Windows 7

zappaDPJ · Feb 23, 2010, 15:58:44

I bought it when it first came out but never installed it. The new hard drive I've bought has just arrived which means I've got no excuse for putting it off any longer. I think it'll take a week to get my PC back into a state where I can actually use it, Nearly a terabyte of software and data to deal with

Glenn · Feb 23, 2010, 16:01:53

Have fun, good luck

Rik · Feb 23, 2010, 16:02:32

That's why I hate buying new machines, Zap, it takes so long to get everything the way I want it.

Glenn · Feb 23, 2010, 16:21:43

Then it's time to buy another one.

Rik · Feb 23, 2010, 16:23:43

You trying to get rid of me, Glenn?

Glenn · Feb 23, 2010, 16:25:14

I don't think anybody on here would want to lose you, Rik.

Rik · Feb 23, 2010, 16:26:53

Lose maybe not, get a break from...

Glenn · Feb 23, 2010, 16:29:49

We've had too many of those recently.

Rik · Feb 23, 2010, 16:30:45

True...

gizmo71 · Feb 23, 2010, 16:35:14

Quote from: Rik on Feb 23, 2010, 16:02:32
That's why I hate buying new machines, Zap, it takes so long to get everything the way I want it.

I have it down to a fine art - I keep a log of all the settings I do manually, so once the installs are done it only takes me a few minutes to have it all set up the way I like it. (In fact I cheat and have a lot of the settings in my domain's group policy objects, but that's not an option for most).

Rik · Feb 23, 2010, 16:41:58

You're a faster man that I Gunga Din.

bobleslie · Feb 23, 2010, 21:45:54

Here's some upgrade options for Windows 7.

Steve · Feb 23, 2010, 22:15:00

Are those for Rik

Rik · Feb 24, 2010, 09:50:07

Hey, leave the dinosaur in peace.

JB · Feb 24, 2010, 10:50:11

Quote from: Rik on Feb 24, 2010, 09:50:07
Hey, leave the dinosaur in peace.

+1

zappaDPJ · Mar 08, 2010, 17:06:51

OK, I'm now posting from Windows 7 (64 bit). What I've had to do is disconnect my rather large Vista installation, plug in a new drive and install 7. I'm still reinstalling drivers, applications and everything else that made my PC mine. Every so often I find I can't do what I want to do and I have to revert back to the Vista installation.

Very soon I'll be in a position where I want to copy data from the Vista installation and because of the huge amount involved I have no choice but to have both installations running side by side.

So my question is, does anyone know what exactly will happen when I try to do this? The bottom line is I simply can't afford for 7 to write something to the Vista drive that will stop it working as a bootable stand alone installation as I'm bound to have forgotten something I will need.

Rik · Mar 08, 2010, 17:08:28

Pass, sorry, Zap.

DorsetBoy · Mar 08, 2010, 17:50:38

Don't see why Win7 would do anything to another drive. People use external hardrives to move files across or PC2 PC using Easy transfer.

On my own machine I just installed Win7 on the same drive so I was dual booting and dragged the files/folders etc. from Vista to Win7.

Once I had no more use for Vista I used the partition for other Os's.

zappaDPJ · Mar 08, 2010, 18:16:36

If memory serves, previous versions of Windows on seeing two bootable drives would write to the FAT of one drive because of the conflict that arises with two 'C:' drives. I know in the past I've had issues with this but I can't really recall the details. It could be that I'm being paranoid but I no longer have a backup of the Vista installation and there's bound to be items I need that I can only gain access to by having it bootable.

DorsetBoy · Mar 08, 2010, 18:25:06

You could always ask the folk here >> http://www.w7forums.com/ <<

zappaDPJ · Mar 08, 2010, 18:48:49

Thanks for the link, I may well do that

kinmel · Mar 08, 2010, 20:11:35

Quote from: zappaDPJ on Mar 08, 2010, 18:16:36
If memory serves, previous versions of Windows on seeing two bootable drives would write to the FAT of one drive because of the conflict that arises with two 'C:' drives. I know in the past I've had issues with this but I can't really recall the details. It could be that I'm being paranoid but I no longer have a backup of the Vista installation and there's bound to be items I need that I can only gain access to by having it bootable.

On this machine I have 4 drives, each with their own O.S. and each original install was done with just the relevant drive connected.

Now all 4 drives are always connected and I choose which O.S. runs by selecting which drive I want at boot up.

Once booted the selected drive with the in-use O.S. on always becomes C:, other drive letters shuffle about to accommodate that and there is never a conflict.

You can move data between drives, or use it from another drive. However you cannot run programs installed on a different drive by another O.S.

D-Dan · Mar 08, 2010, 20:17:05

You have 7 on a new drive - so power off, reconnect the old drive, and power on. Enter the BIOS settings and ensure that the Win 7 drive is the first HD in the boot order. Save and boot.

Windows 7 will leave your old installation alone, and will simply mount the drive as a date drive, allowing you to copy whatever you need off it. If 7 goes t!ts up, change the boot order in the BIOS to boot from the Vista install.

Steve

zappaDPJ · Mar 08, 2010, 21:39:23

OK thanks for the replies, I think I'm convinced now. I appreciate the feedback

D-Dan · Mar 08, 2010, 21:54:50

QuoteNow all 4 drives are always connected and I choose which O.S. runs by selecting which drive I want at boot up.

If any of them are Linux, Set that drive to boot and repair grub - then you'll get a boot menu without having to constantly fiddle with the BIOS - and it won't affect your MBR for the Windows installs, so if Linux (or GRUB) dies you simply change the boot order and voila - I've done it this way for 3 - 4 years with no problem.

Steve