Windows 7 has proved to be quite the drastic improvement over Vista,So it should come as no surprise as was reported here “Windows 7 Fastest Selling Operating System In History Says Microsoft” that Windows7 has been a success story.

But,could Windows 7 accomplish everything that’s expected of it?  Probably not. Eight years after its release–and months after Microsoft officially discontinued it–Windows XP is more beloved than ever.So,even I’d like to have a try of windows 7,but I wouldn’t give up xp/vista as my main installation.What can we do,then?

Thankfully, setting up a dual boot configuration is both easy and practical. If you’re looking for a quick and dirty, yet thorough how-to on getting Windows 7 to run alongside your installation of XP or Vista, read on.

Step 1:Create/Obtain an Installation Disc
Assuming you’ve already downloaded a fresh copy of Windows 7, you’ll need to burn it to a DVD in order to do a fresh installation.Our personal favorite is ImgBurn, but to name some others,Please have a look at my earlier article:The Best Free Portable Windows CD DVD Burning Software Alternatives to Nero
Step 2: Partition Your Hard Drive
Note: Before continuing I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the fact that data corruption is a possibility. Even though this guide is absolutely harmless, random software anomalies can and do occur – do yourself a favor and backup your precious data before proceeding.
Before you go installing Windows 7, the first thing you need to do is create a new partition on your hard drive to hold the new installation of Windows. Partitioning your hard drive will vary depending on whether you’re running XP or Vista—because Vista has a partition tool baked in, XP does not.
Resize your current OS drive to free up enough space for a Windows 7 partition (the minimum system requirements ask for 16GB,but I suggest 25GB).
Step 3: Install Windows 7
With the Windows 7 DVD in your optical drive, reboot and “press any key” to boot from the disc when prompted. The installation wizard that will greet you is pretty straightforward. Despite that, there is one critical thing to note:
Make absolutely sure that you choose the “Custom (advanced)” installation option, so you’re able to select the freshly created partition. Be careful, you run the risk of installing over your old operating system along with all of your data if you select the wrong partition.

After defining all configuration parameters Windows will continue on with the installation process for roughly 15-30 minutes and then prompt you for more basic input.

Pat yourself on the back! You’ve successfully installed Windows 7 alongside your previously existing instance of Windows and you’ll be able to check out Microsoft’s most recent operating system.

Congratulations! You should now have a new entry for Windows 7 on your boot screen when you  start your computer. You’ve now got all the tools necessary to dual-boot Windows 7 and XP or Vista—or even to triple-boot Windows 7, Vista, and XP.