Installing Vista with 2 HD's

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Guest

I just have a quick probably really easy question. I have 2 HD's in my
computer and I just want the operating system on one and would like the other
one to be left alone. Now my question is when installing vista will it clear
both of my HD's or can I just leave one of them alone and just format the
other one to which I want it installed to.
 
Disconnect the drive that you do not want to be affected in any way..
 
I have two hard drives in my machine and have never had any problem. Drive 0
(the C: drive) contains two partitions - windows xp and windows vista. Drive
1 (the H: drive) contains multiple partitions used for data and backup.

I have never had to disconnect my second drive prior to installing an
operating system, you just have to look carefully at where you are placing
the operating system - although for the non technical user i suppose
disconnecting the second hard drive is a good option.

Just format the C: drive and then install Vista


--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
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reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
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I have more than two hard drives but with 2 SATA drives the first has
XP Pro on it and I did a dual boot with VISTA RTM on the second drive
(empty but split into two partitions) with no trouble.

If you just do a dual boot (which requires a full, not an upgrade,
version) it does not do anything so far as I can tell to the first
drive -- I am pretty certain I could have done an install with the
first drive having no OS on it, if I used a Full version.
 
John Barnett MVP said:
Just format the C: drive and then install Vista
Click to expand...

Assuming that that drive is not the one you want left alone <g>

Under XP, and before that, I LABEL my drives in Disk Management with
mnemonic labels: CCC XP Pro DDD EEE FFF GGG HHH and so on.

Then whatever drive may be added, or changes made such as installing
VISTA which calls itself C: when booted up to, I can see what things
used to be and that my old C: with XPPro on it is now D:

Makes life a lot easier and during installation of VISTA it gives you a
pane showing the drives that are there before it grabs one for itself.
You have a choice.

Nice doggy! <g>
 
Scott B <Scott (e-mail address removed)>'s wild thoughts
were released on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 06:51:03 -0800 bearing the
following fruit:
I just have a quick probably really easy question. I have 2 HD's in my
computer and I just want the operating system on one and would like the other
one to be left alone. Now my question is when installing vista will it clear
both of my HD's or can I just leave one of them alone and just format the
other one to which I want it installed to.
Click to expand...

It wiped my second drive.




Jan Hyde (VB MVP)
 
I agree Mike it is better to be safe than sorry that is why i said "although
for the non technical user i suppose disconnecting the second hard drive is
a good option."

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..
 
I had a client.. one 40gb drive, one 250gb split into 4 parts.. XP one every
single partition after 4 attempts to get a working OS.. hmmmmmmmmm.. :)

the client maintained that it worked better that way because each partition
worked faster.. so who am I to break the death of the Easter Bunny to him?
 
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