Correcting a dual-boot setup failure

By Fred Langa Windows’ built-in setup tools sometimes can’t handle complex configurations. When that happens, third-party partitioning utilities and boot managers are the solution.

Why won’t Win7 installation let him dual-boot?

Reader Douglas Heydon wants to dual-boot Vista and Windows 7. For some reason, the Win7 installation process won’t allow it.

• “I have just begun the transition process, upgrading from Vista to Win7. I want to set up dual-boot capabilities, but when the installation disc boots, and I select Custom, the location choices do not include ‘Unallocated Space.’

  “If I choose Drive C, a warning appears that the old Windows files will be put into Windows.old but will not be accessible after installing Win7.

  “Can you tell me how I force the dual-boot installation under these conditions?”
  

Windows 7′s built-in partitioning, formatting, and dual-boot tools can handle routine tasks, but in some circumstances they’re not up to the job. For example, systems with more than one physical disk sometimes can confuse the setup process. Also, systems that boot in a nonstandard way, such as booting from something other than the first partition of the first hard drive, might also stop Win7′s setup in its tracks.

Truth be told, there are many things that can go wrong.

Related posts:

1. Undoing Dual-Boot Setups
2. Boot Manager
3. More Dual-Boot Options
4. Make your computer dual-boot Vista and XP
5. Moving Windows; And A Dual-Boot Problem