2 Hard Drives? No RAID?

Warfare · 05-06-2009, 06:45 PM

Is it possible to run 2 hard drives without RAID?

I have a 320gig HDD with Windows 7 and a Old 80gig with freshly installed WIn7 on it I would like to know if I could copy the files from my 320gig HDD because I am currently only using about 60gigs on that drive, to this 80gig one.

I want to install WinXP on to the 320gig but I dont want to reinstall all my programs on my win7 HDD.

Also, Is there anyway to have both hard drives in but pick which one to boot from? Like the Multi-OS boot but with different hard drives?
Would I have to RAID to do any of this stuff? If so, do I need anything extra other than a SATA cable?

Thanks In Advance!

**raptor_pa** · 05-06-2009, 07:12 PM

You can copy your data but the paths in the registry for applications will be broken Some may run, some won't. No need to Raid the drives.

Warfare · 05-06-2009, 07:18 PM

So like If I copied some of my games over they would not work Unless I fixed the Registry paths?

Also, How can I do this? Just have both drives plugged in?

**raptor_pa** · 05-06-2009, 07:29 PM

XP will not handle being installed after 7.0 well. If XP was installed first then 7.0 it would be handled automatically and give you a multi boot menu, but XP won't know how to handle the 7.0 boot loader. You'll need some type of boot manager installed. Chances are your games won't work, and finding all the registry entries can be a pretty daunting task.

Warfare · 05-07-2009, 01:22 PM

so your basically saying that its easier just to format that drive?

**raptor_pa** · 05-07-2009, 02:32 PM

Pretty much :) Install XP first, then install 7.0. You will have to install apps under both OS's, but only need one copy of the app when finished. Install under XP, then boot to 7.0 and install there, pointing the installation to the same path as the XP install. That way the install points ar the same and the app gets to add it's registry entries to both OS's

Warfare · 05-07-2009, 02:42 PM

Well win7 is already installed on my 80gig, I was just trying to format my 320gig to winXP..

Also, Can I format and partition the 320gig drive witht he Windows7 disk? Its much faster, like 30 seconds fast.. But the XP cd takes like 30 minutes to format. :/

Thanks in advance!

**raptor_pa** · 05-07-2009, 03:17 PM

Do a quick format with XP it will be just about as fast. I would say no, your best bet is just to format the disk while you are installing. XP should be installed first - the windows boot loader will be installed on the Boot sector of the first partition of the first physical drive for all OS's - no matter what disk the OS is installed on. The newer version of windows should always be installed second, since it will know how to manage the boot loader of the old, but the old won't know how the new boot loader works, and the boot loader of Vista/7.0 is completely different from the XP boot loader, as is their partition table. That's why you don't want to format with 7.0 for XP to load.

Warfare · 05-07-2009, 07:52 PM

Thanks, I got my XP installed and up.

The only thing is that I have both hard drives plugged in, shouldn't I be able to pick an OS that I want to boot off of rather than the first Drive that is first in the Sata port?

**raptor_pa** · 05-07-2009, 08:53 PM

When you install Win7 it will rewrite the boot loader so you will be able to pick the OS you want to run from the boot menu

Warfare · 05-08-2009, 12:34 PM

So I will have to reformat my Win7 Drive? Just to get it to boot into Win7?

**raptor_pa** · 05-08-2009, 01:17 PM

You should just be able to do a repair install to the current win7 installation - hopefully win7 supports that, haven't played with the RCs yet.... so no need to format teh disk, but yes it will need reinstalled in some form so t can rewrite the the boot loader to know that both versions of windows are installed. Otherwise it doesn't know where to look for the OS files...

Warfare · 05-08-2009, 01:41 PM

Do I need to unplug the XP drive to run the win7 repair? Or will it pick up that the other drive has Win7?

**raptor_pa** · 05-08-2009, 01:54 PM

You will have to tell it which drive to use, but you need to have both drives plugged in, the boot loader only exists on the first physical drive, it points to the other drives. So for the boot menu to be updated you will need both drives connected, and you will have to tell Win7 what drive to install on during the setup.

Warfare · 05-11-2009, 02:22 PM

Sorry that im just getting back to you now.. But Do I need to set the jumpers in any different config?

**raptor_pa** · 05-11-2009, 02:33 PM

Shouldn't have to so long as BIOS recognizes both drives.

Warfare · 05-16-2009, 06:13 PM

I had time today, I ran the Win7 RC disk on my Win7 drive and Tried to repair. It went through the process but never asked me to pick a drive, nor did it setup a dual boot. Then I tried running the repair by booting from DVD/CD and it still did not work, So I tried the Repair mt windows installation on the very bottom and it still did not setup a dual boot.

Hopefully you can help me.

Thanks for the help in advance!

Warfare · 05-18-2009, 03:30 PM

sorry to bump but I really want this problem figured out. I know you can dual boot with Win7, It just doesn't seem to want to for me.

05-06-2009, 06:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	2 Hard Drives? No RAID? Is it possible to run 2 hard drives without RAID? I have a 320gig HDD with Windows 7 and a Old 80gig with freshly installed WIn7 on it I would like to know if I could copy the files from my 320gig HDD because I am currently only using about 60gigs on that drive, to this 80gig one. I want to install WinXP on to the 320gig but I dont want to reinstall all my programs on my win7 HDD. Also, Is there anyway to have both hard drives in but pick which one to boot from? Like the Multi-OS boot but with different hard drives? Would I have to RAID to do any of this stuff? If so, do I need anything extra other than a SATA cable? Thanks In Advance!

05-06-2009, 07:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? You can copy your data but the paths in the registry for applications will be broken Some may run, some won't. No need to Raid the drives. __________________

05-06-2009, 07:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? So like If I copied some of my games over they would not work Unless I fixed the Registry paths? Also, How can I do this? Just have both drives plugged in?

05-06-2009, 07:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? XP will not handle being installed after 7.0 well. If XP was installed first then 7.0 it would be handled automatically and give you a multi boot menu, but XP won't know how to handle the 7.0 boot loader. You'll need some type of boot manager installed. Chances are your games won't work, and finding all the registry entries can be a pretty daunting task. __________________

05-07-2009, 01:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? so your basically saying that its easier just to format that drive?

05-07-2009, 02:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? Pretty much :) Install XP first, then install 7.0. You will have to install apps under both OS's, but only need one copy of the app when finished. Install under XP, then boot to 7.0 and install there, pointing the installation to the same path as the XP install. That way the install points ar the same and the app gets to add it's registry entries to both OS's __________________

05-07-2009, 02:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? Well win7 is already installed on my 80gig, I was just trying to format my 320gig to winXP.. Also, Can I format and partition the 320gig drive witht he Windows7 disk? Its much faster, like 30 seconds fast.. But the XP cd takes like 30 minutes to format. :/ Thanks in advance!

05-07-2009, 03:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? Do a quick format with XP it will be just about as fast. I would say no, your best bet is just to format the disk while you are installing. XP should be installed first - the windows boot loader will be installed on the Boot sector of the first partition of the first physical drive for all OS's - no matter what disk the OS is installed on. The newer version of windows should always be installed second, since it will know how to manage the boot loader of the old, but the old won't know how the new boot loader works, and the boot loader of Vista/7.0 is completely different from the XP boot loader, as is their partition table. That's why you don't want to format with 7.0 for XP to load. __________________

05-07-2009, 07:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? Thanks, I got my XP installed and up. The only thing is that I have both hard drives plugged in, shouldn't I be able to pick an OS that I want to boot off of rather than the first Drive that is first in the Sata port?

05-07-2009, 08:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? When you install Win7 it will rewrite the boot loader so you will be able to pick the OS you want to run from the boot menu __________________

05-08-2009, 12:34 PM	#11 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? So I will have to reformat my Win7 Drive? Just to get it to boot into Win7?

05-08-2009, 01:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? You should just be able to do a repair install to the current win7 installation - hopefully win7 supports that, haven't played with the RCs yet.... so no need to format teh disk, but yes it will need reinstalled in some form so t can rewrite the the boot loader to know that both versions of windows are installed. Otherwise it doesn't know where to look for the OS files... __________________

05-08-2009, 01:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? Do I need to unplug the XP drive to run the win7 repair? Or will it pick up that the other drive has Win7?

05-08-2009, 01:54 PM	#14 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? You will have to tell it which drive to use, but you need to have both drives plugged in, the boot loader only exists on the first physical drive, it points to the other drives. So for the boot menu to be updated you will need both drives connected, and you will have to tell Win7 what drive to install on during the setup. __________________

05-11-2009, 02:22 PM	#15 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? Sorry that im just getting back to you now.. But Do I need to set the jumpers in any different config?

05-11-2009, 02:33 PM	#16 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,801 OS: XP	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? Shouldn't have to so long as BIOS recognizes both drives. __________________

05-16-2009, 06:13 PM	#17 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? I had time today, I ran the Win7 RC disk on my Win7 drive and Tried to repair. It went through the process but never asked me to pick a drive, nor did it setup a dual boot. Then I tried running the repair by booting from DVD/CD and it still did not work, So I tried the Repair mt windows installation on the very bottom and it still did not setup a dual boot. Hopefully you can help me. Thanks for the help in advance!

05-18-2009, 03:30 PM	#18 (permalink)
Warfare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 371 OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bit My System	Re: 2 Hard Drives? No RAID? sorry to bump but I really want this problem figured out. I know you can dual boot with Win7, It just doesn't seem to want to for me.