Windows 7: Questions about Dual Boot and Drive letters

1) I currently am running Vista on a laptop on which it is the only OS. I want to install 7 on a second partition for dual boot. However, to keep things tidy, I would like to make Windows 7 Drive C: (which currently contains Vista). Is there a way to image the hard drive then reload it onto drive D: after I install 7 on C:?

2) I guess my other option is to install 7 on the formatted HD, then create a D: partition to run the Vista recovery disks on... at least that would restore my drivers, etc. But I really wanted to keep my current configuration around for those programs that are slow to catch on to the new OS. (Or do I even have to worry about this?)

3) If all this dual boot stuff is too complicated or if I really don't need to worry about the driver/software compatibility, I might just do away with that idea and clean install it on the C: drive and forget about Vista. (reluctant to do so since I rely on this computer for school). I will be keeping my C: drive image that I took yesterday so taht I can recover to Vista if need be.

Edt: 4) I just had anther thought... If I install Win 7 clean could I then take my Vista hard drive image and make it into a VHD? that would pretty much solve all my troubles I think. Unless I would need to reinstall Vista onto the VHD.

Welcome to Seven Forums.

I originally did the same thing, for the same reason. But never used Vista again after the first time with Windows 7.
All programs that I ran on Vista work on Windows 7.
If you don't have the Windows 7 driver for something the Vista driver will work.

Just keep your Vista backup image, you'll probably never use it but, keep it for safety sake.

Use the Clean install method and use Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers to get all your user settings from Vista, you will still have to install all the programs. It will make the transition easier.

Thanks! It helps to know that someone else has already done it.
How about software? Have you had any problems with older software not running on 7? I'm a little worried about Photoshop CS3 and a couple others. I noticed that some of the small obscure freeware I used on Vista is native on 7, so that makes me happy