Windows 7 and Windows 8 on the same SSD?

[d6s]

My SSD just shipped from Newegg... I got the 730 Series SSD from Intel... and I am wondering a few things... my HDD (Seagate Barracuda) has Ubuntu and Windows 7 on it.... I was wondering if it would be possible to move Windows 7 over to the SSD and then get Windows 8 from https://www.g2a.com/windows-8-professional-32-64-bit-cd-key-global.html and then also put that on the SSD so I can choose between 7 and 8 depending on how I felt that day, or will they clash with each other?

 

and I also have a Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB HDD that I am backing my Barracuda up to right now.... would it be better to keep it in my PC just for backup purposes, or should I just use it in conjunction with my Barracuda for more storage along with my SSD?

[Sauron]

I think you should be able to, it's very much possible to have dual boot between different versions of windows. Usually you need to simply install the systems on two different partitions and then the windows boot loader should just ask you which system you want at startup.

[d6s]

I think you should be able to, it's very much possible to have dual boot between different versions of windows. Usually you need to simply install the systems on two different partitions and then the windows boot loader should just ask you which system you want at startup.

that is what I did with Ubuntu.... but would I be able to since only one of them will be a fresh install?

[Sauron]

that is what I did with Ubuntu.... but would I be able to since only one of them will be a fresh install?

 

I think so, I haven't done it personally though (only with windows 2000 and 98 back in the day) so I'm not sure.

 

I found a guide for this if windows 8 is preinstalled, it should work both ways but I'm not 100% sure.

 

http://www.pagestart.com/win8dbwin701181301.html

[d6s]

I think so, I haven't done it personally though (only with windows 2000 and 98 back in the day) so I'm not sure.

 

I found a guide for this if windows 8 is preinstalled, it should work both ways but I'm not 100% sure.

 

http://www.pagestart.com/win8dbwin701181301.html

i'll read into that later...still in a bit of pain from my wisdom tooth operation.... but I think it may work.... 

 

I ordered this SSD  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167190

and it comes with this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16800995204

so I was going to keep the free gift and send back the 730 series and maybe get the 850 Pro...or jsut keep the 730.... I keep getting mixed signals from people saying that the 730 is worse than the 850 and then some people say the 730 is one of the best..... still not 100% sure....but I was going to use the adapter from intel to copy over my OS and maybe a few games to the SSD and then boot off of the SSD and then install Windows 8 onto it

[mr moose]

can I ask why you want both?  There isn't much one can do that the other can't,  Unless there is a reason in the end the most you will do is use up more drive space than necessary and have to reboot every time you want to use a program that's installed on the other OS.  Not to mention the extra cost of the OS.

[Sauron]

I keep getting mixed signals from people saying that the 730 is worse than the 850 and then some people say the 730 is one of the best

 

Keep the 730, maybe the 850 is slightly faster but you won't ever notice the difference. It's not worth the hassle of returning the 730. And I too heard that the 730 is a great ssd.

[d6s]

can I ask why you want both?  There isn't much one can do that the other can't,  Unless there is a reason in the end the most you will do is use up more drive space than necessary and have to reboot every time you want to use a program that's installed on the other OS.  Not to mention the extra cost of the OS.

well I am more familiar with Windows 7.... and I don't want to have to reinstall all of my programs on windows 8...so I was going to use Windows 7 on a daily basis...and 8 when I felt like changing it up

 

Keep the 730, maybe the 850 is slightly faster but you won't ever notice the difference. It's not worth the hassle of returning the 730. And I too heard that the 730 is a great ssd.

okay...I might just keep the 730 then thanks

[mr moose]

Cool, this is what I would do:

 

The first thing I would do is make sure the new drive works fine (image your old hdd straight to it),  then if I was still interested in playing with a dual boot and win 8 work out how to do it then.

[d6s]

Cool, this is what I would do:

 

The first thing I would do is make sure the new drive works fine (image your old hdd straight to it),  then if I was still interested in playing with a dual boot and win 8 work out how to do it then.

just mirror my OS or my whole drive?

[mr moose]

just mirror my OS or my whole drive?

I would do the whole drive.

[d6s]

I would do the whole drive.

well you see...my whole drive is about 750GB and my SSD is only 240

[mr moose]

well you see...my whole drive is about 750GB and my SSD is only 240

 

Ahh, in that case move all your saved movies, pictures, documents to another drive,  Uninstall any large games first. essentially try to shrink your drive.  you will want to make an image of a working drive. you only want to use the imaging software to reduce the size of the partition/drive, not the files on it.

[d6s]

Ahh, in that case move all your saved movies, pictures, documents to another drive,  Uninstall any large games first. essentially try to shrink your drive.  you will want to make an image of a working drive. you only want to use the imaging software to reduce the size of the partition/drive, not the files on it.

well I am fully backing up my entire drive to my other 1TB HDD right now...so after that is done.... I could just delete all of my games and stuff right?

[mr moose]

well I am fully backing up my entire drive to my other 1TB HDD right now...so after that is done.... I could just delete all of my games and stuff right?

 

don't delete them, unistall them through windows,  I know it takes longer, but one of the biggest things that slows down windows are registry entries that point to missing files.  

[d6s]

don't delete them, unistall them through windows,  I know it takes longer, but one of the biggest things that slows down windows are registry entries that point to missing files.  

I use Revo Uninstaller for everything

[mr moose]

I use Revo Uninstaller for everything

great, once you have a clean running os drive that is smaller than the new drive you can copy it across.  once it's up and running on the new drive then you can start tweaking and reinstalling the more common programs.

[d6s]

great, once you have a clean running os drive that is smaller than the new drive you can copy it across.  once it's up and running on the new drive then you can start tweaking and reinstalling the more common programs.

well like....why don't I just copy over the OS so I can start 100% fresh....or like even install Windows 8 Directly onto the drive first

[mr moose]

well like....why don't I just copy over the OS so I can start 100% fresh....or like even install Windows 8 Directly onto the drive first

you can install a fresh copy, that's fine (and the preference), but I thought you had an already installed OS that you wanted to maintain. 

 

If you have already backed up all your pertinent data and have all the install discs/files you need then for sure, start with a fresh copy.

 

edit: with regard to copying the OS only, you can't exactly just make a copy of the windows files,  if you miss a file because it is hidden or a third party program/driver you can cause the system to become unstable.

[d6s]

you can install a fresh copy, that's fine (and the preference), but I thought you had an already installed OS that you wanted to maintain.

 

If you have already backed up all your pertinent data and have all the install discs/files you need then for sure, start with a fresh copy.

well I don't have my SSD yet...and I was going to buy Windows 8 from here - https://www.g2a.com/windows-8-professional-32-64-bit-cd-key-global.html and then using the adapter that is coming with my SSD I would install windows 8 onto it.....that is my new thinking....

 

what I was going to do before was copy over Windows 7 first and then do windows 8.... but I might do 8 first and then 7

[mr moose]

Yeah, that'd work. just put the new drive in when it comes and install 8 as a fresh os,  you can look at the the amount of drive space you have left after that and decide if you want to dual boot with 7 or if you want to use that space for programs (some programs boot quicker of an ssd)

[d6s]

you can install a fresh copy, that's fine (and the preference), but I thought you had an already installed OS that you wanted to maintain.

If you have already backed up all your pertinent data and have all the install discs/files you need then for sure, start with a fresh copy.

edit: with regard to copying the OS only, you can't exactly just make a copy of the windows files, if you miss a file because it is hidden or a third party program/driver you can cause the system to become unstable.

Well do you think it would be best to just start fresh with windows 8 and forget about 7?

[mr moose]

Well do you think it would be best to just start fresh with windows 8 and forget about 7?

yes.

or a fresh copy of 7 and forget about 8.

 

either way If there is nothing special about the current OS install you have then forget about it and go with a fresh install.

[d6s]

yes.

or a fresh copy of 7 and forget about 8.

either way If there is nothing special about the current OS install you have then forget about it and go with a fresh install.

well I do have a bunch of clutter that I'd like to get rid of... But I'm just so attached to 7 and that's kinda why I want 7 AND 8... I have my original windows 7 disk... Could I use that for a fresh install?

[mr moose]

well I do have a bunch of clutter that I'd like to get rid of... But I'm just so attached to 7 and that's kinda why I want 7 AND 8... I have my original windows 7 disk... Could I use that for a fresh install?

yes,  just us the disc and install 7 from scratch.  and your all good to go.