Dual boot setup by adding image to partition

I have a work computer. Right now, I switch between my work hard drive and my personal hard drive. They're both Windows 7. I have a Dell e6410.

My home hard drive is 750GB and my work one is 250GB, 50 of which is used. My home hard drive has three partitions.

Option 1: Stay with swithing out hard drives, which is the least convenient, but most safe.

Option 2: I could image the work hard drive onto one of the partitions and dual boot using easyBCD or something. This is my preference.

Option 3: I can buy a hard drive caddy and dual boot that way.

What problems should I expect? Any advice? Which options are possible.

gregrocker said:

What do you mean "switching out HDs?" There should be a one-time BIOS boot menu key on the PC to choose which HD to boot which is the best way to do this. Do you have them both plugged in?

If you want to create a Win7 boot menu install EasyBCD (click Download - no Name or Email required)
to the primary OS to add the other one on Add OS Entry menu.

Thanks for responding. By "switching out HD's," I mean that right now I take out one hard drive and replace it with the work one when I need to do work. I've used easyBCD, but with a new install, not an image. I was wondering if I can expect problems.

Kaktussoft said:

On HOME harddrive you have 3 partitions... correct (check disk management)? One is called OEM and very small. One is a recovery partition, size about 15GB, correct? And a very large partition for all win7 stuff. All are PRIMARY partitions? Which one is marked ACTIVE?

Describe WORK harddrive as well.

Even better.... post screenshots

Here is the screenshot of my current home-use hard drive. I want to expand and place the work image on F:. I would then like to be able to choose that partition or my home one upon boot.

Kaktussoft said:

We can shrink C a little bit and extend F. So new win7 OS (work) fits there. But first all files from F have to be moved or deleted. So what kind of files are now on F?

F used to be an XP installation. I'm going to shrink H and increase F to about 80GB. Right now, the work drive has 50 gigs on it. I'll post a shot of it when I get home.