Win 7 install questions

[Hopeless]

Been running XP for quite some time and just ordered Win7 and a new hard drive to install it on.

I have 2 HD in the pc currently, 1 with XP installed and the other is a drive I use just for storage (pics, music, etc.)

After it's all up and running I'd like to be able to boot to either version and have access to the storage drive from both versions. Will Win7 be able to use my storage drive, formatted by XP?

Also any tips / tricks / advice about a installing of Win7?

 

[Seba]

After it's all up and running I'd like to be able to boot to either version and have access to the storage drive from both versions. Will Win7 be able to use my storage drive, formatted by XP?

Yes.

Also any tips / tricks / advice about a installing of Win7?

Both will be installed on the same disk or each on it's own disk?

It seems that each on it's own, but just in case you change your mind about that:

If each on it's own disk, you could disconnect other 2 disks during Windows 7 install. This way you will have two completely independent Operating Systems. You will chose which to boot from the motherboard's BIOS menu (usually by pressing F12 during boot). If you do not want that, then disconnect only the data disk during Win7 install (WinXP should be already installed on another disk, before Win7).

If both WinXP and Win7 are on the same disk, first install WinXP (or keep the already installed one if the disk is partitioned for both). Then, when you install Win7, keep connected only this disk.

But the main question is: why keep WinXP?

 

[Hopeless]

Yes.


Both will be installed on the same disk or each on it's own disk?

It seems that each on it's own, but just in case you change your mind about that:

If each on it's own disk, you could disconnect other 2 disks during Windows 7 install. This way you will have two completely independent Operating Systems. You will chose which to boot from the motherboard's BIOS menu (usually by pressing F12 during boot). If you do not want that, then disconnect only the data disk during Win7 install (WinXP should be already installed on another disk, before Win7).

If both WinXP and Win7 are on the same disk, first install WinXP (or keep the already installed one if the disk is partitioned for both). Then, when you install Win7, keep connected only this disk.

But the main question is: why keep WinXP?

XP and 7 will be on separate drives, with a 3rd drive to be shared for just bulk storage of my pictures, music etc.

By disconnecting the other HDs, then the only way to select which OS to boot would be through BIOS disk boot order?

Wanting to keep XP for now mainly as a fall back incase I have any issues, either real or just due to it being different, with W7.

 

[Matt1970]

XP and 7 will be on separate drives, with a 3rd drive to be shared for just bulk storage of my pictures, music etc.

By disconnecting the other HDs, then the only way to select which OS to boot would be through BIOS disk boot order?

Wanting to keep XP for now mainly as a fall back incase I have any issues, either real or just due to it being different, with W7.

In your bios should be an option to enable boot menu. Then you can select which drive to boot to once you are all done and all the drives are hooked back up. You want to disconnect the other drives when installing 7 just so it won't monkey with the other drives while installing since windows has been known to format other drives during installs even though it was told not to and also so you don't accidentally format and install to the wrong drive.

 

[Seba]

By disconnecting the other HDs, then the only way to select which OS to boot would be through BIOS disk boot order?

This is one option, available on all motherboards. You can change the order here each time when you want the other OS than the last one used.

The other option is (like Matt1970 explained) a Boot Menu, accessible by pressing a certain key during boot. This is other key than the one used for entering the BIOS Setup/UEFI Setup. This option may not be available on all motherboards (but I never saw a modern motherboard without this option). Sometimes is F12, sometimes is F11 or F8. Maybe also other key. So you would set the boot order so that the most used OS/disk is first and, when you want the other OS, when starting (or restarting), you press F12 key (or some other key) during boot, then a Boot Menu will appear and you will select the other disk here. If you do not press any key, the default OS (the first in the boot order) will boot.

 

[Hopeless]

I'll have to look into BIOS when I get ready to install it. That will probably be the best since I can set it to default to whichever hd to make it easier for my wife.

I'm running an ASUS P8P67 LE mobo, will I need to get Win7 drivers or is it old enough that Win7 will have them built in?

I also just noticed that Win7 comes with both 32bit & 64bit. What's the big difference between using 32bit vs 64bit?

 

[Seba]

Get the 64 bit version and make sure you have at least 4GB of RAM.

Get manufacturer's drivers for all your components.

 

[Hopeless]

I'm using 32bit XP home, but installed 4GB of ram a couple years ago even though it only sees around 3.5GB.

Will installing 64bit Win7 still allow it access to my storage drive that's formatted with 32bit XP?

Also will it allow me to install the mobo drivers from a flash drive?

 

[Dahak]

Will installing 64bit Win7 still allow it access to my storage drive that's formatted with 32bit XP?

Yes

Also will it allow me to install the mobo drivers from a flash drive?

You are probably thinking of the storage drivers that xp sometimes require, for windows 7 it is usually not needed except for 3rd party controllers or raid setup. But if you do, you can specify to load additional drivers off a usb at install.

Once install is done just go to the asus support page to get the latest drivers.

For the asus boards the F8 button will bring up the Boot Menu

 

[Hopeless]

I was actually thinking about years and years ago when I finally upgraded from ME to XP. After installing XP it already had self installed some for the mobo, main thing I can remember was for the chipset but it's been so long I can't remember if it did the other mobo items or not.

 

[corkyg]

I have a similar setup, but with Win 7 and Win 8.1. Each OS is a separate drive accessed via a mobile rack (SATA.) A common data drive is used by both OS's. Works perfectly. And, I have XP as a VM on the Win 7 drive.