Need help with partition of new 2nd HD


  1. BarrieNoodles
    Posts : 64
    Windows Vista Ultimate 32 bit & Win 7 Professional 32 bit
       New #1

    Need help with partition of new 2nd HD


    Getting ready clean install Win 7 and I just installed a new Seagate 1TB HD as my second drive. In the near future I want to set up a multi OS booting, Vista, Windows7 and later Linux.
    Vista is on my C: drive and I wonder if I should load Win7 and Linux an the first two partitions of the second drive or create two new partitions on Drive 1 and install them there,but then all my OS are on 1 drive and if it goes south I have no way to boot the system without reinstalling OS's.
    Also
    Partition Wizard Home Edition v5.0 shows Disk 2 that the first partition is *: and that it is unallocated, Capacity 7.88GB, Used 0GB, Unused 7.88GB, Status None and Type as Logical. Should these settings be changed?

    I'm new to multiple partitions so all help is welcome.

    Thank you
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  3. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       New #2

    I would unplug the first drive and then install Windows7 on the new drive. That way you will have 2 independent systems and always get at one by switching the boot sequence of the BIOS.
    With the installation of Linux you have to be careful. The Grub (the Linux loader) will take over and will incorporate your MBR. That is a nasty scenario. I always install Linux in a virtual partition (I use Virtual Box). Thus it cannot get into the way of my main systems.
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  4. BarrieNoodles
    Posts : 64
    Windows Vista Ultimate 32 bit & Win 7 Professional 32 bit
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Need help with partition of new 2nd HD


    I want to set it up as a multi boot system and I can't unplug Drive 1 because my Win7 is an upgrade so it has to see Vista to install. I have to do a clean install because

    "Windows Vista™ Ultimate cannot be upgraded to Windows 7 Professional. You can choose to install a new copy of Windows 7 Professional instead, but this is different from an upgrade, and does not keep your files, settings, and programs. You’ll need to reinstall any programs using the original installation discs or files. To save your files before installing Windows, back them up to an external location such as a CD, DVD, or external hard drive. To install a new copy of Windows 7 Professional, click the Back button in the upper left-hand corner, and select “Custom (advanced)”.
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  6. linuzo
    Posts : 154
    Windows 7 Build 7100
       New #4

    Actually if you install Windows 7 on the vista parition without formatting(provided you have enough disk space) your old windows installation will be moved to a Windows.old folder then you can move all your files into your newly installed Windows 7 directories and delete the rest of the Windows.old folder in order to do that. As far as linux if it is already installed you could use a livecd like knoppix or ubuntu to boot and then repair the bootloader from there.

    If you want more detailed notes let me know, I have been dual booting Windows and Linux for over 12 years. Since Slackware 2 :)
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  7. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       New #5

    I think you could do this. Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version
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  8. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #6

    You will have a lot less problems if you have each OS on a separate HD, installed while other HD's are unplugged, to boot via BIOS boot order or the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key.

    This keeps your HD's free to come and go as you please, whereas a Windows- or GRUB-managed multi-boot interlocks the HD's and makes them harder to extricate.

    At the bare minimum I'd boot Ubuntu via the BIOS to not impose GRUB corruption on Win7. If you only have two HD's then put the Windows together on one HD, with 7 installed last to auto-configure the Dual Boot (or use EasyBCD 2.0 to do it). Then unplug that HD when installing Ubuntu so that it is booted only by BIOS boot order or menu key when you plug Windows back in.
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