Dual installation of Windows 10 Pro & Windows XP Pro


  1. Posts : 5
    Windows XP
       #1

    Dual installation of Windows 10 Pro & Windows XP Pro


    I've cleanly installed Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) in UEFI mode in my new computer.

    I'm planning to have XP by either dual boot (separate hard disk) or virtualization.

    But this question is strictly regarding with dual boot.

    If I unplug hard disk containing Windows 10, install Windows XP in separate hard disk in legacy BIOS mode (as XP doesn't suppoer UEFI), replug hard disk containing Windows 10, would I be able to have properly functioning dual boot?

    If not, can you please suggest how to make this to be happen?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    I would think your process would work. You will have to manually add the entry to boot Windows XP in the BCD on Windows 10 after you go back to booting from the WIndows 10 hard drive.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 3,513
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #3

    Because Windows own bcdedit involves command line and is difficult to use, I suggest a utility such as EasyBCD where you can add/remove entries easily from a graphics interface.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5
    Windows XP
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thanks to your replies.

    I wandered through EasyBCD website & https://neosmart.net/wiki/easybcd/uefi tells-
    "If your Windows PC is booting in EFI mode, Microsoft has blocked the loading of legacy or non-Windows operating systems from the BCD menu. This means that you can no longer use EasyBCD to add Windows 9x, XP, or Server 2003 entries to the BCD bootloader menu."

    Can I still manually add Windows XP entry in Windows 10 BCD as suggested by NavyLCDR?

    Thanks & regards,

    Maria.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 3,513
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #5

    You can download EasyBCD and try. You need a new boot entry that points to the boot.ini file of Windows XP.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       #6

    You will probably have to turn secure boot off in your bios in order to boot to Windows XP because Windows XP did not support it. It's a security measure that allows bios to only boot an operating system with a valid signature and came out later than Windows XP did.
      My Computer


 

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