[_HAWK_]

I am wanting to partition my drive so I have both a 32bit OS and a 64bit OS. Does anyone know if there will be any issues. Or should not be done?

Thanks...

This post has been edited by hawkvalley1: 29 November 2010 - 12:59 PM

[hlx]

As long as your processor supports 64bit, it will not care a single bit.

[_HAWK_]

I was going to edit my post and state the processor is 64bit. Are you familiar with doing this?

Partition the drive,
Install 32bit OS,
? get dual boot ?

This post has been edited by hawkvalley1: 27 November 2010 - 11:48 AM

[hlx]

Partition your drive, Install OS #1. Install OS#2. You will probably boot straight into OS #2 after this (Your master boot record will get overwritten.)

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

Use this tool to configure which Operating Systems you want at bootup.

Of course there is a chance your MBR won't get overwritten and they will both be there, but that is what to do i the off chance that it isn't.

[_HAWK_]

I have the unallocated space, in the Disk Management window I can select that space right click and select New Simple Volume then follow the wizard - it just has a strange warning at the end that I don't understand. If I continue from there Windows 7 is currently loaded on Disc0 so how do I install Vista onto this new partition.

[hlx]

Leave it unallocated. When you boot into the CD, there will be an advanced option when you get to 'Where to install?'

Seen here:



And then create a new partition of the unallocated space

Seen here:

[_HAWK_]

Ok, how does dual boot work, can I achieve this?

[hlx]

Yes, one of two possible things will happen after you install:

1. It will only boot to Windows 7 -- use the EasyBCD program I outlined above.

2. It will give you a choice between both at bootup -- excellent!

[_HAWK_]

Ok, so when I turn the computer on it will boot up the choice. Can they run at the same time?

Any issues with restore points, or other things for me to consider before doing this?

[hlx]

Ensure you don't install over your current partition. If you want to run simultaneously, Try a virtual machine, something like VMWare or Virtualbox.

This post has been edited by hlx: 27 November 2010 - 04:00 PM

[baavgai]

I recently had a box with Windows 7 Premium 64bit. I needed to blow it out and replace it with 32bit to resolve some compatibility issues.

I ran that cool little "Windows Experience Index" thingy. The difference was not as great as you'd expect. The "Processor" subscore was 6.5 on 64, 6.4 on 32. More interestingly, the memory was 6.9 on 64, but 7.1 on 32. Overall they were the same, since the graphics was the lowest score and CPU doesn't play into it.

Currently, the biggest thing 64bit buys you is addressable space. It won't buy you magical performance gains and in some situations will actually degrade performance.

This post has been edited by baavgai: 27 November 2010 - 04:11 PM

[_HAWK_]

Thanks baavgai, there are 2 reasons for this;
one, I have a couple of apps that will not run on 64,
two, for testing my software against diff OS versions
I figured having them separated by a partition would be a possibility. I also want to make a good decision about this too. So I am here asking the good questions.

[hlx]

For that methodology, I would certainly download virtualbox (www.virtualbox.com)

It will allow you to set up multiple operating systems and scenarios for that exact reason. I currently have 4 or 5 licensed systems that i run in Virtual Machines for malware analysis. It works like a dream.

[_HAWK_]

That sounds exactly like what I need. I actually missed that in the post above.

[_HAWK_]

Here's a new problem, after loading VirtualBox I can no longer use Skype. VirtualBox appears to have made a special network - which I am sure it needs to function, but Skype now thinks this is the network to use - wrong! I cannot find a place to change this setting in Skype. Any thoughts?

Edit: Reset the firewall and it's fine now!

This post has been edited by hawkvalley1: 29 November 2010 - 12:58 PM