Windows 7: Taking the jump into Win 7 need some advice

Hello All,

I'm rather new here and I just bought my copy of Windows 7 Home Premium and intend to install the 32 bit version.

I read the very well written tutorial on doing a dual boot but having never done a dual boot I am somewhat confused ( not hard for me ) I plan to install 7 on a completely different drive than my XP Pro is on now. I want to keep XP Pro as it is now and not have to do a fresh install of it.

Once I get use to Windows 7 I will delete XP or may keep it as I have plenty of space. I have attached a image of my disk management to show my drives, the first 3 are 500 GB SATA drives partitioned into 2 drives each the last 2 are 2 500GB drives in a external enclosure. I would install 7 on "D" most likely because it is totally free ( nothing on it )

As I read the tutorial on dual boot I did download each suggested download so I do have them if needed.

I guess I am lost as to how to go about this install, I know the tutorial gives all the steps but I guess I need someone to tell me if I need to do all the steps with the way I want to install Win 7 on a different drive. Never done a dual boot so I don't know if my system will see 2 OS's and then ask which one I want to boot to or do I have to setup a boot manager???

Any help is appreciated very much

Ron

EaglePi,

Now, since day one, I've not been a fan of dual-boots so that warps my answer to you.

My advice: backup all data dear to your heart.

Then make a true clean install using following tutorial:
SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

some of the others do regularly use dual-boot and I'm sure they will point you in the best direction for dual-booting.

Once you start using Win 7, then you will never look back. In other words, XP will simply become a memory.

Everything dear to me is always saved to a different hard drive not the same as my OS that way I don't have to worry about losing any of it. The only reason I want to do a dual boot is in case Win 7 and some of my XP software son't work together... just want to cover the bases

Hello eaglepi, welcome to Seven Forums!





As you have XP installed to one Hard Disk Drive (HDD) already; disconnect that HDD and leave only the HDD you want to install Windows 7 to connected for the second install and when that's done connect the other, then whenever the PC is booted choose which OS / HDD to start using the BIOS boot menu; this way is just easier to remove one HDD and still have a working/booting OS to use if needed.


When you have Windows 7 installed you set the OS you want to boot as default in the main BIOS boot menu then when you need to boot to the other you use the one time BIOS boot menu most all motherboard/BIOSs have; who manufactured the mobo you use, ASUS?

Award I believe, can you please explain why I have to disconnect the HDD that has XP on it before installing 7

If you leave XP plugged in during Windows 7 install, the installer will auto-configure a windows-managed Dual Boot which is harder to later remove.

So as BFK suggests, it is better to unplug XP during Windows 7 install so that the HD's remain independent and can come and go as you please.

Set Windows 7 target HD first to boot in BIOS setup, after DVD drive.

After 7 install, plug XP back in and boot it by tapping one-time BIOS Boot menu key which on Asus P5B mobo is F8. Or do nothing and Windows 7 will boot via BIOS boot order.

Have a look at the snip I took of your disk management, you see it says "System" that means that's where the boot files are stored for the system and if a second OS is installed while the XP HDD is connected the boot files for Windows 7 will be added to the XP boot files and the 2 OSs will effectively share the files needed to boot either one.

Have a look at the tutorial at the link below for a further explanation.

Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

This is also how you would have to repair the boot files if ever you want to discontinue the dual boot.

click to enlarge

I understand what you are saying but in my case I will want XP to be my main system until I can get everything installed on Win 7 and get use to using it.

When you put the Win 7 DVD in doesn't it show you your drives and allow you to select which drive to install it on?? I guess not otherwise you would have told me to unplug the XP drive. This is starting to sound like a bad idea ( dual boot ) maybe I should just bite the bullet and install win 7 on the drive that XP is on. I assume that if I put the 7 dvd in it will do the same as if I put the XP in to do a fresh install...it will delete the partition, then I create a new partition and then select what partition to install Win 7 Right?

Please read this again from my first post to you.

I read your post but every system is set up different and your way is not so easy for me to do with my system. I have 3 500 GB HDD's, in my bios it only lists the model numbers for the HDD's and in my case all three are the same.


does that make it easier to understand why I can't quite do it that way easy. or am I missing something.

If so please tell me I'm here to learn

Thanks
Ron