Dual booting, two hds vs partition?

What would be the easiest way to do a dual boot? Would it be:

1)Use a second hard drive, one with XP one with Windows 7? If I did this would I be able to plug the XP drive in and see it as my D:\ drive? What if I went and switched it back in the bios to the XP hard would I see windows 7 stuff in D:\? I’d like to do this since I have two hard drives one that is brand new.

2) Just partition my current hard drive and dual boot. If I did this would I be able to switch back and forth and see files on both boots? Also what about if I added my other new hard drive would both see it easily?

I don’t know much about dual boots so please fill me in and answer my questions.

I put my W7 in a separate HDD ....
Didn't want to take a chance and break a perfectly good XP system.

noyb said:

I put my W7 in a separate HDD ....
Didn't want to take a chance and break a perfectly good XP system.

Are you able to go into bios and switch back and fourth, As in as access files from each when the other one is what you boot from off say making the primary C:\ and the other boot D:\?

Or do you just remove one and add the other one at a time?

alt said:

...do you just remove one and add the other one at a time?

This might be a safe way to do it .. that's how I make my installs .. to be safe.

I have a HP computer ... I can tap the Esc key at boot up ...
and enter a boot loader .. that lets me choose which HDD I want to boot from.

These discs are subject to change .. disc 3 is currently W7-7127x86

Well I'm sorry I'm still not totally clear. If I do winXP on one and win7 on another hard drive, can the other one be plugged in and read as another drive letter, it doesnt have to be D as long as it shows up, I just used that to be simple. I wnat to be able to access files from each one on the other.

alt said:

What would be the easiest way to do a dual boot? Would it be:

1)Use a second hard drive, one with XP one with Windows 7? If I did this would I be able to plug the XP drive in and see it as my D:\ drive? What if I went and switched it back in the bios to the XP hard would I see windows 7 stuff in D:\? I’d like to do this since I have two hard drives one that is brand new.

2) Just partition my current hard drive and dual boot. If I did this would I be able to switch back and forth and see files on both boots? Also what about if I added my other new hard drive would both see it easily?

I don’t know much about dual boots so please fill me in and answer my questions.

You're not very clear as to exactly what you have for 2 HDDs.
Normally, when people talk about having 2 HDDs, they're both in the same
physical case (ie, the desktop computer). One does not normally plug one
in and unplug the other one...

It 'sounds like' you have at least one USB plugin HDD. If this is correct,
Win 7 will not install to USB or 1394 (Firewire) drives. I tried it anyway,
with a new USB HDD - didn't work...

You keep referring to 'plug one in' and the 'BIOS" selecting which drive,
so it sounds like you're referring to an "External" HDD, like USB or Firewire.
That won't work. Both drives have to be "bolted into" the computer chassis.

There is still another (I believe 'little-known') way to install Windows 7,
into a "virtual hard disk" or, a -BIG- file with a '.vhd' extension. This is what I
wound up doing with my first install, since he would not install to my new
external USB drive. (I just did a second install last night into another partition
(or volume) on the same single HDD in my Gateway chassis.)
It boots and runs just like any other 'full install', yet is all 'contained' within
the one big file...

The reason for the second install was mostly to play-around with Win 7.
The first went into a 20 GB Win7.vhd file which is filling-up with programs and
data, 2 GB left. So I made another 'install' into a 30 GB on another volume on
the same single HDD.

More info is here (where I first read about it):
Boot Windows 7 from VHD - an amazing concept - MSFN Forums

He also refers to a fine tutorial with pics, here on this board (Thanks Brink), at:
Virtual Hard Drive VHD File - Create and Start with at Boot

>---> NOTE that this technique is NOT meant for the super-novice !!! <---<
Running "Diskpart" at the Administrator's Command-prompt is a very easy
way to 'screw-up' your entire current running system, irreparably, with one little mistake!!!

Be sure to 'understand' the procedures before attempting, though.
And, also be aware that, like a 'regular' normal install, it will modify your (main drive, C: 's )
MBR and Boot Sector, so it can load the new-style Windows Boot Manager, using the "BCD store"
method of booting...
(This isn't spoken much of, on the various boards.)

It sounds like we need more information from you, regarding "plugging-in"
the other hard drive, whatever that is...
Do you have only one HDD 'bolted-into' your chassis?
Is it 'partitioned' into more than one volume?

Good Luck,
ChuckR

I have two INTERNAL hard drives. I mean unplug and unplug the SATA cable.

I guess I should have been more clear. I know how to do most things I just am very unfamiliar with dual boot. This is a selfmade computer.