Dual boot Win 7 32 and Win 7 64

[jt7747]

I'm hoping you can clarify my suspicions.

I have two separate physical hard drives. I have win 7 32 on one. I'd like to put win 7 64 on the other to see if it's good for me. If it is I'll get some more RAM and do some video editing etc.

Now, is it simply the case that I can install the 64 bit version on a spare hard drive, and then simply tell the bios which hard drive to boot from?

Or do I have to worry about managing two separate OSs and dual boot bla bla bla. Since they're on separate physical drives I was hoping just to do it from bios and not have to worry about anything else.

Also, how does the system know which drive is the c drive? When I installed a new SSD drive recently I just unplugged the SATA cable from the old drive, and then the new drive became the C drive by default. Is the C drive named by the SATA port (eg port 0) or is it to do with bios boot order?

If anyone can clarify the above points on a 32/64 dual boot I'd be mighty grateful. Thanks a lot,

 

[torrentg]

Install your new x64 version and then there will automatically be a boot choice screen for which you want when the computer starts.

You can use Easybcd to customize this screen.

 

[DeaconFrost]

Or do I have to worry about managing two separate OSs and dual boot bla bla bla. Since they're on separate physical drives I was hoping just to do it from bios and not have to worry about anything else.

You can do it that way, by disconnecting the other drive when you install x64, but I can save you a lot of time. There's very little, to no reason to dual boot the same OS. All you need to worry about is making sure your system utilities work with x64, such as AV software. Given that MSE is free, and so are a few good others, that isn't a concern. 99.9% of the time, if it works under one platform, it will under the other, or there will be an alternative version made for each platform.

If it was me, I'd image my system and install x64 natively. You'll get 30 days to try it out before you need to pop in the key and activate it. if I couldn't use it for some rare reason, I'd lay down my image of x86. Chances are, you won't be needing to do that.

 

[jt7747]

Thanks for the tips. I think I understand what you're saying DeaconFrost.