Installing windows server 2003 and 2008 R2 in the same machine

Sometimes, we cannot upgrade our machines to the latest Operating Systems, since some programs we used in the older operating systems is no longer supported in the latest operating systems or our license to a particular software will work only if we buy the upgrade, whatever the case maybe.. this is the solution to install two server operating systems in the same machine who doesn't want to completely upgrade the machine . 

This is tested with windows server 2003 and windows server 2008 in the same machine,

First of all download, the drivers for both the operating systems or backup files before doing the formatting/Installing 

You cannot install two operating systems in the same partition, so format your drives with two partitions , with enough space requirements recommended

Install the older operating system ie. windows server 2003 in the first partition, when done reboot the machine   for Installing the windows server OS 2008, Have the OS 2008 Disc ready in the your DVD Drive,  you will be asked to continue to install, you will land up  in a page where you need to assign the partition for the installation, Pls select the alternate partition and not selecting the option for the upgrade, and continue the installation, once done it will boot the windows server 2008 OS.

Restart the machine , on rebooting you will be asked whether to boot in the windows server 2008 OS or to the Earlier version of Windows in this case its windows server 2003, Select the desired option and continue using both the operating systems in the same machine,

Sometimes you mayn't be given the option to boot in the different OS, the system boots directly to the OS , dont worry, download and install EASYBCD software , in windows server 2008 , after installing the EasyBCD , open the program , you will be in overview page, display mode. which will show you the different operating systems you have in the machine ,  if you have installed the two different OS in the two different partitions correctly it will show the details of the operating systems,

In the EasyBCD software, go to the Edit Boot Menu, Windows server 2008 OS will be marked as default. and the windows 2003 OS will be named as Earlier version of Windows , below it you will have Timeout options, select the option wait for user selection and press save settings button next to it, 

Reboot the machine , Now you will be asked with the option to boot either in windows server 2008 or Earlier version of Windows, select the desired and use it . 

This works fine with any two operating systems in the same machine, like windows 7, 8 , XP, Mac or Linux ,

thanks, have fun if you have any quires write to us @

senthil080@gmail.com or infinitydeterminant@gmail.com

Follow us at 

www.facebook.com/infinitydeterminant

www.youtube.com/infinitydeterminant

http://infinitydeterminant.blogspot.com