# dual boot with both os's on one drive ?



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

OK, I've finally bit the corporate bullet and got me a copy of win 7 ($90 ain't bad if only for home premium)

I want to migrate slowly off of XP until I have 7 the way I like (still have'nt figured how to live without Outlook Express), and then prolly eventually delete it. 

The machine came with Vista and I dual booted for a bit from separate drives, but I would like to dual boot from one drive (dual partition - maybe three) and use my new 1T for data. 

I remember I had a discussion with my brother about the boot loader getting confused when one OS is erased, but I can't remember if that was for windows or linux - and he ain't around to ask. 

I know I erased Vista had had no problem with the boot loader.

Any advice if it is better to load both OS's on one drive or two drives considering I'll be deleting XP at some time. 

I do understand the advantages of two drives when considering speed (nominal), security (if one goes bad), and hazards when partitioning. But those issues are not a priority. 

(this is a tough question to google)


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

When you run the installer you can partition the drive. When it boots you will have the option to pick the os you want to run. 

Very easy to follow install instructions here.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Thank you Tommy, but I know all that. Sorry for having difficulty explaining my dilemma.

I have dual booted a number of times, I just want to know which option is more advisable if I plan to delete XP in the foreseeable future. (I think I'l have win 7 as the "primary" boot choice. )


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

When I had 2000 pro and XP I had 2 drives one for each op system. I knew one day 2000 would be deleted and figured I would make it a storage drive.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

daArch said:


> Thank you Tommy, but I know all that. Sorry for having difficulty explaining my dilemma.
> 
> I have dual booted a number of times, I just want to know which option is more advisable if I plan to delete XP in the foreseeable future. (I think I'l have win 7 as the "primary" boot choice. )


It won't matter, especially considering you are planning on deleting the xp install later. I think the newer os will default to be the new bootloader unless you change it.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

I would install 7 on a new drive "fresh install" , and just use the F8 option to boot to what ever os you want. I would give you about 2-3 weeks before your not even touching your xp drive. 

Pat


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

I don't do much in the way of computers or this internet thingamajigger, but if I can't fit it on a flashdrive, it ain't that important.


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## epretot (Dec 17, 2011)

vermontpainter said:


> I don't do much in the way of computers or this internet thingamajigger, but if I can't fit it on a flashdrive, it ain't that important.


I'm not certain what people even need computers for.

Seriously, my PC died and It didn't matter. It was backed up...so I don't really care. 

I can do pretty much everything I need to from my phone or tablet.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

PatsPainting said:


> I would install 7 on a new drive "fresh install" , and just use the F8 option to boot to what ever os you want. I would give you about 2-3 weeks before your not even touching your xp drive.
> 
> Pat


That was my initial thought, but as usual, I keep realizing options and over-thinking. That's what I did with Vista and XP. I left vista on the cheap OEM drive, bought a WD Black, fresh installed XP, and placed it as SATA-0.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

cdpainting said:


> When I had 2000 pro and XP I had 2 drives one for each op system. I knew one day 2000 would be deleted and figured I would make it a storage drive.



Yup, the drive that HAD vista is now "D-Storage"

Obviously a common happy ending :whistling2:


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

vermontpainter said:


> I don't do much in the way of computers or this internet thingamajigger, but if I can't fit it on a flashdrive, it ain't that important.


Yep, between flash drives, Dropbox, Chrome, Google and the cloud I can access all my "stuff" anywhere, anytime.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

daArch said:


> That was my initial thought, but as usual, I keep realizing options and over-thinking. That's what I did with Vista and XP. I left vista on the cheap OEM drive, bought a WD Black, fresh installed XP, and placed it as SATA-0.


Eventually 7 will be your OS, It's just a matter of time. So why corrupt or possible corrupt fooling around with different partitions? It's just one of those things in say 6 months from now you will be asking yourself why did I not just start from scratch and do a fresh install. Also this leaves your Xp drive original. Hardrives are pretty cheap now, 7 will like the black drive also. 

I would even remove the xp drive as I'm installing 7. Also hopefully you got the 64 bit version so it will recognize more then 3.2 gigs of ram. I'm not sure but I think the service pack 1 fixed that issue for 32 bit versions but not sure. 

Pat


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Another thing I like to do is use Acronis and create images as I'm moving along with the installation. After I get the OS installed, all drivers working and all updates installed, I will do a an image of that drive. I do a few more after the programs are installed. 

Pat


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Just came across this on my FB feed!


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

PatsPainting said:


> Eventually 7 will be your OS, It's just a matter of time. So why corrupt or possible corrupt fooling around with different partitions? It's just one of those things in say 6 months from now you will be asking yourself why did I not just start from scratch and do a fresh install. Also this leaves your Xp drive original. Hardrives are pretty cheap now, 7 will like the black drive also.
> 
> I would even remove the xp drive as I'm installing 7. Also hopefully you got the 64 bit version so it will recognize more then 3.2 gigs of ram. I'm not sure but I think the service pack 1 fixed that issue for 32 bit versions but not sure.
> 
> Pat


I ain't arguing. 


Yes, I got the 64, but with xp 32 it is seeing 4 gig ram, whether it was using it or not .......

I don't expect to be putting more ram in this box, it's 7 years old. I just hope win 9 will be something I can FULLY upgrade to. I really do not like the whole magic 8 ball metro thing

I know the kids today love having their heads in the cloud and Dick Tracy watches, but there's just something about having everything where I can actually "touch" it. Yah, I still own books too.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

RCP said:


> Just came across this on my FB feed!


That was really cool.

Pat


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

vermontpainter said:


> I wonder if Bill will notice that the author's last name is "Pot", and head on over to one of the weed threads for some banter. :jester:


Oh look!


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

PatsPainting said:


> Another thing I like to do is use Acronis and create images as I'm moving along with the installation. After I get the OS installed, all drivers working and all updates installed, I will do a an image of that drive. I do a few more after the programs are installed.
> 
> Pat


Doesn't WD MyBook come with a ghosting app? I thought I read that, I'll look into it closer.

I still have discs left over from when I first installed XP - exactly what you are doing. It got real old quick. I still have a bundle of discs marked "virgin XP" which as you can imagine is my REAL restore point.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

daArch said:


> Doesn't WD MyBook come with a ghosting app? I thought I read that, I'll look into it closer.
> 
> I still have discs left over from when I first installed XP - exactly what you are doing. It got real old quick. I still have a bundle of discs marked "virgin XP" which as you can imagine is my REAL restore point.


I'm not sure what they come with. I have never seen a ghosting type program with those drives but never really looked. I'm pretty sure they have some sort of utility to move one drive over to another.

Pat


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

PatsPainting said:


> I'm not sure what they come with. I have never seen a ghosting type program with those drives but never really looked. I'm pretty sure they have some sort of utility to move one drive over to another.
> 
> Pat



WD has available on their website a ghosting utility from acronis to move the old drive to the new one.

I know the MyBook has a good back-up app that I have set on continuous. I barely notice it and it DOES backup immediately. When I finally install W7, I'll look further into the imaging capability. 

With your RAID, you could feel real secure.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

daArch said:


> WD has available on their website a ghosting utility from acronis to move the old drive to the new one.
> 
> I know the MyBook has a good back-up app that I have set on continuous. I barely notice it and it DOES backup immediately. When I finally install W7, I'll look further into the imaging capability.
> 
> With your RAID, you could feel real secure.


I really like the full version of acronis. You can install a boot code where you hit the F11 key and it will go right into acronis with out having to load windows. So no real need to create boot disks. Also another cool feature is you can browse and restore just directory's or files from a complete hard drive image. Many other nice features. 

Pat


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

PatsPainting said:


> I really like the full version of acronis. You can install a boot code where you hit the F11 key and it will go right into acronis with out having to load windows. So no real need to create boot disks. Also another cool feature is you can browse and restore just directory's or files from a complete hard drive image. Many other nice features.
> 
> Pat


I know, I tried it a number of years ago. Great features. Just not something I could discipline myself to update the images in a timely manner.


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