Dual boot 2 hard drives

[frajul2]

Downloaded Win7 RC1 and want to try it out. I am debating two options:
1- installing Win7 on a separate hard drive;
2-dual booting Win XP Pro SP3 with Win7 on a new 320 Gig Eide WD hard drive
I just purchased. I am currently running XP Pro but the drive is nearly full.
How do I set up a dual boot using two hard drives, or using the new larger
drive for both? Would like options for both.
Computer is P4, 3.2 Gig, 2 Gig Ram

 

[db]

option number 3:

install virtual pc or
virtual box in xp,

then virtualize w7 in
one of the above.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- Microsoft Partner
- @hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~"share the nirvana" - dbZen

 

[Doum]

Downloaded Win7 RC1 and want to try it out. I am debating two options:
1- installing Win7 on a separate hard drive;
2-dual booting Win XP Pro SP3 with Win7 on a new 320 Gig Eide WD hard
drive I just purchased. I am currently running XP Pro but the drive is
nearly full. How do I set up a dual boot using two hard drives, or
using the new larger drive for both? Would like options for both.
Computer is P4, 3.2 Gig, 2 Gig Ram

You install your new drive as slave and then clone the old HD on the new
using WD tool, WD recommend the DOS version to clone a boot disc.

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=502&sid=1&lang=en

I would then set the new drive as master and boot from it with that drive
alone in the system to make sure everything is OK.

Once everything works, you put back the old drive in the machine as slave
and install Windows 7 on it, format it at the beginning of the
installation, MAKE SURE YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT DRIVE TO FORMAT (the old one)
and install Win 7.

When the computer restart, it should give you a choice of which OS to load.

It would be a good idea to backup your data on CDs, DVDs or external HD
before beginning in case something go wrong.

HTH
Doum

 

[smlunatick]

Downloaded Win7 RC1 and want to try it out. I am debating two options:
1- installing Win7 on a separate hard drive;
2-dual booting Win XP Pro SP3 with Win7 on a new 320 Gig Eide WD hard drive
I just purchased. I am currently running XP Pro but the drive is nearly full.
How do I set up a dual boot using two hard drives, or using the new larger
drive for both? Would like options for both.
Computer is P4, 3.2 Gig, 2 Gig Ram

http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBCD/EasyBCD+Documentation+Home

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was Thursday, July 09, 2009 12:41:01 PM, and on a
whim, frajul2 pounded out on the keyboard:

Downloaded Win7 RC1 and want to try it out. I am debating two options:
1- installing Win7 on a separate hard drive;
2-dual booting Win XP Pro SP3 with Win7 on a new 320 Gig Eide WD hard drive
I just purchased. I am currently running XP Pro but the drive is nearly full.
How do I set up a dual boot using two hard drives, or using the new larger
drive for both? Would like options for both.
Computer is P4, 3.2 Gig, 2 Gig Ram

I have Win7 on a partition along with other OS's. I installed it four
times before finally getting it to completely install in its own
partition without installing its bootloader into the XP partition.
You'll find in your research that it is said that only making the new
partition active will cause Win7 to completely install itself there, but
that wasn't the case in my experience. I had to hide the XP partition
before it installed everything in the active partition.

I would remove your existing drive. Install the new one and Win7. Then
put the old drive back in along with the new one. You will have to know
how to do that and whether your drives are IDE/PATA or SATA. Then you
can easily install a boot manager like GAG that is free to access either
one. And you won't need EasyBCD either.


Terry R.

 

[frajul2]

--
frajul2

The date and time was Thursday, July 09, 2009 12:41:01 PM, and on a
whim, frajul2 pounded out on the keyboard:


I have Win7 on a partition along with other OS's. I installed it four
times before finally getting it to completely install in its own
partition without installing its bootloader into the XP partition.
You'll find in your research that it is said that only making the new
partition active will cause Win7 to completely install itself there, but
that wasn't the case in my experience. I had to hide the XP partition
before it installed everything in the active partition.

I would remove your existing drive. Install the new one and Win7. Then
put the old drive back in along with the new one. You will have to know
how to do that and whether your drives are IDE/PATA or SATA. Then you
can easily install a boot manager like GAG that is free to access either
one. And you won't need EasyBCD either.


Terry R.

 

[frajul2]

Can I format and partition the new drive (320Gig) into 2- 160Gig partitions
prior to installing either OS and how would I do that?

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:47:01 PM, and on a whim,
frajul2 pounded out on the keyboard:

Can I format and partition the new drive (320Gig) into 2- 160Gig partitions
prior to installing either OS and how would I do that?

Using a web interface with the signature caused a delimiter to be
inserted (the dash dash space "-- ") which wiped out everything in the
post. It would be advised to not use a signature if you're using the
web interface so that won't happen.

Google search EASEUS partition manager. Download it and format and
partition your drive. If you choose to install both OS's to the new
drive, install XP first.

But since you already have XP on a drive, I would do what I recommended
before.


Terry R.

 

[frajul2]

Thanks. I believe I have enough information to try to set up a dual boot.
I'll keep you informed.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

The date and time was Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:47:01 PM, and on a whim,
frajul2 pounded out on the keyboard:


Using a web interface with the signature caused a delimiter to be
inserted (the dash dash space "-- ") which wiped out everything in the
post. It would be advised to not use a signature if you're using the
web interface so that won't happen.

Bear in mind that the effect of "the dash dash space '-- '" occurs in
*your* newsreader. I don't know whether you can turn that off in the
newsreader you use, but you might want to look into whether you can. I
use Forte Agent 5.0 here, and I have that turned off in it.

 

[frajul2]

I did that while typing in the question. I'll avoid doing that. Thanks

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was Friday, July 10, 2009 9:58:14 AM, and on a whim,
Ken Blake, MVP pounded out on the keyboard:

Bear in mind that the effect of "the dash dash space '-- '" occurs in
*your* newsreader. I don't know whether you can turn that off in the
newsreader you use, but you might want to look into whether you can. I
use Forte Agent 5.0 here, and I have that turned off in it.

What "effect"? A delimiter is used to remove a sig. Good newsreaders
see it and do what they're supposed to do. What specifically do you
have "turned off"?

Just because MS clients INSERT a delimiter when top posting and IGNORE
it on replies is far from being correct.


Terry R.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

The date and time was Friday, July 10, 2009 9:58:14 AM, and on a whim,
Ken Blake, MVP pounded out on the keyboard:


What "effect"? A delimiter is used to remove a sig.

True.


Good newsreaders
see it and do what they're supposed to do.

Also true, but god newsreaders can also give you the choice of turning
that feature off. Agent, for example, as I said, gives you that
choice.

What specifically do you
have "turned off"?

That feature--removing everything that follows the delimiter.

Just because MS clients INSERT a delimiter when top posting and IGNORE
it on replies is far from being correct.

Three points:

1. I wasn't talking about MS clients in particular, but pointing out
that at least some newsreaders let you turn off the feature.

2. I wasn't suggesting that it was correct.

3. I wasn't recommending that you turn it off, merely pointing out
that you might have the choice, if you want it.

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was Friday, July 10, 2009 12:56:06 PM, and on a whim,
Ken Blake, MVP pounded out on the keyboard:

Also true, but god newsreaders can also give you the choice of turning
that feature off. Agent, for example, as I said, gives you that
choice.

Maybe it's because you have a "god newsreader" that allows you to do
that. ;-)

I have never seen one that offers that feature. Interesting Agent does.
They must be the only one AFAIK.

That feature--removing everything that follows the delimiter.




Three points:

1. I wasn't talking about MS clients in particular, but pointing out
that at least some newsreaders let you turn off the feature.

2. I wasn't suggesting that it was correct.

3. I wasn't recommending that you turn it off, merely pointing out
that you might have the choice, if you want it.

No, TB doesn't have that option.

Terry R.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

The date and time was Friday, July 10, 2009 12:56:06 PM, and on a whim,
Ken Blake, MVP pounded out on the keyboard:



Maybe it's because you have a "god newsreader" that allows you to do
that. ;-)

LOL! You caught my typo that I also caught, but unfortunately just
*after* I sent it.

I have never seen one that offers that feature. Interesting Agent does.
They must be the only one AFAIK.

OK, thanks. Although I've used several different newsreaders over the
years, I don't remember looking for that feature in any other one. I
just assumed that if Agent offered the feature most others did too,
but I guess I was wrong.