Windows 7 on one HD, XP on another

[CR125Honda]

Just purchased Windows 7 and did a clean install on a new WD 640 GB hard drive. All went well.

After completing the new OS installation, I hooked up my old hard drive (WD 500 GB with XP on it) to the system.

 

Didn't really know what to expect on the next boot up but all went well.

Windows 7 boots up and the system recognizes the second hard drive.

 

Could really use some advice on how to finish setting this new system up.

 

So far, the only thing I've loaded on the new 640gb HD is Win 7.

The old 500gb HD still has XP SP3 and all my programs and data on it.

 

I do have all the program discs (MS office 2007, Photoshop, etc., etc.) so they can all be reloaded if necessary.

 

Should try and remove XP from old HD?

Should I partition any of the hard disc's?

Should I do a RAID setup? Really not schooled in RAID. Would need to know if it's possible to set up a RAID system with data already on one HD.

 

I know it's a lot to ask but I am hoping someone can help me out.

 

Regards, Ken

[Great_Gig]

Your best course of action will be to transfer all your valuable date onto the new drive and reload your applications on the Win 7 drive. I take it you don't want to dual boot and just migrate to using Win 7?

 

When all your data is moved over, format the old drive - you can then use this as a backup drive for your personal data.

 

As for a RAID, for a home system there really is little merit, it's often discussed here and has been documented on the Anandtech web-site. Real world you will see little benefit in a mechanical disk RAID array (SSD is a different matter!). Also, when setting a RAID array you ideally will need matched Hard Drives, they don't have to be identical, but for a RAID0 you don't have the right discs.

 

Finally, when you set up your RAID all the data is gone as the RAID sets up the discs, so you will have to start afresh and reinstall your O/S and applications.

 

Hope this helps?

[dr_bowtie]

you dont have to re-install most apps over from XP to win7...

 

as long as the XP drive it hooked up you can double click the .exe file on the XP drive and it runs in Win7....

 

 

I do it all the time...

[CR125Honda]

Your best course of action will be to transfer all your valuable date onto the new drive and reload your applications on the Win 7 drive. I take it you don't want to dual boot and just migrate to using Win 7?

 

That is correct.. I think. Don't really know what dual boot means but I don't think I have a need for it.

All the programs I have should run fine on Win 7, if that is what it's for.

 

When all your data is moved over, format the old drive - you can then use this as a backup drive for your personal data.

 

Sounds good.. Will do..

 

As for a RAID, for a home system there really is little merit, it's often discussed here and has been documented on the Anandtech web-site. Real world you will see little benefit in a mechanical disk RAID array (SSD is a different matter!). Also, when setting a RAID array you ideally will need matched Hard Drives, they don't have to be identical, but for a RAID0 you don't have the right discs.

 

It is a home system. For me, it's plenty fast, I thought if the option was there to set up a RAID array, it might be fun to experiment. No biggie though. When purchasing the new drive, I did try to match to the old except for size (both WD caviar's, same spin speed and cache, both model numbers ending in AAKS). Debated getting one of the SSD's but thought it might be better to wait a year so til the prices come down

 

Finally, when you set up your RAID all the data is gone as the RAID sets up the discs, so you will have to start afresh and reinstall your O/S and applications.

 

Though it doesn't sound like I need it, that might be the RAID deal killer for me.

Before buying the new HD, I bought an upgrade version of Win 7 Pro 64 thinking I'd install it on top of XP. Ran into a product key issue when installing it on the new hard drive (clean install). After entering the key that came on the package, it came up with an invalid product key message. Spent an hour or so on the phone with Microsoft tech support. Without his help, I would not have able to activate the upgrade version on a clean install. He had me use a MSDT(?) tool and we were able to reset the licensing and activated it successfully. He never did give me a new product key though. I entered the key that was on the package and he did something online to make it all work. Really don't want to go though all that again but he did send me an email after we were finished to contact him again if needed.

 

Hope this helps?

 

YES!! Helped tremendously. Sincerely appreciate you taking the time to help out.

 

Thanks again, Ken

[Great_Gig]

You are welcome and that happened to me with a clean install of Windows 7 upgrade - previously you could install an upgrade on a clean disk, as long as you could put a Windows disc in during installation, now you must have a previous version installed on the drive, before you can install the upgrade Win7..... very frustrating

 

Have a play around with a RAID though, it's good to learn. I used to run RAID's, but went back to a fast small disc for the O/S and a large disc for data. I may give RAID another go, when they get TRIM sorted in Windows 7 for RAID arrays.