Installing XP side-by-side with Windows 7...

[guoqiang]

Knowing that Windows 7 installs essential and third-party programs in Program Files folder, programs settings in ProgramData folder, and stores user's profile by creating a softlink Documents and Settings folder to Users folder, Windows system files in Windows folder, leaving XP user not able to store its personal data in Documents and Settings folder.

There is an alternative method by creating a common pool directory for XP, for example, c:\HOME, in winnt.sif (unattended script), and saved it into I386 folder of ISO image.

[unattended]

; essential and third-party programs

ProgramFilesDir = "c:\HOME" <--- specify Drive C: where Windows 7 is going to install later

; shared system programs

CommonProgramFilesDir = "c:\HOME\Common Files" <--- manage system files efficiently

; Windows system files

TargetPath = HOME <--- remember to choose Drive C: to install XP

[GuiUnattended]

; user personal data

ProfilesDir="c:\HOME\addins" <--- this folder is seldom use