Install setup..

Okay here is my current setup and my thoughts on what I would like to end up with.
I have 2 seperate drives,

Drive 0 has XP
Drive 1 has Vista 64 and Windows 7 64.

I would like to start over and place Vista and windows 7 on drive 0 and leave drive 1 simply as storage.

Installing Vista first I suppose would be best..
I take it I can format the drive when booting from Vista and partition it while Im in there correct?

Then just install windows 7 to the new partition from within Vista since it is an upgrade copy which will replace my XP version?

Take a look at these posts:

https://www.sevenforums.com/installat...-problems.html

Tutorial quick reference list for Installing Windows 7

Questions to use for help with Installation Issues

Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista

USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

You could delete Drive 0, then copy or clone Drive 1 to it, then delete Drive 1, format logical for data.

Many HD's makers have cloning software on their Support Downloads webpage.

We can give you Diskpart commands to delete, or use free Partition Wizard bootable CD which can also do Copy operations if you don't clone drives.

I think at this point my OS's are just in need of a fresh install.. I'ts been over 2 yrs since I wiped and re-installed. I don't mind doing a clone of a drive but in this case with 3 OS's and all the added and deleted programs over the last few years I think its time for a fresh coat so to speak~~

I have paragon partition software so my thought is this:

Install Vista on disk 0 then add the partition software, create a new partition on drive 0 for windows 7 and format drive 1 for data. I would install 7 after formating drive 1 since currently there is an OS on drive 1.

As always, I appreciate the comments and sugestions~~

rev1775 said:

I think at this point my OS's are just in need of a fresh install.. I'ts been over 2 yrs since I wiped and re-installed. I don't mind doing a clone of a drive but in this case with 3 OS's and all the added and deleted programs over the last few years I think its time for a fresh coat so to speak~~

I have paragon partition software so my thought is this:

Install Vista on disk 0 then add the partition software, create a new partition on drive 0 for windows 7 and format drive 1 for data. I would install 7 after formating drive 1 since currently there is an OS on drive 1.

As always, I appreciate the comments and sugestions~~

Clean install is always best.

Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista

Looks good from what I read in that dual boot tutorial~
Aah well, off for a long day of re-installing..~~:)

You might want to prepartition the target HD to avoid having to shrink Vista to install Win7 afterward.

Use free bootable Partition Wizard CD or another manager on disk.

You can delete old HD at the same time, or unplug until after install then plug it in, deactivate partitions using Partition manager then delete each, repartition as desired and format NTFS logical for data.

And back with everything in and running all happy and clean......running both vista and windows 7 each living in their own little world, my additional space on disk 0 is good for data and the total of disk 1 for storage. All formatted and showing and all........

I do have a quick question... I have an external 500gig usb drive that I stored all my backup files on before doing all this... Since Vista will need all the service packs and updates completed. The 500 doesn't show at present on there ( works perfectly on windows 7 though which is fine ).

I'm guessing till I get all the updates for vista, the support for that large an external drive wasn't there at the point vista was released?