Question on preparing 2 hard drives for dual-boot

[Ahab]

Hi,
I just have a question regarding installation of Windows 7 to dual boot with XP.
Am planning on doing a clean install on two new SATA hard drives. Will first attach one drive and partition and format it when I install XP.
Should I then go ahead and attach the second drive and partition and format it using XP before I start my installation of Windows 7?
Or, would it be better to attach the second drive and then partition and format it when I install Windows 7?

Am thinking that the second approach would be better.

By the way, this forum is a great resource. Thanks to those who set it up and participate here.

 

[sup3rsprt]

Am thinking that the second approach would be better.

Yes that is what I would do.

 

[thefabe]

Am thinking that the second approach would be better.

Yes that is what I would do.

This is how I would do it. Just remeber to either disconnect your first drive, or select the right one in your bios before setting to boot from CD. It's just easier to disconnect the first drive IMO. Fabe

 

[Antman]

The approach that allows 7 to partition and format the second drive has the advantages of providing the 100MB recovery partition and automatically setting up the dual boot (which both processes will do).

 

[Ex_Brit]

Yes and a hint...install Windows 7 while logged into XP using the Advanced option that the installer will offer. That way you'll be sure to preserve drive letters the way you want them and the dual boot will be assured.

 

[Ahab]

Am thinking that the second approach would be better.

Yes that is what I would do.

This is how I would do it. Just remeber to either disconnect your first drive, or select the right one in your bios before setting to boot from CD. It's just easier to disconnect the first drive IMO. Fabe

Wouldn't I need to have the first drive connected for Windows 7 to set up correctly for a dual-boot?

 

[Ahab]

Yes and a hint...install Windows 7 while logged into XP using the Advanced option that the installer will offer. That way you'll be sure to preserve drive letters the way you want them and the dual boot will be assured.

I never would have thought of that. Thanks for the tip.

Does Windows 7 carry anything over from XP when done that way, or is it the same as doing a clean install?

 

[Ex_Brit]

Yes and a hint...install Windows 7 while logged into XP using the Advanced option that the installer will offer. That way you'll be sure to preserve drive letters the way you want them and the dual boot will be assured.

I never would have thought of that. Thanks for the tip.

Does Windows 7 carry anything over from XP when done that way, or is it the same as doing a clean install?

To your previous question - both drives would have to be installed of course.

No nothing of XP would be carried over. It's exactly the same as a clean install except this way you stop Windows from reassigning strange drive letters to everything in Windows 7...more or less. Optical drives may have to be re-lettered, but that's easy enough and always happens anyway.

 

[Ahab]

Yes and a hint...install Windows 7 while logged into XP using the Advanced option that the installer will offer. That way you'll be sure to preserve drive letters the way you want them and the dual boot will be assured.

I never would have thought of that. Thanks for the tip.

Does Windows 7 carry anything over from XP when done that way, or is it the same as doing a clean install?

To your previous question - both drives would have to be installed of course.

No nothing of XP would be carried over. It's exactly the same as a clean install except this way you stop Windows from reassigning strange drive letters to everything in Windows 7...more or less. Optical drives may have to be re-lettered, but that's easy enough and always happens anyway.

Thanks. I'll give it a try when I get Windows 7 on Thursday.

 

[Ex_Brit]

Good luck. I quad boot here so am well-versed in these matters...LOL.

 

[Jeffreytooker]

Dual Boot Two HDD's, New Win7, Old XP

Hello:

I am new to the List. First post. I have a new Emachines 320G HDD, 4G Ram Win 7 basic desktop PC. System up and running. I would like to take the HDD from my old Computer Maxtor 160G (loaded with XP and all my stuff from my old computer) and install it in my new computer. This would be dual boot. I have searched forum for exact solution. Did not find one for an old loaded XP HDD.

Thank you.

Jeffrey Tooker

 

[Jeffreytooker]

Further Info

I have looked at the BIOS it is American Megatrends Version P01-
A2, released Dec 09. At startup F12 gets one to select boot device. First is listed the HDD, second the DVD, and third generic compact. I do not know what this is. The boot order is 1,2,3. Other selectable boot devices seem to be USB and optical devices. I am not sharp on this but it would seem to me if I installed my old HDD the bios would recognize it, and place it in the boot selection menu. At startup I would have to go F12 to select boot device. If not system would boot to last selected boot device. If the old HDD is installed does the jumper stay master or go slave? The old HDD is Maxtor DiamondMax 10, model: 6B160PO 160GB PATA 133 HDD. Is this considered a SATA HDD?

Jeffreytooker

 

[gregrocker]

First, disconnect the Win7 HD. Next connect the XP HD, but do not try to start it.

Instead boot the XP CD used for its install, proceed with Setup until it discovers an XP installation and asks you if you want to install XP there or Repair that installation. Choose Repair to acclimate XP to the new hardware. It will require reactivation after Repair Install.

When you reconnect the Win7 HD, you will be able to boot via the BIOS which is cleaner than establishing a Windows-managed Dual Boot. Set a default HD to boot first in BIOS Setup, then if you want to boot the other HD use the BIOS one-time Boot Menu shortcut key given on first bootup screen.

If you decide you want to create a Windows Dual Boot Menu, then install EasyBCD 2.0 beta in Win7 and Add XP on the Add-Remove tab.

 

[Jeffreytooker]

Status

Gregrocker:

Have read your solution. Sounds good to me. My old XP disk is lost in moving. It was old ca 2002. Watch I will find it next week. I have ordered new disk. should be here mid week. It will be good if I need it for older systems. Will advise you of progress.

Thx.

Jeffrey

 

[gregrocker]

Let us know how it goes or if you need any additional help.

 

[Jeffreytooker]

Tried XP no joy yet.

Gregrocker:

Got new XP disk. Its is an upgrade disk with SP 2 for 98 and Millenium. I do not know if it will work as I have XP installed. Disconnected Win 7 HDD. Installed XP HDD. Booted from DVD with XP disk installed. Response: press any key to continue. Pressed space bar. Result: Grub loading please wait. Next response: Error 21. Flashing cursor, pressed enter no response. Powered down. Restarted same as above. At Grub loading please wait system timed out and responded error 21. Restored system to original. Sent this email. Is the jumper on the XP HDD supposed to be left in master? Also note that the new system is using a HDD with small data cable. I put in a cable for the big plug HDD (XP) the system recognized the old HDD as a boot option. Power down.

Troubled.

Jeffrey

 

[theog]

You can not use Emachine XP recovery disk or a Upgrade disk, you need a Retail Win XP.

Also GRUB is for Linux.
error 21
GRUB error 21 when trying to boot XP after installing Ubuntu 7.04 on seperate hdd - LinuxQuestions.org

 

[gregrocker]

Gregrocker:

Got new XP disk. Its is an upgrade disk with SP 2 for 98 and Millenium. I do not know if it will work as I have XP installed. Disconnected Win 7 HDD. Installed XP HDD. Booted from DVD with XP disk installed. Response: press any key to continue. Pressed space bar. Result: Grub loading please wait. Next response: Error 21. Flashing cursor, pressed enter no response. Powered down. Restarted same as above. At Grub loading please wait system timed out and responded error 21. Restored system to original. Sent this email. Is the jumper on the XP HDD supposed to be left in master? Also note that the new system is using a HDD with small data cable. I put in a cable for the big plug HDD (XP) the system recognized the old HDD as a boot option. Power down.

Troubled.

Jeffrey

How can an XP CD be SP2 for 98 or Millenium? You need the same version XP with same SP's and either retail (you bought it in store) or OEM (factory install) disk to perform a repair install. There are workarounds on the web to emulate retail/OEM but it won't work with Upgrade or wrong SP - you gotta slipstream SP's in to match what you have installed.

There was no mention before of GRUB. You said you have Win7/XP dual boot. Where did GRUB come from? If it is on the XP drive then you'll have to wipe it and reinstall - zero the drive to get all the GRUB out.

What do you mean that you restored system to original? What exactly happened. I cannot follow it at all and it is completely different from what you described in the beginning, which appeared to be HD swap using XP repair install.

 

[Jeffreytooker]

Problem Solved

Gregrocker:

Gave up on running the XP HDD from the old computer as an XP drive in the new Win 7 computer. Left HDD in old computer. Wiped HDD. Installed 98 and installed the XP upgrade from 98. Installed required drivers. Old system up and running. I have a full install XP disk coming. So if I need to put the XP HDD in the Win 7 system I can. I have only four computers. Win 7, XP, XP, and a Linux Puppy which is my online classical music player. I put it together out of old unused parts.

Thank you for all of your help.

Jeffrey Tooker

 

[hoganth]

Dual boot with 2 drives

Yes and a hint...install Windows 7 while logged into XP using the Advanced option that the installer will offer. That way you'll be sure to preserve drive letters the way you want them and the dual boot will be assured.

Could you expand on this a little more? Not sure how to do win7 install from XP.
I am in the process of doing the dual boot thing with 2 separate drives, and have concerns about the drive lettering as all my data is on a Raid 0 setup.

I see you have quad booting going with your system. Your help or hints would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again,
Tom