Dual Boot Dilema
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From: Andy Siegel on 4 Jun 2010 14:36 I have a computer with space for only two hard drives. It was originally built with Windows XP Pro (Disk 0). I added a drive (Disk 1) and loaded Vista Ultimate on it and I do a dual boot routine as needed. At this point, I'd like to install a new Disk 0 and build it as Windows 7 Pro. (I really wish I could upgrade my Vista Ultimate to Win7 Pro) I guess my question is this, if I put in a new Disk 0, boot to a DVD and build it to Win 7, what will happen to my Disk 1? Will Windows still recognize that there are two bootable drives and ask me which one to use? When I put a new drive into the disk 0 spot, the system didn't seem to know what to do which leads me to believe that there's something in the MBR of disk 0 that tells the system that there are two bootable drives. I guess you could say that I'm not sure exactly how it all works. Thank you for any help.
From: Jerry on 4 Jun 2010 15:50 Why a new disk? Just boot from the Win7 DVD, select that disk as the install location and Win7 will install itself on it and you'll still be able to dual-boot Vista and Win7. "Andy Siegel" <AndySiegel(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:90849008-CEF3-47C0-807A-4309D6EC2C17(a)microsoft.com... >I have a computer with space for only two hard drives. It was originally > built with Windows XP Pro (Disk 0). I added a drive (Disk 1) and loaded > Vista Ultimate on it and I do a dual boot routine as needed. At this > point, > I'd like to install a new Disk 0 and build it as Windows 7 Pro. (I really > wish I could upgrade my Vista Ultimate to Win7 Pro) I guess my question > is > this, if I put in a new Disk 0, boot to a DVD and build it to Win 7, what > will happen to my Disk 1? Will Windows still recognize that there are two > bootable drives and ask me which one to use? When I put a new drive into > the > disk 0 spot, the system didn't seem to know what to do which leads me to > believe that there's something in the MBR of disk 0 that tells the system > that there are two bootable drives. I guess you could say that I'm not > sure > exactly how it all works. > > Thank you for any help.
From: Tim Meddick on 4 Jun 2010 15:52 If you removed disk0 (with xp on it) and replaced it with a new HD and loaded Win7 on to it : then YES : Win7 should easily be able to recognise another windows version and create a boot.ini file to accommodate it. Just make sure you take care in the initial installation of Win7 to install it onto drive0 - it's a good idea before you begin to take note of the drive's sizes because that's going to be the way to identify them from each other in the setup procedure. == Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) "Andy Siegel" <AndySiegel(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:90849008-CEF3-47C0-807A-4309D6EC2C17(a)microsoft.com... >I have a computer with space for only two hard drives. It was originally > built with Windows XP Pro (Disk 0). I added a drive (Disk 1) and loaded > Vista Ultimate on it and I do a dual boot routine as needed. At this > point, > I'd like to install a new Disk 0 and build it as Windows 7 Pro. (I > really > wish I could upgrade my Vista Ultimate to Win7 Pro) I guess my question > is > this, if I put in a new Disk 0, boot to a DVD and build it to Win 7, what > will happen to my Disk 1? Will Windows still recognize that there are > two > bootable drives and ask me which one to use? When I put a new drive into > the > disk 0 spot, the system didn't seem to know what to do which leads me to > believe that there's something in the MBR of disk 0 that tells the system > that there are two bootable drives. I guess you could say that I'm not > sure > exactly how it all works. > > Thank you for any help.
From: Doum on 4 Jun 2010 16:18 =?Utf-8?B?QW5keSBTaWVnZWw=?= <AndySiegel(a)discussions.microsoft.com> �crivait news:90849008-CEF3-47C0-807A-4309D6EC2C17(a)microsoft.com: <snip> > (I really > wish I could upgrade my Vista Ultimate to Win7 Pro) <snip> If this is what you really want to do, why don't you do it? Insert your Win7 disk while Vista is running and follow the prompts. I think you need a "retail" disk (not OEM) to do this.
From: Db on 4 Jun 2010 16:57
having a dual boot with vista and w7 won't be worthwhile. there isn't any advantage and you can only use one o.s. at any one time. if however, you had two different computers like a pc and laptop, you could make each one have a different o.s. and enjoy the best of both worlds. -- -- db·´¯`·...¸><)))º> DatabaseBen, Retired Professional ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This NNTP newsgroup is evolving to: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx "Andy Siegel" <AndySiegel(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:90849008-CEF3-47C0-807A-4309D6EC2C17(a)microsoft.com... > I have a computer with space for only two hard drives. It was originally > built with Windows XP Pro (Disk 0). I added a drive (Disk 1) and loaded > Vista Ultimate on it and I do a dual boot routine as needed. At this > point, > I'd like to install a new Disk 0 and build it as Windows 7 Pro. (I really > wish I could upgrade my Vista Ultimate to Win7 Pro) I guess my question > is > this, if I put in a new Disk 0, boot to a DVD and build it to Win 7, what > will happen to my Disk 1? Will Windows still recognize that there are two > bootable drives and ask me which one to use? When I put a new drive into > the > disk 0 spot, the system didn't seem to know what to do which leads me to > believe that there's something in the MBR of disk 0 that tells the system > that there are two bootable drives. I guess you could say that I'm not > sure > exactly how it all works. > > Thank you for any help. |