Installing Win 7 twice on same computer

[Wasted]

Hello

I wanted to try Win7 without losing Vista, so I installed it on a separate
partition to dual boot.

So I have Vista on C: and Win 7 on G: - same disk, different partitions. A
boot menu was set up, but Win 7 boots by default if I don't choose Vista
instead.

I now want to move towards Win 7 on C:, and return to just one partition.
But I have quite a lot of software and shortcuts now set up on G:, and if I
were to delete C:, change G: to C: I'd have to start uninstalling and
reinstalling everything so that C: was referenced. by everything.

I'd rather install Win 7 onto c:, and gradually install software again,
whilst being able to continue booting into Win 7 on G; to carry on working
as needed.

So, if I were to install Win 7 again onto the C: partition, either by doing
an upgrade, or formatting C: and doing a fresh install,

a) would that cause any activation/legal problems, having Win 7 installed on
the same computer twice in separate partitions

b) if it was OK to do that, which installation would become the default boot
option.

Thanks


__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4605 (20091113) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

 

[Leroy]

a) Since you can only install and activate one (1) copy of Windows 7
with one (1) license on one (1) PC, you'll need to purchase another
Windows 7 license for a second installation.

b) If you upgrade your Windows Vista installation to Windows 7, then
that installation will become the default. However, you can easily
change the default O/S using MSCONFIG (type MSCONFIG in the Search
programs and files box to access the icon).

 

[Charlie Tame]

Get something like Acronis and you can

1 Backup Vista for posterity

2 Backup your W7 Partition

3 Restore the backup to your C partition

Both copies will be identical so no licensing issue / WGA etc, you can't
be using both together and backups are allowed aren't they?

Worth a try to see if that's a possible way around it.

 

[norm]

a) Since you can only install and activate one (1) copy of Windows 7
with one (1) license on one (1) PC, you'll need to purchase another
Windows 7 license for a second installation.

b) If you upgrade your Windows Vista installation to Windows 7, then
that installation will become the default. However, you can easily
change the default O/S using MSCONFIG (type MSCONFIG in the Search
programs and files box to access the icon).

Would not the 30 day grace period for activation come into play in this
circumstance?

 

[Bullwinkle's news]

I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to do. If you are talking about
removing Vista and running only Win 7 there is a simple way of doing it.
First remove Vista by slowly deleting it. Then using a third party partition
software such a Partition Magic you can delete and move everything from G to
C. It can be done.

You will probably have to manually adjust your boot sequence but that's the
easiest part of it.

If this isn't up your alley you may have to remove Win 7 altogether and run
an upgrade on C drive to get rid of Vista that way then go the partition
magic route to move the working file from G to C and merge G into C.

I'm sure others will have further suggestions for you.

 

[Canuck57]

Hello

I wanted to try Win7 without losing Vista, so I installed it on a
separate partition to dual boot.

I did similar, but used 2 different disks. Can use BIOS to select which
disk comes first. I installed Vista on the second disk to do the Win 7
upgrade trick.

But I did unplug the existing disk while re-installing the second drive
from OEM recovery media. I did this as to prevent accidents.

It allows me to upgrade to Win 7 on the second disk, try it out and see
what I think.

So I have Vista on C: and Win 7 on G: - same disk, different partitions.
A boot menu was set up, but Win 7 boots by default if I don't choose
Vista instead.

I now want to move towards Win 7 on C:, and return to just one
partition. But I have quite a lot of software and shortcuts now set up
on G:, and if I were to delete C:, change G: to C: I'd have to start
uninstalling and reinstalling everything so that C: was referenced. by
everything.

I'd rather install Win 7 onto c:, and gradually install software again,
whilst being able to continue booting into Win 7 on G; to carry on
working as needed.

I didn't get that far. See may later post about my Win 7 Experience

So, if I were to install Win 7 again onto the C: partition, either by
doing an upgrade, or formatting C: and doing a fresh install,

a) would that cause any activation/legal problems, having Win 7
installed on the same computer twice in separate partitions

I didn't bump into any.

b) if it was OK to do that, which installation would become the default
boot option.

Which ever comes in the boot order.

 

[Natéag]

Could not the oobe files (an any other files, as required) be copied
to the second installation ? The hardware being almost exactly the same
(except for the HDisk ID) the activation might be recognized.

That is just a question.

 

[Canuck57]

Could not the oobe files (an any other files, as required) be copied
to the second installation ? The hardware being almost exactly the same
(except for the HDisk ID) the activation might be recognized.

That is just a question.

It might. If the drives are of the same type/size, Boot a Linux CD,
then use dd to copy the whole disk from the first disk to the second.
Should work. If the disks are the same typ/size, don't bother with
partitioning, a dd of the whole disk will do that. If they are
different types or sizes, you can still do it but need to know more on
how to do some tricky stuff.

If the OS trips out wanting a license, give it the one on the side of
the computer or Win 7 media you have.

 

[gls858]

Would not the 30 day grace period for activation come into play in this
circumstance?

And to go with the above suggestion a "rearm" command can extend that 30
days to 120.