How to Dual Boot Windows 7 with XP or Vista

If you're dying to try out Windows 7 but aren't ready to give up your installation of XP or Vista, let's take a look at how to dual boot Windows 7 with XP or Vista.

Step 0: Download the Windows 7 Beta and Burn It to a DVD

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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. To handle this task, grab a copy of the most popular CD and DVD burning tool ImgBurn, burn the ISO to a DVD, and move right along to step 1.

Step 1: Partition Your Hard Drive

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—namely because Vista has a partition tool baked in, XP does not.

Partition Your Hard Drive in XP

To partition your hard drive in Windows XP, you'll need to download some sort of third-party partitioning software. There are a lot of options available, but I prefer to stick with thepreviously mentioned GParted live CD, a free, open source boot CD that can handle all kinds of partitioning duties.

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To use it, just download the GParted Live CD, burn it to a CD, then reboot your computer (booting from the disc). You'll boot right into the partitioning tool. HowtoForge's previous guide to modifying partitions with GParted is a great place to start, but it's a fairly basic procedure:

1. Resize your current OS drive to free up enough space for a Windows 7 partition (theminimum system requirements ask for 16GB).
2. Create a new partition from the newly freed space.
3. Apply your changes.

Partition Your Hard Drive in Vista

The folks at Redmond were kind enough to include a disk partitioning tool in Vista if you know where to look. So go to Control Panel -> System and Maintainence (skip this one if you're in Classic view) -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management. Once you launch the Computer Management tool, click on Disk Management under the Storage heading in the sidebar. It's partitioning time.

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Luckily we've already gone down this road before in step-by-step detail, complete with pictures, so check out our previous guide to creating a new partition in Vista. In a nutshell, you'll need to shrink your current OS partition to free up at least 16GB of disk space (per the Windows 7 minimum system requirements), then create a "New Simple Volume" from the free space.

Step 2: Install Windows 7

Now that you've done all the heavy lifting, it's time for the easy part: Installing Windows 7 on your new partition. So insert your Windows 7 disc and reboot your computer (you'll need to have enabled booting from your DVD drive in your system BIOS, but most PCs will have this enabled by default).

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Once the DVD boots up it's a simple matter of following along with the fairly simple installation wizard. When you're choosing installation type, be sure to select Custom (advanced) and choose the partition you set up above. (Be careful here. Choosing the wrong partition could mean wiping your other Windows installation altogether, so make sure you pick the new partition you just created.)
After you select the partition, go grab yourself a drink and let the installer do its work. Windows will run through some installation bits, restart a few times in the process. Eventually you'll be prompted to set up your account, enter your license key, and set up Windows. Keep your eyes open for fun new Windows 7 features, like your new homegroup (and the accompanying password). When it's finished, you're up and rolling with your new Windows 7 installation.

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Congratulations! You should now have a new entry for Windows 7 on your boot screen when you first start up 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.
This isn't the only way to set up a multi-boot system by any means, but it's how I pulled it off. If you've got a method of your own that you prefer, let's hear it in the comments.

How to back up files and recover data

Even computer novices know that file backups are important in case of hard drive crashes, but many people wonder exactly how to back up files and how to recover data. This article covers the Backup and Restore feature in Windows 7 and in Windows Vista, which can help save you a lot of time and trouble. It also focuses on how to back up Microsoft Outlook files and how to back up files in the cloud. All of these tools and processes can all help with data recovery in the event that something happens to your computer.

Why backups are important

Files can be lost from your computer in any number of ways—you might accidentally delete a file, or a virus might wipe one out. You can also have a complete hard drive failure. When a hard drive dies an untimely death, it's kind of like having your house burn down. Important personal items are usually gone forever—family photos, significant documents, downloaded music, and more.

Thankfully it's a really simple process these days to back up your content to a second, separate location. By doing so, your files can be protected against viruses or complete computer failure. This makes it easy to retrieve and place them on a new hard drive and get going again.

Today, there are many options for backing up your content. You don't need any sophisticated equipment—you can use CDs, DVDs, external hard drives, flash drives, network drives, or even online storage like Windows Live SkyDrive. It might be a good idea to back up your data to multiple places. For example, you might choose to back up your content onto both an external hard drive and to an online storage site.

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Back up files to the cloud

Windows Live SkyDrive is one option available if you choose to back up your data to an online storage space. A couple of additional storage options from Microsoft include Hotmail, which offers enough storage for you to store your email, calendar, and contacts, and Windows Live Mesh, which lets you sync all your files and folders across your PCs and devices and provides enough cloud storage for your most important files. If you need extra space, do a little research, and choose the online storage spot that best fits your needs.

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Windows Backup and Restore

Windows comes with a very cool feature called Backup and Restore, which has been improved for Windows 7. To open Backup and Restore in Windows 7, in the Searchbox, type Backup, and then click the item in the results list. In Windows Vista, click the Start button, and you should see Backup and Restore Center in the menu. Or just type the phrase into the Search box, and click the item from the results to open it.

What makes the Backup and Restore feature so cool is that it simplifies the entire backup process for you. With easy-to-follow steps and prompts, you can decide whether to back up specific files or your entire computer.

It's a good idea to back up your entire computer when you first set it up. This option captures everything from files to software programs to system settings. If your computer ever stops working completely, you can potentially restore it using the initial entire computer backup.

Back up your files

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista

The first time you create a backup, it might take a while, depending on the number of items you need to back up. After that, backups should be quicker.

Restore your files

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista

After you’ve completed your first backup, it’s a good idea to set up an automatic backup schedule so that you don’t have to remember to back things up manually.

Set up or change automatic backup settings

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista

Note: The ability to set up automatic backups is not included in Windows Vista Starter or Windows Vista Home Basic.

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Back up email in Microsoft Outlook

Most people don't realize that email isn't necessarily saved in backups the same way that other files are. That's because Outlook saves your emails in a Personal Folder file with a .pst extension that doesn't automatically get caught in normal backups. Unless you're using a Microsoft Exchange Server email account or a third-party HTTP account (like Windows Live Hotmail), you'll need to perform a few extra steps to make sure Outlook emails aren't lost forever if your computer goes belly up.

.Pst files can be quite large, so it's a good idea to make sure your backup location has plenty of room—and that you allow lots of time for an email backup to occur. After you've done that, just follow these steps to back up your Outlook content:

1. Open Outlook.
2. In Outlook 2010:
   Click the File tab, and in Backstage view, click Open, and then click Import.
   
   In Outlook 2007:
   Click File, and then click Import and Export.
3. In the Choose an action to perform list, click Export to a File, and then clickNext.
4. In the Create a file of type list, click Outlook Data File (.pst) in Outlook 2010 or Personal Folder (.pst) in Outlook 2007, and then click Next.
   
5. In the Select the folder to export from list, click the folder you want to export from, such as Inbox or Sent Items, and then click Next.
6. Browse to and select the location where you want to save the file. Remember, backups should be placed somewhere other than the original location of the source file. For example, if your source file is on your computer’s hard drive, you’ll want to save your backup file to an external source, like a CD or an external hard drive.
7. Choose the default setting Replace Duplicates with Items Exported.
8. Click Finish.
9. At any time, you can restore your file by importing it into Outlook.
   Note: If you want to just view or access something in your exported .pst file without importing it back into Outlook, you can simply open the .pst file.
   In Outlook 2010:
   Click the File tab and, in Backstage view, click Open, and then click Open Outlook Data File.
   In Outlook 2007:
   Click File, point to Open, and then click Outlook Data File.

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In closing
See how quick and easy it is to protect yourself and your data from permanent loss? Backing up your data might take you a couple of extra minutes a few times a month, but you'll be glad you took that time if an emergency ever happens.

SkyDrive for the modern web

How to Make a Network Cable

Steps

1. 1
   Unroll the required length of network cable and add a little extra wire, just in case. If a boot is to be fitted, do so before stripping away the sleeve and ensure the boot faces the correct way.
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2. 2
   

    Carefully remove the outer jacket of the cable.
   Carefully remove the outer jacket of the cable. Be careful when stripping the jacket as to not nick or cut the internal wiring. One good way to do this is to cut lengthwise with snips or a knife along the side of the cable, away from yourself, about an inch toward the open end. This reduces the risk of nicking the wires' insulation. Locate the string inside with the wires, or if no string is found, use the wires themselves to unzip the sheath of the cable by holding the sheath in one hand and pulling sideways with the string or wire. Cut away the unzipped sheath and cut the twisted pairs about 1 1/4" (30 mm). You will notice 8 wires twisted in 4 pairs. Each pair will have one wire of a certain color and another wire that is white with a colored stripe matching its partner (this wire is called a tracer).
3. 3
   

    Inspect the newly revealed wires for any cuts or scrapes that expose the copper wire inside.
   Inspect the newly revealed wires for any cuts or scrapes that expose the copper wire inside. If you have breached the protective sheath of any wire, you will need to cut the entire segment of wires off and start over at step one. Exposed copper wire will lead to cross-talk, poor performance or no connectivity at all. It is important that the jacket for all network cables remains intact.
4. 4
   

    Untwist the pairs so they will lay flat between your fingers.
   Untwist the pairs so they will lay flat between your fingers. The white piece of thread can be cut off even with the jacket and disposed (see Warnings). For easier handling, cut the wires so that they are 3/4" (19 mm) long from the base of the jacket and even in length.
5. 5
   

    Arrange the wires based on the wiring specifications you are following.
   Arrange the wires based on the wiring specifications you are following. There are two methods set by the TIA, 568A and 568B. Which one you use will depend on what is being connected. A straight-through cable is used to connect two different-layer devices (e.g. a hub and a PC). Two like devices normally require a cross-over cable. The difference between the two is that a straight-through cable has both ends wired identically with 568B, while a cross-over cable has one end wired 568A and the other end wired 568B.^[1] For our demonstration in the following steps, we will use 568B, but the instructions can easily be adapted to 568A.
   • 568B - Put the wires in the following order, from left to right:
     
     
     • white orange
     • orange
     • white green
     • blue
     • white blue
     • green
     • white brown
     • brown
   • 568A - from left to right:
     • white/green
     • green
     • white/orange
     • blue
     • white/blue
     • orange
     • white/brown
     • brown
6. 6
   You can also use the mnemonic 1-2-3-6/3-6-1-2 to remember which wires are switched.
   
   
   
7. 7
   Press all the wires flat and parallel between your thumb and forefinger. Verify the colors have remained in the correct order. Cut the top of the wires even with one another so that they are 1/2" (12.5 mm) long from the base of the jacket, as the jacket needs to go into the 8P8C connector by about 1/8", meaning that you only have a 1/2" of room for the individual cables. Leaving more than 1/2" untwisted can jeopardize connectivity and quality. Ensure that the cut leaves the wires even and clean; failure to do so may cause the wire not to make contact inside the jack and could lead to wrongly guided cores inside the plug.
8. 8
   

    Keep the wires flat and in order as you push them into the RJ-45 plug with the flat surface of the plug on top.
   Keep the wires flat and in order as you push them into the RJ-45 plug with the flat surface of the plug on top. The white/orange wire should be on the left if you're looking down at the jack. You can tell if all the wires made it into the jack and maintain their positions by looking head-on at the plug. You should be able to see a wire located in each hole, as seen at the bottom right. You may have to use a little effort to push the pairs firmly into the plug. The cabling jacket should also enter the rear of the jack about 1/4" (6 mm) to help secure the cable once the plug is crimped. You may need to stretch the sleeve to the proper length. Verify that the sequence is still correct before crimping.
9. 9
   

    Place the wired plug into the crimping tool.
   Place the wired plug into the crimping tool. Give the handle a firm squeeze. You should hear a ratcheting noise as you continue. Once you have completed the crimp, the handle will reset to the open position. To ensure all pins are set, some prefer to double-crimp by repeating this step.
10. 10
    Repeat all of the above steps with the other end of the cable. The way you wire the other end (568A or 568B) will depend on whether you're making a straight-through, rollover, or cross-over cable (see Tips).
11. 11
    

     Test the cable to ensure that it will function in the field.
    Test the cable to ensure that it will function in the field. Mis-wired and incomplete network cables could lead to headaches down the road. In addition, with power-over-Ethernet (PoE) making its way into the market place, crossed wire pairs could lead to physical damage of computers or phone system equipment, making it even more crucial that the pairs are in the correct order. A simple cable tester can quickly verify that information for you. Should you not have a network cable tester on hand, simply test connectivity pin to pin.