Dual Windows 7 install independent (HDD1 work & HDD2 Personal)

[poetsdoek]

Hi all,

This is my first post after reading a lot of posts in the past of course.

I have recently been provided with a work laptop. It's a dell e6430 running Win7 Enterprise. It has Symantec Endpoint Protection on it and some corporate backup software.I believe it is encrypted, but I am not sure.

My wish is to invest in a modular bay ( don't use optical drive ) with a SSD and to run my own Win7 on it. Completely independent from each other.

I did some research and if I understand correctly I can do two independent install, by removing the first HDD ( work ) and install the second Win7 with only the SSD in the bay. I will have my work HDD1 as boot 1 and in case I want to switch to my personal install -> reboot, F12, select SSD,etc..

I don't want to mess this up. My questions to you guys is am I missing anything?
If I boot to the SSD will my internal drive be completely left alone? No changes in logs or any other stuff that would/could upset my IT department? I am also a little frightened for the Endpoint protection, should I be?

So in Short:

c:\Windows 7 Enterprise
d:\Data Partition ( to maybe use to transfer files from HDD to SSD.
e:\Windows 7 Professional
f:\ Data Partition2 (backups and stuff )

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[whs]

You got the right idea. It is only important that you remove the HDD whilst you are installing on the SSD. Then you change the BIOS boot order to boot from the SSD. You can do that at power-on by tapping F12 or permanently in the BIOS manu by tapping F2.

The data files on the HDD you could INCLUDE into the SSD libraries when you right click on them from the SSD system.

 

[poetsdoek]

Thanks for the quick reply, whs. And I will use your tip. Only thing that is still bothering me is the encryption part. How can I be sure if it is encrypred? I think it is, but don't know for sure. And if it is encrypted, can I still copy,edit paste files if I start through the SSD?

 

[whs]

Depends how those files were encrypted. If you use EFS then the folder and file names become green.

 

[Layback Bear]

From post #1

I have recently been provided with a work laptop.

I hate to be a stick in the mud but I recommend doing nothing to the workplace provided laptop with out confiding with the workplace I.T. Department.
They could get angry in a heart beat.

 

[AddRAM]

Yes, it`s a real NO NO to do anything to a computer provided by your employer, buy your own.

 

[LMiller7]

You really need to obtain written permission from the company IT department before proceeding. There are serious security implications in what you are proposing and the IT department would likely be very concerned.

 

[poetsdoek]

Hi all, thanks for the replies. I am not trying to make it right, but I thought if I could make the installs completely independent from eachother, this would be fine. Maybe even set a password for the work hdd. I know the IT guys are never saying yes ( because some people really don't know how to operate a pc/laptop ) to anything.

I already have another laptop, but didn't want to maintain 2 laptops. I think I will give it a rest then. I more and more get the feeling that it isn't 100% foul proof.Thanks everyone for the comments and advice.

 

[whs]

Installing on 2 seperate drives is fool proof - really very easy. Replacing the optical reader with a HDD is less obvious. I would not do that. I would rather run the second system in virtual. That is just as good and really simple. Have a look. The virtual system is just a folder that you can put anywhere - on the internal disk or an external disk.

https://skydrive.live.com/view.aspx?cid=475A0A48CA6D4035&resid=475A0A48CA6D4035%211888&app=WordPdf&wdo=1

On an external disk is what I prefer. Then you can run this system from any PC. And the performance is excellent. This is an example running Windows 8.1 from an external disk.

 

[poetsdoek]

Could this also be done through a usb3 32GB drive? I just googled and saw alot of Virtualbox tutorials. Will look and read into this, thx guys.

 

[whs]

If it is a stick, it will be very slow. But any external disk (especially an SSD) will be very fast. Nearly the same as native. Here is one that does not break the bank.

SanDisk ReadyCache SDSSDRC-032G-G26 2.5" 32GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) for Windows 7-based PCs - Newegg.com