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    X220 - Dual-boot Windows 7 and XP with SSDs?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by jcm3, Jun 26, 2011.

  1. jcm3

    jcm3 Notebook Consultant

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    I have an X220 with a 160GB SSD and 80GB mSATA SSD and want to set it up to dual-boot Windows 7 64-bit off the 160GB SSD and XP Pro SP3 32-bit off the 80GB SSD but have not had any success. I'm using the Lenovo recovery disks for Windows 7 and an XP Pro SP3 disk.

    I followed the instructions here using the F6 method to get the Intel/Lenovo AHCI SATA drivers for X220 installed for XP but it never works. It reads from the floppy and brings up a list of drivers including "Intel(R) Mobile Express Chipset SATA AHCI Controller" which according to the Device manager is the correct one but each time it says the device (the SATA AHCI controller) is not installed in the computer.

    I can see how maybe using the Levono recovery disks might give me some problems but even doing a clean install from scratch with just XP alone shouldn't be giving me these problems with the SATA drivers.

    I can get XP installed and booting by going into BIOS and switching the SATA mode from AHCI to Compatibility for the install (not what you want to do) but when I switch back to AHCI of course I get the BSOD as the drivers could not be installed. Why is it not accepting the drivers and telling me I don't have a SATA AHCI controller installed? Any ideas?

    EDIT:

    XP virtual Mode in 7 isn't working for me as some programs are not running due to it not utilizing the full resolution of the screen (among other issues).
     
    jcm3, Jun 26, 2011
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  2. jcm3

    jcm3 Notebook Consultant

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    Whoops. I said XP compatibility Mode but what I was meant was XP "Virtual PC" mode. The programs I need to run will not run under Windows 7's virtual XP Mode for various reasons. A couple of them require 1024x76 8 resolution and XP virtual Mode is only giving them 76 6 and they will not launch.

    I've already got an XP Pro SP3 installation disk and the second drive so I would like to get the dual-boot working.
     
    jcm3, Jun 28, 2011
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  3. wkearney99

    wkearney99 Notebook Consultant

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    What programs are that important that they won't work in 7? Or are that poorly written that they won't work in compatibility mode or inside a virtual machine?
     
    wkearney99, Jun 28, 2011
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  4. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    I would recommend, if you want to do this, downloading a Windows 7 disc. There's links in the Windows forum. The recovery discs are just going to mess everything up, the MBR in particular. Do a clean install. Download whatever apps and drivers you need from Lenovo's website.
     
    ZaZ, Jun 28, 2011
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