Another OS question

[Celticsfan]

I have windows 7 installed on it's own separate HD. I just put in a new 500GB HD and formatted 2 separate partitions, XP (E) and Vista (F). What I want to do now is put each OS on it's own partition. The question I have is which OS should I put on 1st? Next question is do I just put the install cd in my computer and pick the appropriate partition that I want to install that OS on and let it install?

After that, do I need to do anything else?

thx

 

[dude_56013]

Rule of thumb is oldest OS first on the partition closest to the beginning of the HDD. So let's say you've got 4 partitions -> partition 1, 2, and 3 are large enough to accompany XP, Vista, and W7 and partition 4 is for your files and documents and such...You want to install XP on part. 1, then Vista on P2, and W7 on P3...each successive OS should take care of the boot loader. The reason to install XP, then Vista, then W7 is that if you would install in reverse order, XP might not see the other 2 OS's since it is older.

 

[Celticsfan]

What would happen if I backed up win 7 on an external HD with acronis true image and then installed XP on the C: drive partition and once that is done, install vista on D: partition and then use external image of win 7 and put it on E: partition?

would that work?

thx

 

[dude_56013]

C, D, and E mean nothing...they are just drive labels. You need to tell me what physical part of the hard drive (partition) they are going on (1 being closest to the begging of the HD, and going on from there). What I'm saying is, I could have XP installed on the first partition and name it "Z:"

 

[Celticsfan]

Well I already have win 7 installed on it's own 70GB HD so that is the 1st OS installed. The other HD has nothing on it right now. I just partitioned it off into two 100GB partitions. Hope this helps.

 

[Atomic Rooster]

I have windows 7 installed on it's own separate HD. I just put in a new 500GB HD and formatted 2 separate partitions, XP (E) and Vista (F). What I want to do now is put each OS on it's own partition.

The question I have is which OS should I put on 1st?

As dude_56013 suggested, you should install XP first.

Next question is do I just put the install cd in my computer and pick the appropriate partition that I want to install that OS on and let it install?

Yup, just stick the CD in the drive, boot to the CD, then select the correct partition to install it to.

After that, do I need to do anything else?

You will need to install the the necessary drives and updates for each separate OS.

 

[dude_56013]

You will need to install the the necessary drives and updates for each separate OS.

I'm only going to correct grammar on this post because it's important to not get this confused: AR meant "drivers" not "drives" and you can find them on your MB manufacturer's site.

 

[Celticsfan]

Thx, I know.