Separate HD for FSX

First, I have plenty of room on my 2TB C:\ HD Windows 10 Pro for FSX. However I cannot get it to run. I have a 1TB D:\ which I could use to install Windows 7 and run FSX on it. FSX ran exceptionally well on Windows 7. I have the discs for W7 Pro. I guess, what I do not know is how to boot FSX on D:\? Thank you.

What you are looking at is creating a Dual-Boot system.

 

That's a computer with two operating systems.

When you start the computer, you have to select the operating system to start. Then that starts.

You select WIn10 or Win7, and then the selected option starts.

(Similar to the Boot Menu you use already. The one where you select to start from CD-rom - USB -or other device, instead of from drive C:)

 

YOu can do this in various ways.

You can adapt the boot loader on drive 1. (the 2gb drive)

It is not set to start the Win10 that's on drive 10.

Boot process now is:

BIOS POST Power on self test--->drive1-->drive1 bootloader-->win10 on drive1

You can adapt that bootlaoder to give you an option to start either drive1-WIn10, or, drive2 win7.

So the boot proces becomes:

BIOS check--->start drive1---> drive one bootloader offers choice between:

start Win10 (on drive 1)

or start win 7 (on drive 2)

 

After Windows starts you are in WIn10 or in Win7.

WHen in WIn7 you can run fsx.

When in win10 fsx is not installed at all.

 

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An adapted bootloader is not the only way to make this booting setup.

A second method is to unplug drive1 first,

then install WIn7 on drive2,

then plug drive 1 in again, so both are plugged in,

and from then on, set the BIOS to always offer you the choice of what device to boot from.

When you after BIOS POST select drive1 to run, the drive1 bootloader starts win10

When you after BIOS select drive2 to start by running, the drive2 bootloader starts win7

 

Issue with that is that you have to pay attention while booting, because the option only appears briefly.

 

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With a Bootloader you get a popup screen that just waits for you to choose.

The tricky thing with a bootloader is that if it is wiped for some reason, it's hard to get it fixed. If not impossible.

And the bootloader can get overwritten. When repairing Windows, or for example when restoring a system-image.

 

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Bootloaders got a lot better though, especially after Windows offered adapted bootloader options too.

I used to try this method for setting up a dual boot system with Windows and Linux.

it worked, and I had the choice at boot to start either WIndows, or linux.

 

But, the bootloader got corrupted one day. And since I hadn't a clue at what exact disk sector my linux install started, I had no way of restoring it.

Reinstalling the linux OS was needed to fix it back then.

 

But, as I said, things got better and more stable since then.

 

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One thing to remember. When you boot Win10, you will be fully in Win10. WIn7 is out of the picture.

But the drive itself that Win7 is on, is accessible from the file explorer in WIn10. (!!!!)

 

Be very careful with that. (!!!!!)

For example, When win7 is running, and you try to edit or remove things in certain folders, you get a warning from Windows. "Admin Priviledges needed" or similar.

But if you are in WIn10,

You could go to the disk2, and edit anything, and you wouldn't get a single warning.

So be very careful what you do.

 

Best avoid disk 2 completely when running Win10

And when running Win7, avoid disk 1 with the Win10 files completely.

 

It is possible to get files across from drive 1 to drive 2, by drag and drop. But it get's messy soon.

Best to treat it as 2 separate computers in one box.

 

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As said, there are many ways to se uo dual boot.

bootlaoder on disk1

bootloader on disk2

using the bios boot selection

bootloader on a separate usb stick, that you pug in ad boot from the bios boot-options

probably more.

 

Worth taking some time to plan your system out clearly. Make a schematic drawing of it, etc.

And plan out the setup procedures in a detailed step by step written out plan.

 

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Last, I spoke of on OS on drive1 and one on drive2. And I was referring to two separate harddisk whe I said that.

 

But you can do this on one physical harddisk as well.

Two partitions, Win10 on one of them, Win7 on the other.

(can each have their own partitions too.)

So for example part 1, 2, and 3 for Win10

and part 3 and 5 for Win7

All on on phisical device.

Partitions.

 

This post is not about how to boot the system, but on what comes after.

 

Lets say:

system

1 drive

two partitions. C and D

both listed in explorer.

OK.

 

Or so you'd think.

There is actually a third, hidden partition. At least, often there is, but not always.

 

This partition (partition 0) is the Boot Partition.

It contains the bootloader. (I'm not up to speed with the info, it may not 'contain' a bootloader in the oldfashioned senses, but rather 'replace' the bootloader. Not sure)

 

The other partitions are Partition 1 - C:\

and Partition 2 - D:\

 

 

Don't panic. You probably have a boot partition right now as well. It's nothing special.

But you do need to know it's there.

It's important to consider it while planning out the new system.

(Btw, if you ever made a system-image, you may have noticed the Boot partition getting backed (imaged) up as well.)

 

When there is, and when there isn't a Boot Partition is not clear to me. I just read once that some people with WIn7 had them, and others did not. WHy was not clear.

 

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Let's add another (your other) drive.

Let's say while you install Win7 that gets two Partitions as well.

(and a Boot Partition, Ok, let's make it a complete set.)

So on drive 2 are then:

Prtition 0 Boot

Partition 1 C:\

Partition 2 D:\

 

(Again named C and D?? Yes, I'll show you why in a sec.)

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Now when you start Win10, that has it's C and D drive as always.

But you will also see an E and F drive. Those are the ones Win7 is on.

These drives are accessible. You can get files from them, and save them in your Win10 C:\ or D:\ drive. You can also copy files to these drives.

You will of course not find files on the E drive (=the Win7-C: drive !!) very easily. The desktop of win7 is not "Up". A file on the win 7 desktop will need to be dug out from: C: users\Appdata\Roaming\Desktop

When accessing it from Win10.

etc.

 

 

You switch the pc off. An start it again.

 

When you start Win7, on drive D. you will again see a drive C and D.

But these are the C and D drive of Win7.

You will also see a drive E and F. Those are your Win10 drives.

(E is the Win10-C drive)

 

Issues:

-Chance of getting confused about where you saved a file. "Which C drive was that on?"

-By moving a file across fro Win7 to a Win10 drive, it enters the Win10 system without getting scanned by the virusscanner. So there's a safety issue.

-If in Win10, and you want to play FSX, you need to close all your work, the whole Win10 session and shutdown, to be able to start Win7 and FSX.

 

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About bootloader and other options:

 

-Messing with a bootloader can make the system unbootable. Risky if it's a pc you really need.

 

There is I think another way. Although I haven't looked into it very much. A docking station.

Something exiss called harddisk docks.

It's a box ( a dock) that you can plug harddisks into.

The box is located outside your PC, and connected to it with a cable. (an ESata connection usually.)

 

In this you could simply plug the drive you want to boot. The pc will see that as the only drive and boot that OS. Plug in Drive1-Win10 starts. Plug in drive2 and oot, Win7 starts.

 

These exist for one drive at a time. But there are also versions that hold more then one drive, and have a button on the front for each drive. Using the buttons you switch a drive 'On' And then boot.

(don't switch on while pc in operation of course. Do it before pressing he power button on the pc.)

 

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All in all pretty complex and or expensive solutions.

 

The thing is, FSX should run fine on Win10. When Win10 came out there were some FSX issues, but for most of those workarounds have been found.

I think reinstalling FSX on Win10 will be a lot easier then setting up a dual boot system. Many people had succes with that.

 

il.