Last edited by martinlest; 01 Sep 2015 at 17:53.
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  2. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #22

    Well one of the main problems you would run into on any vm for any OS is seeing hardware/device drivers installed. When a printer is shared between host OS and guest OS resources are being shared while it's on the host OS where things are set up as far as physical hardwares are concerned.

    I think the one best option for you is to the 64bit XP Pro installed on a second OS drive and when going to upgrade the 7 install on the first. The XP install to a physical drive will allow XP full access as well as the driver/software installation needed for the Roland to work as well as hopefully finding XP drivers for the printer when that eventually needing replacement. That of course depends on the type of printer as if for ink jet they tend to wear much faster then lazer.

    Originally we were thinking you were only looking to run older desktop apps like an older version of Word along those lines until now you are mentioning the additional hardware being added on. And that is where you run into problems where you find the VM a bit limited on just what can be added on and made to work.

    VMs weren't developed with musical keyboards in mind while Midi to usb type input requires an internal app on the vm itself. So why still run XP?

    Well the next thought to get out from under the need for the older version is to look "What's New with Sibelus 7.5?" geared for Windows 8 by the way! Have you thought about simply going with a newer version of Sibelus and dump XP once and for all? Going with the latest version would seem to solve the need for XP. And Sibelus has versions that run on Vista as well as on 7 and 8 from a look at the software site. Sibelius Upgrades
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  3. Posts : 258
    Windows 10 (Home Ed.)
    Thread Starter
       #23

    The upgrade for Sibelius is quite expensive and the version I have already does everything I want. Also the revamped PC will need to have Outlook Express, which my mother uses - and knows. She wouldn't be up to getting her head around anything different these days (as I say, she is 90!).

    I think the VM option is not for me: I'll probably update the Win7 on the current SSD to Win10, then just install Win XP onto one of the HDDs... I don't really need to spend yet more money on another SSD...

    But no rush. I have the new PC arriving in a week or so, that's the first thing I have to set up.

    Thanks again.
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  4. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #24

    I can understand about expenses and why you would want to avoid any unnecessary spending. That was simply an observation as far as the options that are available. As for the better VM for the money that would simply running the XP Mode set up on the Windows 7 Virtual PC install where the XP Mode can be activated as well as connect online and have access to the printer without fuss.

    The install to a second however will offer more of what you are looking for since everything is physical with the option for seeing device drivers installed. It can be touchy at times trying to get hardware drivers to go onto a vm when the vm is simply sharing resources without the actual hardware detection process.

    Having the extra drives comes in handy doesn't it? I learned that one years back when beta testing both the 32bit and 64bit 7 beta and RC builds where I make changes to one drive at any time without effecting the other! At first it was keeping Vista going along with trying out the beta builds until finding I was staying with 7 and still am! The latest VM Workstation 12 Player helps out while booted in 7 where I am now! :)

    Windows 10 & XP dual boot. Best way?-w10-vm-workstation-player-12.jpg

    Can't get 10 activated there however! And if I don't happen to boot into 7 for some time a brand new vm of 10 has to be started all over again! The activation server blocks the product key created during the vm install since I would need to upgrade over an existing previous version that had been activated on the same vm.

    It's simply too bad you couldn't get the version you have to run with the Compatibility troubleshooter on 7 in order to run the Sibelus app on a newer version. Once you have the new pc however you can opt to try it out on a vm there for the temp use at least.
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  5. Posts : 258
    Windows 10 (Home Ed.)
    Thread Starter
       #25

    I used to write a lot of music (classical) once upon a time - I did composition at music college full-time for 3 years, but these days much less, so although I have considered upgrading from Sibelius 3 to 7 (I wrote enquiring about the teacher's price I have, but they never answered my query!), but have always decided against it. In the 'old days' Sibelius used to have its own friendly site, with email support, and I sort of knew the folks there and they knew me, it was all very nice. Now you're sent to a site called shop.avid.com or something... not a step forward at all.

    Thanks again for the input here. I'll post back at some stage as to what I do and how it works out!

    Martin
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 73
    Windows
       #26

    Why can't you run whatever you want/need to run in XP via virtualization (Hyper-V or VirtualBox).
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  7. Posts : 258
    Windows 10 (Home Ed.)
    Thread Starter
       #27

    nosecureboot said:
    Why can't you run whatever you want/need to run in XP via virtualization (Hyper-V or VirtualBox).
    Thanks, but please read the previous posts, we've been through all that.
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  8. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #28

    Regardless of what you decide on I can only hope that things will work out for you. I noticed the awkwardness of moving about and having to leave the first site for another when trying to get some updated information there. So I can imagine that should prove a bit frustrating the way things are now possibly from a buy out of some type?! Irritating still.
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  9. Posts : 258
    Windows 10 (Home Ed.)
    Thread Starter
       #29

    Summary of game plan. Seem OK??

    1. Upgrade the Win7 on the SSD to Win10, using my RTM iso (burned to a DVD).
    2. Convert this to a clean install (can't recall how as I type this, but I know the option is there)
    3. When Win10 all working, unplug the SSD and then install WinXPx64 to one of the HDDs
    4. Reboot and see what happens!
    5. Use EasyBCD to get a dual boot menu. I must get the PC set up so that it default boots to XP after a give timeout (where I have an option to boot into Win10 instead)...
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  10. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #30

    The first step will be unplugging the drives leaving only the SSD plugged in for the upgrade over 7! Otherwise you will end up seeing what I ran into here on the 29th of July being a No Go! The boot files and temp install folders end up getting scattered all over! It took a day to track the problem until looking over the clean install guide for the upgrade install solution needed!

    Once 10 is on and the too often needed clean install to follow you then unplug the SSD when going to plug the intended XP drive in by itself. That prevents one drive from being seen as Disk 0 while XP is being installed to another by only having that drive present not knowing how your drives are set up there.

    Once XP is on you then replug the other drives including the SSD in order to add the new boot entry for XP or when going to see the clean install of 10 as suggested earlier leave the XP drive plugged in while the others are unplugged to allow the 10 installer to edit the BCD automatically for you! The idea is to first see the older Windows go on first to the intended drive and once all that is set plug the 10 over 7 SSD drive back in and perform the clean install to have everything set.

    If any problem comes up with the planned dual boot refer to the guide for this or since you are planning a dual boot of XP as the secondary OS you will want to review the Neosmart database in order to see this done using EasyBCD. Installing XP as a second OS
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