Dual Windows 7 boot on two seperate hard drives, not sure if I am doing it right?

[brigs2381]

So I have a new 640GB HD and an old 80GB HD. I have installed Windows 7 on both of the hard drives because I want to use the 80 gig for FSX and the new 640 gig for all other games and software. The problem is, my system won't give me the option of which OS on which hard drive I want to start, either the 640 or 80 gig hard drives, it just boots right into which HD is set as the primary boot drive, maybe I am doing something wrong?

Thanx in advance :)

[JSkorna]

Hi,

A dual boot system means that you have 2 different operating systems installed, not 2 copies of the same OS. You don't need an OS on every hard drive you have installed. So uninstall the OS from the old 80 drive and just boot from the new HD. Yes, you will still be able to run FSX from the 80 drive as long as Win 7 on the 640 drive knows that FSX is installed. You'll know this because it was while booted into the 640 OS that you installed FSX under, even though on a different drive.

[loki]

As Jim says, you don't need a copy of Windows on each drive. On the 80GB drive in particular, having Windows installed will just take up a good portion of the available storage space.

Having said that, you can use EasyBCD to help manage and setup dual boot systems (whether it's multiple copies of the same OS or not).

http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

[napamule2]

Brigs,
Whatever HDrive you install Win7 into will automatically be 'C:' drive (no exceptions). Fact is that Win7 install gets 'goofey' when you install Win7 and you have 2 drives plugged in (it is known to install 'System Volume Information' to 'D:' drive-which is WRONG and might lead to problems). Best to unplug the 80 Gig drive. Install Win7 to 640 Gig drive (will now be 'C:' drive). If you uninstall Win7, when you re-install be sure you install an antivirus before you EVEN log on to the internet. A free AV like Avast is good (plays 'nice' with sims). Then go do ALL the patches, updates, etc. Then run some programs to make sure all is 'ok' with Win7 install. Don't forget Dirx9.a (as that is what FSX uses) and DotNet programs (thru v 3.5). Restart after EVERY individual update/install. This is important.

Then (and only then) plug in 80 Gig drive and RESTART PC and Win7 will recognize it, and tag it as 'D:' drive. Do a 'complete' Format, using NTFS file system (I am assuming you will use 'NTFS' file system for BOTH drives?). Google FSX Gold if that is what you have for VITAL info as to sequence of install/restart/etc.

Then you install FSX into that. Use path of 'D:\Flight Simulator X' or 'D:\FSX'. DO NOT intall to 'D:\Program Files\..' as Win7 will prevent edits to anything under 'Program Files'. There will be some files for FSX installed into 'C:' drive, but that's the (ONLY) way FSX will work. 80 Gig is plenty for FSX and a 'normal' amount of add-on aircraft. I have a 320 Gig 'D:' drive and it has FS98, FS2000, FS2002, FS9 and FSX (plus a lot of other files) and it's only half full. Total files for FSX add ons (aircraft, programs, scenery, etc) is 37 Gb. FSX alone is 17 Gb. So you got plenty of room in that 80 Gb drive for FSX. Go for it. Good luck.
Chuck B
Napamule

[brigs2381]

Awsome guys, thank you very much for the helpful info! I don't know why I didnt think logically before and install the OS on the 640 HD and just install FSX onto the 80 gig while in the Win 7 install on the 640...lol!! So with Windows 7 on my 640 drive, I just choose to install FSX on the 80 gig drive ,(probably D: drive), if I have it right in my mind now? :)

thanx again!

[Telkwa]

I'm new to this game, but the consensus seems to be that you should install FSX to your boot drive, in its own folder. Not under Program Files. Can you explain why you want to install FS to a second drive? I'm pretty sure you're choosing a plan that guarantees FS will not run as well as it could with the given hardware...

EDIT - Whoops, sorry, I need to learn more before pretending to know what I'm talking 'bout...

[loki]

Not sure where you got that consensus from (maybe if you are installing a single SSD), but it has long been a common recommendation to install FSX to its own drive. Doing so ensures that the drive will be dedicated to the sim and won't have to go looking for system files or anything else that could take a away from loading scenery or textures.

[noell]

Just to add a note from personal experience - I've set up systems with the OS and FSX on one SSD and also with the OS on one SSD and FSX on a separate SSD.
With all else being roughly equal, I could detect no difference in FSX performance between those two SSD setups. When talking mechanical drives, however, the best setup is to put FSX on a separate drive and the faster that drive the better.

[brigs2381]

Lemme just ask one more question real quick here. So would you guys recommend I partition the 640 HD which is a WD caviar black 32mb cache, or put FSX on my old 80 gig 8mb cache HD? I know it would load stuff a hell of a lot faster on the 640 gig, but would it make a big difference having it on that drive that is partitioned, or its very own 80 gig drive that is slower? Which would you recommend?

thanx again :)

[loki]

As your 80GB drive is an older one, I would use it for data storage (pictures, music etc.), and install Windows and FSX on the 640GB drive. Then you can use a good defrag and optimization program like O&O to make sure FSX is placed on the faster outer tracks of the drive. Partitioning the 640GB won't help performance, and sooner or later you are likely to run into the problem of one partition being too small.

[napamule2]

As long as that 80 Gb HDrive is 7200 RPM (as opposed to a 'word processing' HDrive that run at 5400 RPM) installing FSX to the 80 Gb HDrive will not cause you any problems. If you follow directions and install 'it' right. Now days if you say the HDrive is a '80 Gb' they ASSUME it's an SSD drive (cheesh). What with todays high capacity HDrives it seems foolish to mess with and older 80 Gb drive, especially if it's 5400 RPM. I throw away (actually, I give to non profit 2nd hand stores) 40 Gb and even 120 Gb (7200 RPM) HDrives due to use/abuse and age. Too much potential trouble and just not enough capacity. Not worth the hassle or the worries that it might (sooner than later) just go 'poof' on me and leave me hanging. I keep buying new HDrives every year or so for the increased capacity and the reliablity. It's just cheap insurance.
Chuck B
Napamule

[JSkorna]

In HIS first post HE said THE 80GB drive was OLD(ha ha he who who). That means THAT it is NOT an ssd DRIVE (gosh darn nab it drat)

[Telkwa]

I've compared older 7200 rpm drives ("older" as in the early 2000's) to newer 7200 rpm drives - the older ones were much slower. And noisy too.