Multi Boot Correct order of OS installs - XP Vista Win7 Ubuntu Win8

KLund1

New Member
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5
Hi,
Want to multi boot, XP, Vista, Win7, Win8, and Unbantu 12.
Currently have win7 on an SSD. (I've had win8 DP, CP, RP install for testing but now have wiped that drive.)
I have an empty 300GB drive I want to install all those OS on. I think the correct order of installs would be:
XP - updating to SP3 x86
Vista - updating SP2 x64
Win7 - updating SP1 x64
Use EasyBCD2.0 to build a boot loader menu with WIn7 as default
Ubuntu 12.04
Boot through grub to get back to WIn7
Update EasyBCD boot loader menu with WIn7 as default and add Linux menu item
Win8 RP x64
Boot back to win7 somehow from win8
Update EasyBCD boot loader menu with WIn7 as default, and win8 menu item.

I'm sure I'm missing some small but important steps. I want to use win7 as default so there is not reboot to get to other OS's as when Win8 is the default. Also not sure if I need to remove the boot flag for XP if i'm loading Vista right after. Of coarse, I have OS backup images, and data backup on other Data/backup drives.
Can several of you out there give this a once over and post some pointers to make this go fairly smooth?
Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7 x64
    CPU
    i860
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-P55A
    Memory
    G-Skill Ripjaw 1600 6x2gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    xfx gtx260
    Hard Drives
    OCZ Revodrive V1 PCI SSD 74gb,
    WD VelociRaptor 300GB SATA 6.0Gb/s
    WD Caviar Black 2TB SATA 6.0Gb/s
    PSU
    Antec 550w
    Case
    Antec P180 (orgianal)
    Cooling
    Zalman 9700
    Other Info
    Quad boot Win 7 x64 SSD, Win7 x64 Vraptor, XP MCE 2005 SP3, Unbantu Linux 11.1
Multi boot correct order of OS installs - XP Vista Win7 Win8 Ubuntu

Unless you do it and report back if it was successful we would not know if this is the way go. ;)

If you install Windows versions from old to new (XP, Vista, 7, 8) every OS automatically cares for dual/multi booting.

I would install Ubuntu/GRUB last but not to MBR !

Adding a boot sector loader later for any Linux is not a problem.
1. Copy GRUB first stage (copy partition boot sector) to a file.
2. Create a boot sector loader in system BCD with file from 1.
See how to add any Linux to Windows BCD with bcdedit or Visual BCD
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    XP, Win7, Win8_Eval
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Notebook
    CPU
    Intel
I'm in process now. Stuck on XP. It's been a long while since I did a fresh install.
Will update as I go. Just was looking for any suggestions.
Good idea to do Linux last. Just was not sure about how WIN8 would deal with it. It's boot loader does not play well with others. That from other threads here.
Thanks for the input :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7 x64
    CPU
    i860
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-P55A
    Memory
    G-Skill Ripjaw 1600 6x2gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    xfx gtx260
    Hard Drives
    OCZ Revodrive V1 PCI SSD 74gb,
    WD VelociRaptor 300GB SATA 6.0Gb/s
    WD Caviar Black 2TB SATA 6.0Gb/s
    PSU
    Antec 550w
    Case
    Antec P180 (orgianal)
    Cooling
    Zalman 9700
    Other Info
    Quad boot Win 7 x64 SSD, Win7 x64 Vraptor, XP MCE 2005 SP3, Unbantu Linux 11.1
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