Windows 7 do I make a partition for the beta?

[bikertom]

I have the win7 beta on dvd and getting the computer shop to install a 2nd hard drive 320GB in size. Should I make a partition of 30GB on that drive and install the beta there? what benefit will there be having a partition or is there none.

And another question, if and when Microsoft releases the full version on win7 for public sale, what will happen to the beta? I mean, does that win7 beta get overwritten by future installs of win7 or do u have to format that disk clean first before any new install.

 

[reghakr]

Before you perform any of the steps below, wait for some other members to post their opinions, because I'm not absolutely certain about some of the options that might be available

When you install Windows7 will look for your primary master hard drive, which would be the C: drive. If you add a hard drive they will probably make it a slave. If your primary hard drive is small in size, you could make the new hard drive the primary master. Windows should then give you the option of formatting the new hard drive

I had my drive partitioned with 50GB on the C: drive. the factory recovery partition is 10GB, and it left my E: partition intact, although all programs had to be re-installed.

You're definitely need more than 30GB, as mine is already at 20GB and I've installed all my 3rd party applications to the E: drive.

Regarding the official release, I don't know if it will allow that, but I highly recommend you do a clean install. I've done this with an earlier OS, and had hundreds of old, useless files left over from the previous version.

 

[yoyodude64]

i installed my windows 7 beta on a separate partition. as long as u select custom install, and install it to that partition, it should be fine. The only thing to be careful of is that some installs of vista also have a Recovery drive. If you end with 3 partitions, (so far) I have not gotten 3 partitions to be recognized, and so my main drive does not show up on windows 7. But I highly recommend the separate partition, in case something bad happens.