SSD Migration and Dual Booting

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timmmay

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#80001 25-Mar-2011 09:51

I've just ordered two SSDs, OWC 60GB and 115GB, along with Windows 7-64 Pro. I plan to install W7 onto the 60GB SSD. I have an existing XP install, and i'd quite like put it on the SSD as well and dual boot it. The 115GB SSD is for my Lightroom catalog and Adobe Bridge ACR cache.

Is this possible? How would I do it? I don't need step by step instructions, just a pointer in the right direction.

PC is a self built Q6600, 4GB RAM, Asus P5something motherboard, nVidia 8500GT video card, 4 hard drives. I've also ordered another 4GB of RAM, Corsair ValueSelect, as the Corsair Dominator I already have in there isn't available. Not sure how the video card will do under W7, but photography uses little video power so it should be ok.

Thoughts:
- I typically use DriveImageXML to run my OS image backups.
- Keeping XP working is a stopgap until I have Win7 going properly. I don't really mind if it stays on the existing spinning disk, or if it goes onto the other SSD temporarily.
- If I do install both onto one SSD how do I stop them intermingling their program files and things? I don't think partitioning an SSD is a good idea.
- Running XP in a VM is an option, but since I do a lot of photography work it might not be fast enough.

Any thoughts or help would be appreciated :)

Talkiet

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#451707 25-Mar-2011 09:57

timmmay: I've just ordered two SSDs, OWC 60GB and 115GB, along with Windows 7-64 Pro. I plan to install W7 onto the 60GB SSD. I have an existing XP install, and i'd quite like put it on the SSD as well and dual boot it. The 115GB SSD is for my Lightroom catalog and Adobe Bridge ACR cache.

Is this possible? How would I do it? I don't need step by step instructions, just a pointer in the right direction.

PC is a self built Q6600, 4GB RAM, Asus P5something motherboard, nVidia 8500GT video card, 4 hard drives. I've also ordered another 4GB of RAM, Corsair ValueSelect, as the Corsair Dominator I already have in there isn't available. Not sure how the video card will do under W7, but photography uses little video power so it should be ok.

Thoughts:
- I typically use DriveImageXML to run my OS image backups.
- Keeping XP working is a stopgap until I have Win7 going properly. I don't really mind if it stays on the existing spinning disk, or if it goes onto the other SSD temporarily.
- If I do install both onto one SSD how do I stop them intermingling their program files and things? I don't think partitioning an SSD is a good idea.
- Running XP in a VM is an option, but since I do a lot of photography work it might not be fast enough.

Any thoughts or help would be appreciated :)

Good choice to go for an SSD... I have an 80GB SSD for my win7 boot and apps and it's great.

I don't think putting XP on the 60GB Boot SSD is a good idea though - just for space reasons. Win7 isn't small. Use XP through win7's virtual thingy and consider that an incentive to get away from it...

What do you still need XP for anyway? I have some older software (Capture one, old version) that says it shouldn't work with Win7, but it's been possible to cajole it into working just fine.

(Or is it that you want to keep your existing install while you get 7 up and running? Even if that's the case, I'd just bite the bullet and do your migration up front)

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

timmmay

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#451709 25-Mar-2011 10:01

I just figure it'll take me a while to get W7 up and running properly, and I want to have a working PC until then. I just don't want to be swapping SATA ports, but changing the boot device in the BIOS is pretty easy. That might be easiest.

Any other tips for someone who's never installed W7 before, or used an SSD?

Talkiet

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#451710 25-Mar-2011 10:06

timmmay: I just figure it'll take me a while to get W7 up and running properly, and I want to have a working PC until then. I just don't want to be swapping SATA ports, but changing the boot device in the BIOS is pretty easy. That might be easiest.

Any other tips for someone who's never installed W7 before, or used an SSD?

Not really, Win7 knows how to deal with them now so there's no configuration required anymore (like ensuring defrag is off etc)...

Just general health like making sure you don't inadvertently install BIG stuff to your SSD unless it's justified... Move any temp files (I put my Capture 1 preview cache on the SSD for example) there for speed.

I also statically set my Virtual Mem...

Basically just enjoy.

CHeers -N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

timmmay

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#451715 25-Mar-2011 10:26

Static swap file sounds like a plan, though the SSD will probably move it around for wear leveling anyway. The other larger SSD is for the cache :) I'll experiment with putting RAW files on one as well, but people have told me that doesn't make much practical difference.

kyhwana2

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#451716 25-Mar-2011 10:31

timmmay: I just figure it'll take me a while to get W7 up and running properly, and I want to have a working PC until then. I just don't want to be swapping SATA ports, but changing the boot device in the BIOS is pretty easy. That might be easiest.

Any other tips for someone who's never installed W7 before, or used an SSD?

Once you get all the drivers installed and updates installed, what else is there for you to do in Win7? It should just work.
(You'd have to install drivers/updates in XP anyway)

I'd say ditch XP and just stick with win7. You'll be short on space on that 60GB SSD with box installed anyway

hellonearthisman

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#451718 25-Mar-2011 10:32

Selecting the boot drive via the bios would be a safe way to go.
That way you can just install win7 to the SSD and only boot to xp if you really need too.

Dell

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timmmay

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#451723 25-Mar-2011 10:57

kyhwana2:
timmmay: I just figure it'll take me a while to get W7 up and running properly, and I want to have a working PC until then. I just don't want to be swapping SATA ports, but changing the boot device in the BIOS is pretty easy. That might be easiest.

Any other tips for someone who's never installed W7 before, or used an SSD?

Once you get all the drivers installed and updates installed, what else is there for you to do in Win7? It should just work.
(You'd have to install drivers/updates in XP anyway)

I'd say ditch XP and just stick with win7. You'll be short on space on that 60GB SSD with box installed anyway

I have lots of little pieces of software to do specific things, licensed software that can be tricky to get working, etc. Shouldn't take too long but it'll probably be done over the course of a week as i'm short on time at the moment.

hellonearthisman: Selecting the boot drive via the bios would be a safe way to go.
That way you can just install win7 to the SSD and only boot to xp if you really need too.

Yeah that sounds like the best plan.

Ragnor

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#451830 25-Mar-2011 16:53

Considered run XP as a VM inside of Windows 7?

VMWare Convertor and Player are free

timmmay

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#451837 25-Mar-2011 17:12

That sounds like a good option, I might give it a go, mostly just for interest. I think keeping both drives in and changing the boot device in the BIOS will be the easiest solution while I migrate, but keeping it around in a VM might be a plan.

At one contract I had (software development) I ran 3 VMs on one PC, inc a domain controller, exchange server, and a unix development environment. Fortunately it was a latest gen Xeon CPU with 24GB RAM. Even with that things weren't exactly speedy, but they weren't too bad either.

timmmay

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#453050 29-Mar-2011 10:05

My new toys have arrived! Win 7, another 4GB RAM, and two SSDs. I won't get to play with them till the weekend as I have friends in town, but I like toys :)

Incidentally, if anyone tries splitting overseas orders into two parts to avoid GST, have them arrive on different days as customs combines the total value together. No real problem I claim GST back, but I paid shipping twice for no reason. No matter it was only US$30 from OWC.