New install help

[james cullen]

Hello All,

This is my first post in this fantastic forum, what a wealth of info.

I have some questions in regard to installing Win 7 on a new drive inside my current machine which also has Win 7 on another drive, then I wish to delete my original Win 7.

I have looked at the sticky posts above but not quite sure what to do, or which ones apply to my problem.

I am looking at installing a OCZ RevoDrive x2 240GB PCIe in my machine, installing win 7 on it and using as my default OS. I would like to get the OS up and running well on the new drive and after a time when I think things are running well, delete the original OS.

I don't want to just clone the original OS to new drive but a clean install.

Can this be done, and if so is there somewhere on the site where I could look for direction?

Thanks for your help in advance

 

[Sardonicus]

Hello and welcome.
I would disconnect the cable on the old drive, and restart the computer.
Go into the bios and make your boot device the CD/DVD burner.
Restart the computer and install the OS.

After installation, you may have to reset the bios to boot from the HDD.
Try it out and let us know your progress.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello james cullen, welcome to Seven Forums!



Have a look at this information at the link below.

   Information

The easiest way to do away with boot issues between separate Operating Systems (OS) is to use the BIOS one time boot menu to select which OS to boot at system startup, each motherboard has an individual hot-key to tap during system start-up to access this menu.

If you have 2 separate Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and have one OS installed to one HDD and you want to install another OS to the second HDD, disconnect the HDD with the first OS installed on it and leave only the HDD you want to install the second OS to connected.

Just be sure not to change where the original HDD SATA cable was connected, it has to be re-connected to the exact same port to avoid boot issues.

Install the second OS to the connected HDD and when complete and the system is booting good, power down and reconnect the first HDD with the first OS on it.

This way the OSs will boot independently of each other and there will be no boot conflicts between the 2 separate OSs to have to sort later.


Then set the BIOS to boot the HDD / OS you want as default and if you want to start the other (new) OS you use the BIOS one-time boot menu to select that HDD / OS to start when the PC is started.

• Asus - F8
• HP/Compaq - Esc
• Sony - F2
• Acer - F12
• Gateway - F10
• eMachnes - F10
• Toshiba - F12
• Dell - F12
• IBM/Lenovo - the blue Thinkvantage button

 

[james cullen]

Thanks so much guys, that's the info I need.

One question though. In the info BFK provided.

"Then set the BIOS to boot the HDD / OS you want as default and if you want to start the other (new) OS you use the BIOS one-time boot menu to select that HDD / OS to start when the PC is started."

How do I use the one-time boot menu? Is this in bios and accessed during start up by tapping hot key?

Thanks for your help

 

[Sardonicus]

Using BFK's method, when windows goes through the boot process, a screen will appear and you will see the OS twice. You'll have 30 seconds to select the newer or older OS. If you do nothing the newer OS will be picked automatically.

To speed up the boot process and perhaps change the boot OS.
Right click on my computer.
Select Properties.
Select Advanced system settings.
Select Advanced, Startup and Recovery, Settings.
Choose the Default operating system from the drop down tab.
Change the Time to display list of operating systems, to 3 to 5 five seconds.
Press OK twice.

Regards

 

[james cullen]

Ok, thanks, I may now be able to stumble through.

Thank you both for your help.

Cheers

 

[gregrocker]

   Information

Acer - F2

Looks like you're using an older version of the BIOS Boot Menu keys I was posting. I have since edited it to include the correct Acer Fkey with is F12.

Here is the more up to date version:

Asus - F8
HP/Compaq - Esc
Sony - F2
Acer - F12
Gateway - F10
eMachnes - F10
Toshiba - F12
Dell - F12
IBM/Lenovo - the blue Thinkvantage button

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Using BFK's method, when windows goes through the boot process, a screen will appear and you will see the OS twice. You'll have 30 seconds to select the newer or older OS. If you do nothing the newer OS will be picked automatically.

To speed up the boot process and perhaps change the boot OS.
Right click on my computer.
Select Properties.
Select Advanced system settings.
Select Advanced, Startup and Recovery, Settings.
Choose the Default operating system from the drop down tab.
Change the Time to display list of operating systems, to 3 to 5 five seconds.
Press OK twice.

Regards

No, everything you describe is the Windows managed dual boot.

What I posted you will get a BIOS one-time boot menu particular to your motherboard, like for my ASUS board I tap the F8 hot-key at system startup to get to this one-time boot menu, the HDD I have set as default will auto-boot if I don't access this menu during PC startup to select another HDD/CD/DVD drive.

Thanks Greg, I'll correct that.

click to enlarge


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[james cullen]

thanks BFK

 

[Sardonicus]

BFK
You're right.
I was in the Dual boot world.

Thanks

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

thanks BFK

You're welcome, glad I could help.

 

[james cullen]

Thanks for all your responses.

I thought I'd ask another question and add it to the original post as it's related.

My end goal is to upgrade my machine, I have the bits (new MB, CPU, Revodrive). What I'd like to do is, install the new drive in my old machine, install new OS and all the programs that I use and have it run stable. Then I would build the new machine and boot up with the Revo drive previously installed on the old machine.

Am I being a bit optimistic or just plain stupid? Would it work?

Thanks in advance

James

 

[essenbe]

I am no expert, if I am wrong certainly someone will correct me. IMO, no it would not work. When you install the os in your old machine, windows will load the drivers for the hardware in that machine. Once you change the drive to a new machine, you will not have the drivers for the new hardware, and windows may not be able to boot. This may be fixable, but by someone more knowledgeable than me.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Have a look at this, it will do it and it's free.


Paragon Adaptive Restore Technology

 

[james cullen]

Thanks

I thought I may have to jump through some hoops.

Thanks for the link BFK, it's amazing what sorts of things are available. I'll have to think about which way to go.

Cheers

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

You're welcome.