Yet another dual boot "should I" question

Ok well I have had W7 in a box for a while now, and am really needing to use some programs that I can't use with XP, so I bought a 320gb hd, split it up and cloned XP from a 74gb 10k hd to the first partition, then I installed W7 (64bit) to the second partition to create a dual boot.

I haven't activated 7 yet as I am thinking about undoing the dual boot and installing 7 on the 74gb hd for the speed, I know it doesn't need more but I do. I am just leery of not being able to use some programs when I make the move.

What I may do is install the 7 on the 74gb drive, then leave the XP partition on the 320 intact and keep it alive until I go bold with W7, did I already say that, lol. Then eventually use the 320 as a backup or data drive....just had a brain fart, I remember talking about this in another thread, doh!

personally i would go bold. 7 is great and matches xp IMO i understand your fear about compatibility in 7. So i would "if really needed" put xp on the smaller one and test to see what will work and not on 7 and keep/x xp from there

The star trek them is in my head....


So I forgot to add, I currently (its in my specs) have four hd's and one burner, and I am capped out on internal sata ports, I can't really add another hd to the bunch, unless I remove one of the others, but cannot really do that either as I use the other three (they hold dvds) for burning dvds. This is the setup:

(C:) WD74GB10k - Main OS
(D:) DVD Burner -
(E:) WD1TB - Holds DVDs
(F:) WD1TB - Holds DVDs
(G:) WD1TB - Holds DVDs and Back up DATA
(H:) WD500GB - External USB

With that 320GB drive installed, I had to pull one of the TBs out for a bit, but will need to put it back. I dont use the 500 as much, for backups is all, so I will have to put the 320gb in there, BUT will it or can it boot to the XP OS if I need to?

...or should I pull the third TB into the External, hmm that may be a thought. I'll have to get me another external case...

Tepid said:

Just a note...

I have not found a piece of software yet that doesn't run on 7.
That includes some very old win95 days software.
The only game I have had problems with is Scarface.

Well,, Modern Warfare 2 , But That's not a 7 issue,, think it's either an ATI or Steam issue.

Well I have had issues with dvd decryptor, it would work fine, but upon closing would throw errors. MW2 I did get to use just fine even in the RC, games I have no issues with as I tried Wolfenstein (sp?), and GTA4.

My "real" issue is with mail, I am so used to using outlook that looking at windows mail makes me confused, I have lots of email accounts, and how I get them on there I am going to research. Guess I have to learn one way or another.

Is this a retail or OEM win 7? if it is retail why not install it on a drive see if everything works and if so install over your main OS?

jimmyboo said:

Is this a retail or OEM win 7? if it is retail why not install it on a drive see if everything works and if so install over your main OS?

Its a retail upgrade, I have the RC working on another PC so I know it works fine, I am just stubborn to boldly switch permanently

Well thats what I am going to do, since I cloned the XP OS, I am going to install W7 over that initial drive, then keep XP on the new drive as back up.

The mail issue is gonna be hard, with outlook I have all email accounts going to repective folders (via message rulez), and with WML its all gonna be separated... and I have like 15 email accounts!