Dual Boot Windows 7

[Snacko]

I am thinking of formatting reinstalling all of my software to make my system faster.

This time, I was thinking of making a dual boot system so I can keep all the crap out of my gaming installation. So, I was going to partition my drive with two partitions, both to install Windows 7. One would be my normal system that I install all my normal crap on. And the other would be just basic gaming stuff. The main reason I am thinking of doing this is that first of all, my system has a lot of crap on it. And second of all, the new sims, like DCS:A10 and CoD, ect.. are going to require a faster system. And in the future this will help with other games as well.

So, I was wondering if this seems like a good approach? Of is there a better approach?

Also, if I have a Win7 dual boot... Is there a way to hide the other drive, while in each OS? So, both drives can be drive C:? Or how does that work? If I install one OS on disk0/part0 and the other OS on disk0/part1 do they show up as C: and D:. Or does this also not even matter?

[T_O_A_D]

Off to work now, sorry so short.

Its a good approach, I'm a dual booter.

But I must be doing something different, not sure what though, My system doesn't confuse the drive letters.

[Mayhem]

I am thinking of formatting reinstalling all of my software to make my system faster.

This time, I was thinking of making a dual boot system so I can keep all the crap out of my gaming installation. So, I was going to partition my drive with two partitions, both to install Windows 7. One would be my normal system that I install all my normal crap on. And the other would be just basic gaming stuff. The main reason I am thinking of doing this is that first of all, my system has a lot of crap on it. And second of all, the new sims, like DCS:A10 and CoD, ect.. are going to require a faster system. And in the future this will help with other games as well.

So, I was wondering if this seems like a good approach? Of is there a better approach?

Also, if I have a Win7 dual boot... Is there a way to hide the other drive, while in each OS? So, both drives can be drive C:? Or how does that work? If I install one OS on disk0/part0 and the other OS on disk0/part1 do they show up as C: and D:. Or does this also not even matter?

OK, yes you should have no problem doing this. The first Win 7 install will install on the drive of choice and see that drive as the C: drive when in that first OS. Once you have that done install the second time. Win 7 install should see the first install and ask you what you want to do. Tell it to make a new install and not overwrite the first install on the second hard drive. This second install will see the drive it is installed on as the C: drive and the other drive with the first install as D: and vise versa for the first installation.

When you say need a fast system for the games I am assuming you are talking about disabling all not essential process like drive indexing and the like. Have you ever looked at a program called Game Booster? http://www.iobit.com/gamebooster.html

Also might consider getting a small (300GB or so) Third high RPM, high cache drive just for your multiple IL-2 installs and other sims. You may be able to set the gaming install up with a RAID 0 on 2 high RPM, high cache drives and have a third drive for your work install. Or get 4 drives and set up a RAID 0 on the gaming install and a data protecting RAID 5 on the work install.

Just throwing ideas out there.

[Jabo]

Mayhem's right, dual boot is a good option although I no longer bother as windows 7 seems to do a reasonable job of keeping things organised without. Bear in mind though that I run 7 with lots of the processor intensive options (like aero) turned off anyway so maybe it's worth taking a look at that option on your gaming install to ensure you have the maximum available horsepower for CloD

Jabo

[Snacko]

Thanks, Yes I have tried FSAutoStart and Gamebooster over the years. They helped a bit, but never made my rig as fast as day one, when I first setup it up.

I already have two 300gig Raptors. My current OS is running on one of them, and the other has about 180gig free. So, I was thinking of making that into a partition for the second OS.

But it's been about 2 years since I have restored my system, so there is a lot of buried crap in the registry and Windows system; services; ect...

I have been trying to fly DCS:A10c the past few weeks and only get about 35fps max. And that is on Low settings. My rig should do better....

[T_O_A_D]

Two OS's on separate drives, gives you the security of having access to your machine, if one of them dies.

It would take, a mobo, memory, ,gpu, or psu to keep you down, with no access.

One lean and mean just your peripherals for gaming and that's it.

The other for all other things.

That I do is I partioned my drives, as I wish.

Then set up the first OS for gaming.

I then ghost/clone it, then change my desktop picture to something I like for gaming/flying.

Then I install that ghost into another drive.

Once that's done, I should have two identical installs short the different desktops.

I then boot up the first install and rewrite the master boot file.

I'm still XP and Win7 dual booting

Actually mine is triple boot still, I've still not totally embraced Win7

here is the original dual boot XP stuff.

And at the moment they are both on the same drive, my spare died, and I put it all on a terabyte drive till I get another.

;

;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.

;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.

;

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Game" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT /usepmtimer

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Work" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT

Now my Win7 ties into this somehow, but it did it automatically.

If you do a XP win7 make sure XP is installed first.

this will take some research unless one of the guys here already knows the answer.

Well I managed to open the BCDEDIT.exe

But not informed enough to know what I'm doing yet.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]

Copyright © 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\System32>BCDEDIT.exe

Windows Boot Manager

--------------------

identifier {bootmgr}

device partition=E:

description Windows Boot Manager

locale en-US

inherit {globalsettings}

default {current}

resumeobject {8fbfcaa4-f508-11de-8edf-8d2c4a514bea}

displayorder {ntldr}

{current}

toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}

timeout 30

Windows Legacy OS Loader

------------------------

identifier {ntldr}

device partition=E:

path \ntldr

description Earlier Version of Windows

Windows Boot Loader

-------------------

identifier {current}

device partition=C:

path \Windows\system32\winload.exe

description Windows 7

locale en-US

inherit {bootloadersettings}

recoverysequence {8fbfcaa8-f508-11de-8edf-8d2c4a514bea}

recoveryenabled Yes

osdevice partition=C:

systemroot \Windows

resumeobject {8fbfcaa4-f508-11de-8edf-8d2c4a514bea}

nx OptIn

C:\Windows\System32>

[Mayhem]

I just did a dual boot XP and 7 install. I had my old XP on one drive and just cleared off one of my other drives and installed 7 to it. 7 did all the work automatically . Just install 7 and it will pick up the XP install and create a boot menu giving you the option to boot in 7 or other windows versions. No fuss at all.

[Snacko]

I just want to use my one license of Windows 7 64bit to do both Dual boots. That should not violate the single user license agreement does it?

[Mayhem]

I just want to use my one license of Windows 7 64bit to do both Dual boots. That should not violate the single user license agreement does it?

I don't see why as it's on the same machine. As long as you have your little licensing badge on the case you should be good. I would have no problem on my conscious doing this. If it is illegal its an overstepping of boundaries if you ask me but basically companies can do whatever they want now days and get away with it.

[Snacko]

I built my own pc, so there is no little badge on it. But I think it is ok. They will know if I did this I think and let me know if I am in violation..

Ok, so I just installed Win7 64bit on my second drive. I put the DVD in while I was in Windows already and didn't realize I could start the install from there.... I though I was going to have to boot from the DVD. So, since I was already in my Windows OS, I think the install kept my drive letters the same in the new OS it installed?

I installed on drive X:. (that is what my original OS called the drive). It was drive X: on my original OS boot. and it is still called X: when I boot to this new OS. it is strange to have a system with C: drive seen as X:. And I can also see my original C: drive from the other OS. Is this normal?

I was thinking if I change the letters of the drives (X: to C:, and X: to C:) in this new OS, then the original OS should keep track of what it calls it all by itself, and still call it's own drive C:. So, I will have C: as the windows drive on both OS boots. If you know what I mean...

[Shadrach]

I also dual boot win 7 no probs, one for the kids and one for me password protected. You can do as many installs as you like without violating anything as far as I know because it is all on same PC and you can only run one OS at a time. It helps a bit giving the volume labels a name as they come up on the multi boot screen rather than just a list of 'Windows 7's and it can save a bit of confusion if you have to do a repair on one of them also drive letters seem to rearange themselves on occasion whilst volume labels dont..

[T_O_A_D]

Yeh I've ran same license for years dual boot on the same machine with XP, Uncle Bill has yet to complain.

And yes rename the volumes, if you notice my XP volumes in the boot.ini above show this.

[Snacko]

Yes, I have the drives labeled as Boot1 and Boot2. So, it is easy to tell the difference.

When I booted into my new OS install, I thought that I could swap drive letters C: <--> X:. I thought that the drive letter assignment was part of the OS itself, and that one OS did not know what the other OS had assigned. But that caused problems. I used BCDEdit to edit the Boot screen and told it that both OS were on drive C: And then it did would only boot to one OS. So, I had to change it back so on was C: and the other was X:. I am surprised that both OS's know the same drive letters. But somehow both OS's must be sharing this information?

So, I guess I will have to leave my new OS drive letter as X:. And I have already found myself going to the C: drive to change some file when I should have been on X:. I see myself making this mistake often.... But I did see an option in my Acronis Disk Director 11 to 'hide' drives. So, maybe I'll try and hide the other OS drive in each OS...

This is all new to me... And I am learning...

QUESTION:

So, to speed up your systems, you disable Aero and also file indexing? How do you do that?? I think I have disabled file indexing, but just want to be sure I did what you are saying... But I saw no option to disable Aero. And how does disableing Aero speed things up??

OOps, never mind, I googled it and found it...

Thx for all your help..

Andy

[Mayhem]

Hum, funny how the OSes detected the drives with the sam letters. Can't you go into the administrative tools go to disk management and assign whatever drive letter you want there? When I dual boot XP and Win 7 they both saw their relative boot drives as C: I guess 2 Win 7 installs see it differently.

[Jabo]

Yes, it does. Plus win 7 isn't worried about using the first bootable drive.