Install W7 on 2nd HD leaving XP intact on 1st. Can it be done?

[lnz]

Hello everybody,

I bought Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade from Software for Students to upgrade my XP system.

The idea was to buy a second, larger HD, and install W7 on it, while leaving XP nice and happy on the first HD, then at leisure install the applications.

While I was doing all that, I'd still use XP, perhaps by changing the boot order in BIOS.

Finally, when I was satisfied that all worked perfectly, clear XP from the first HD and use that HD on an external drive.

As I understand, W7 cannot "upgrade in place" from XP, but will always perform a clean install. This is fine by me, but I don't want to mess with the existing XP installation until I am ready to remove it.

Also, after installing the 2nd HD, I'd rather not physically disconnect the old HD inside the PC because it's located in an impossible place to reach and I expect that this migration will take a while to complete.

Has anybody done something like that?
Does anybody have any idea how I can go about it?

TIA for any insight and wisdom

Lorenz

[jim]

There's nothing to stop you doing what you want to try.

Install the second HD, then run the Windows 7 disk. Make sure you install it to the correct hard drive - it'll be fairly obvious because the list will show one drive as being unallocated and the other as being used by XP.

It'll take a bit of work to install the Windows 7 Upgrade Edition properly, because you aren't doing a typical in-place Upgrade install. Follow the instructions here, I'm assuming they still work.

Then you'll automatically have Windows 7 and XP dual booting. Use both at your leisure, and wipe XP when you're ready.

The only bit you're slightly wrong about is where you said "Boot order". It doesn't work quite like that. In addition to an OS, installing Windows provides a bootloader, which is separate to the Windows install. Currently you're using the XP bootloader, but when you install 7 it will put the 7 bootloader there instead. When you start up the PC, it will bring up the 7 bootloader, and ask you whether you want 7 or XP. Changing boot order won't alter that. If you decided you wanted to go back to XP and get rid of 7, you would rewrite the XP bootloader over the top of the 7 one.

If you completely wipe the XP disk, it may have some important 7 bootloader information on it, and when you reboot the PC it might not load 7 properly as a result. However, 7 is quite good about that, and will either fix itself or you'll just pop the install disk in and repair the installation - takes a few seconds, and then it's back working again.

[lnz]

If you completely wipe the XP disk, it may have some important 7 bootloader information on it, and when you reboot the PC it might not load 7 properly as a result. However, 7 is quite good about that, and will either fix itself or you'll just pop the install disk in and repair the installation - takes a few seconds, and then it's back working again.

I see...

It seems feasible

Thanks

Lorenz

[JessicaD]

Inz,

Windows 7 will update the boot loader to include Windows XP. You will just need to ensure that you select the right hard drive during the installation process. Should you require additional assistance and guidance, Microsoft does have an official Windows 7 Support Forum located here http://tinyurl.com/9fhdl5 . It is supported by product specialists as well as engineers and support teams.

Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

[Nick259]

guessing its the same process to dual boot vista and xp? i've heard that its best to install vista first is that correct?

[jim]

No, wrong way round. XP first, then Vista/7.

[Behemoth]

When dual booting it's always old operating system first and then newest after.

I learnt this the hard way many years ago when running 98SE/Wn2K Pro/XP Pro, only back then I only had 1 hard drive and I was running all three on the same partition, all I can say is total confusion !

[donkiddik]

Please also note that if you boot into XP on a regular basis it will remove any restore points on W7. To get out of this predicament vist here:-


http://go.hexus.net/?id=372X102514&u...%2Fkb%2F926185

Hope this helps