Windows 7 - Making 2nd HD Active

I'm installing Win 7 (clean set up) on a second HD (1TB SATA). The first partition is for Windows 7, (100GB). Do I have to set "Status" as "Active & Boot & Systems"since I will be booting Win 7 from the drive? Also do I have to make drive active? I am using Partition Wizard.

Thanks

I would use the installer to partition, unless you want to create Logical data partitions after the Windows 7 Primary partition.

When you start marking partitions it messes with the installer. It will do it for you.

Be sure to unplug other HD's during install since it sounds like you are wisely booting via BIOS Boot Order or Dell's F12 BIOS Boot Menu to keep your HD's fully independent to come and go as you please.

If you instead want to create a WIndows-managed Dual Boot Menu, which interlocks the HD's, then keep the other OS HD plugged in, but I would remove all others.

As a note:



If more than one partition is "Active" it will cause issues, if there is more than one the snip below can be viewed to see how to correct for that; the relevant info can be viewed in disk management.

In the Windows start menu right click computer and click manage, in the left pane of the "Computer Management" window that opens click disk management.

click to enlarge