Windows 7 boot.ini or BCD manager

bikertom

New Member
downloaded the win7 beta from the microsoft site and burned the ISO file to a DVD disc using ImgBurn. My next plan is to do the install (which I haven't done yet). I have XP on 1 physical disk drive C:
What I want to do is install the win7 beta on another disk drive. Larry at the computer shop has a Western Digital 320GB SATA drive for a good price. What if I had this new disk drive installed as a secondary drive W: and set up a dual boot option between XP and win7 beta. Should I partition this new 320 GB disk drive into multiple partitions now or leave it just 1? I'm thinking that this win7 beta expires August 1st so maybe I can wipe this drive clean after that, reformat and do a clean install of the new OS after Aug 1st. I'm not sure if the dual boot option will use the boot.ini file on C: or not. Will I need a BCD manager like EasyBCD or BCDEdit to manage the dual boot if it doesn't? I didn't go to Vista so I play to go from XP to Windows 7.
 
If you install any OS newer than XP it uses BCDEdit and you need a manager such as EasyBCD to edit the boot manager.
If you modify your drive into two partitions, and install 7, you shouldn't have to edit the boot manager as dual booting should be automatic.
 
If you install any OS newer than XP it uses BCDEdit and you need a manager such as EasyBCD to edit the boot manager.
If you modify your drive into two partitions, and install 7, you shouldn't have to edit the boot manager as dual booting should be automatic.
dude the best thing wud be to use to hd
 
Maybe I should have asked if when installing win7 on a 2nd drive will update the boot.ini file on the primary drive for XP
 
dude the best thing wud be to use to hd
Why would that be the best thing?
There's absolutely no reason to use two hard drives over partitioning as it gives you the same result.
It doesn't matter if XP is on another drive, or another partition it will behave exactly the same upon the install of Windows 7.
 
But w7 will be on one drive and xp on other one. Will EasyBCD manange the XP on C: if EasyBCD is on W:?
Your OS will be on 'C:' in any case. When you boot into W7, that drive is mapped as C:, and when you go into XP, XP's drive will be mapped as C:.

And you won't be using the Boot.ini at all after W7 is installed. You will be using W7's boot manager.
 
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