Never done Dual Booting - Advice needed please!

TheSwede

TheSwede

TheSwede

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Hi all,

I am on XP Pro 32bit and as many of you I just got the Beta version of Windows 7, which I been using in VirtualBox for a few days, now though I am more thinking of doing a dual boot instead but never done it before so need some advice from you experts!

I have my main OS on the C: drive on a 160GB HDD but I am wondering if I install Windows 7 could I install it on another HDD, for example I have a 500GB HDD which I have partitioned up in 3 different parts and I have a 146GB partition (G: drive) empty right now which I was hoping to use for Windows 7 if that's possible? If this is possible can I do the installation without having to unplug the C: drive?!?

Another thing I am wondering is how does it work with dual booting? Will I have the option in the boot up session to choice between XP or Windows 7, or will it automatically boot up XP and then I have to start Windows 7?!? :confused:

Thinks that abou all right now, I appreciate all and any advice on this matter! :)
 
Totally possible mate. If the Windows 7 boot manager is the same as Vista (or even OSes before it) then if you install Windows 7 to a different drive then it will give an option of which OS to boot from when it starts. If Windows 7 uses the same boot manager as Vista, you can install EasyBCD, which you can download from here: http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1 allowing for an easy way to select the amount of time the system will wait before booting from the default OS. You can choose which OS is default and rename them aswell.
 
Thank you Mattf121!

When I do the installation, can I do it while still being in XP or should I put in the disk, restart the PC and then (hopefully) get all my different drives available and choose the one I want to use?!?
 
Mattf121 said:
Totally possible mate. If the Windows 7 boot manager is the same as Vista (or even OSes before it) then if you install Windows 7 to a different drive then it will give an option of which OS to boot from when it starts. If Windows 7 uses the same boot manager as Vista, you can install EasyBCD, which you can download from here: http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1 allowing for an easy way to select the amount of time the system will wait before booting from the default OS. You can choose which OS is default and rename them aswell.
Click to expand...

You don't need neosmart to do that. On vista/windows7 you right click on "computer" on the start menu, click "properties", click "advanced system settings", click on startup and recovery "settings" and edit in there.
 
TheSwede said:
When I do the installation, can I do it while still being in XP or should I put in the disk, restart the PC and then (hopefully) get all my different drives available and choose the one I want to use?!?
Click to expand...

Restart the pc with the disk in the drive and go from there, choosing a different drive to install windows 7 than your xp installation.
 
TheSwede said:
Thank you Mattf121!

When I do the installation, can I do it while still being in XP or should I put in the disk, restart the PC and then (hopefully) get all my different drives available and choose the one I want to use?!?
Click to expand...

I did the install from an iso on the usb stick no problems from XP.

My netbook came with C and D drives so I just emptied the D drive and stuck it on there.

didn't have even to format it or anything.


The windows 7 install took about 20 minutes one of the cleanest installs I've ever seen.
 
Bit of a thick question but does it make a difference if the OSs you are wishing to Dual-Boot are on different physical drives? I have Vista on a partition on a 250GB drive, and while I do have a spare 30GB partition on that HDD that I could use, I think I'd prefer to give Windows 7 a bit more space. To that end, I was hoping to make use of the free space on my 500GB HDD and set up a partition for W7 on that.

Possible?

(Actually, kind of related.. What's a good-size partition for W7? I gave Vista 50GB).
 
when installing 7 select the advanced set up then you can choose which drive or partition youd like to install on, simple as that and when you next bootup after install you can choose between xp and 7.
 
mattpc said:
You don't need neosmart to do that. On vista/windows7 you right click on "computer" on the start menu, click "properties", click "advanced system settings", click on startup and recovery "settings" and edit in there.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can do that for boot times and default wait times, but it does not allow you to change OS names. All versions of Windows setup always set the previously installed Windows to "Earlier version of windows." I don't know whether or not it annoys OP, but it does annoy me. EasyBCD allows for more options to be changed, which is why I'd suggest using that.
 
First off, thank you all for your replies! Very much appreciated!

I just emptied one of my extra HDD's so I can install Windows 7 on a partition of it, do you think I should make a image of my existing C: drive just to be on the save side?

If so, what program should I use.. preferable a free one!
 
I did think it would be better asking here then creating a new thread about it so in regards to the above post.

Should I make a image of my existing C:drive to be on the safe side and if so, what program would you recommend, preferably a free one! :)
 
Just throwing an idea in the pot - I have cocked up many a dual boot in the past on my machines so I downloaded Virtualbox and installed Windows 7 in that, worked fine.

Just another option that is not half as hard as partitioning and dual booting :)
 
I am currently dual booting Vista & Win 7. Vista-400mb/Win 7-100mb partitions on C: drive.

I get the option to select which OS I want to load after POST.

mattpc said:
You don't need neosmart to do that. On vista/windows7 you right click on "computer" on the start menu, click "properties", click "advanced system settings", click on startup and recovery "settings" and edit in there.
Click to expand...

Great info;) as I wanted to change the default to Vista (currently loads Win 7 if I don’t select).
 
malef!c said:
Just throwing an idea in the pot - I have cocked up many a dual boot in the past on my machines so I downloaded Virtualbox and installed Windows 7 in that, worked fine.

Just another option that is not half as hard as partitioning and dual booting :)
Click to expand...

I actually have it in VirtualBox right now but I am feeling limited using it there and would rather use it in a normal environment so to speak, therefore I am considering dual boot.. just want to back up my C: drive one way or another but don't have a proper program to use.. seen references to make an image of your disk to use which is why I am wondering which program to use!

Also, how do you get rid of VirutalBox completely.. I can't just uninstall it, if I do it still shows that the amount of disk space I partitioned is missing (so to speak)...
 
ticklemebougy said:
when installing 7 select the advanced set up then you can choose which drive or partition youd like to install on, simple as that and when you next bootup after install you can choose between xp and 7.
Click to expand...

I did the above when installing Windows 7, I chose to use my F: drive for it.. but for some reason that drive has changed to C: drive when I start up Windows 7, and I can't dual boot but all my programs from XP is now on my D: drive?!? Very confusing! :confused:

Does anyone by any chance has any idea what might have happened?!? Any and all suggestions are very much appreciated!
 
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