How many times can I install windows 7 home premium

Barman58 · 23 Oct 2009

When installing windows 7 into a multi-boot with vista It is simply a case of making sure you choose the custom install not the upgrade :). The multi-boot menu will be created automatically

with Windows 7 set as the default

One other thing if the drive is completely empty and unformatted when your install Windows 7 will create a recovery partition of 100 MB - If you do not want this, (the console is available on the DVD), make sure you pre-format the drive before install.

As for the drive letters both Vista and Windows 7 will treat their own drive / Partition as the C: drive with the other OS allocated a drive letter from the available pool - Both OS's will allow you to re-allocate all drives / letter combinations except for C:

Mike B · 23 Oct 2009

Question for the experts: If I dual boot to Vista or W7, can I use windows explorer to look at both drives and file systems?

I sure miss the DOS dazs.

Barman58 · 23 Oct 2009

The default for a multi-boot with vista and Windows 7 is to allocate a drive to the other system which is fully viewable (may need some permissions setting)

I will let Lee answer your other question

Mike B · 23 Oct 2009

I think I understand what you tried to say, but I'm not sure you said what I thought you meant.

So... If I boot to W7, it shows as the "C" drive and if I boot to Vista, it too shows as the "C" drive and looking at each other,(explorer) they show the next available drive before or after the other possible(CD/DVD and removable) drives.

Have I got that right?

Mike B · 23 Oct 2009

The "E" drive is new and has been used slightly, but has had a full format.

Barman58 · 23 Oct 2009

Yes the both OS's will be on C: when running, with the other OS visible as another Disk, the letter allocation will be dependent on what other drives are available.

Dave76 · 23 Oct 2009

Mike B said:

I think I understand what you tried to say, but I'm not sure you said what I thought you meant.

So... If I boot to W7, it shows as the "C" drive and if I boot to Vista, it too shows as the "C" drive and looking at each other,(explorer) they show the next available drive before or after the other possible(CD/DVD and removable) drives.

Have I got that right?

Which ever OS, Vista or 7, you boot up will be called drive'C'.
The other, not being used, OS will take another drive letter.
They will switch back and forth when you boot them.
So yes, you got it.

ignatzatsonic · 23 Oct 2009

Mike:

I'm not going to be installing until tomorrow and I won't be dual booting, but here are a few points.

I assume you now have a 500 gig drive with a large C and a small D; and another 500 gig drive with a single E. That could be confusing.

You should be able to direct the new install to any of those 3 partitions, assuming each of the 3 are large enough. It's up to you to be able to ID and choose the right partition. In your case, I would assume E is the largest of the 3 and if that is the case, you should take care to ensure you are choosing the largest of the 3 as the target.

I haven't dual booted in a long time, but you should end up with a menu. One choice leads to Vista, the other to Win 7. Regardless of the choice, I think the chosen drive will always be identified as C when the booting is done.

The programs you now use in Vista will not automatically be available to you when you boot to Windows 7. You will have to reinstall whatever programs you want to use in Windows 7 within Windows 7 itself.

It might be useful to give your individual partitions names that represent their OS to avoid confusion.

ken9122 · 23 Oct 2009

Mike, check out the tutorials. There is excellent description of how to dual boot.

Mike B · 23 Oct 2009

The original "C" 500G drive has a "D" (14G) restore partition. I gave the new 500G drive a volume label of Windows 7.

I just found the Dual Boot Tutorial Ken. Reading it now. Thanks,

UPS: 10/23/2009 04:55:00 - OUT FOR DELIVERY - PHOENIX, AZ
Ring my bell UPS! I love new toys... :)

Mike B

(Interesting... I type Dubya 7 and it shows up as Windows 7, but W8 doesn't.)