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How-To Geek Forums / Windows 7

Windows7, Hp note book

(13 posts)
  • Started 4 years ago by RobertOtt
  • Latest reply from whs
  • Topic Viewed 1396 times

RobertOtt
Posts: 1

Is there a way to make the second hard drive in my HP9024 note book bootable. There is nothing in bios as far as there even being 2 HDs. I am looking to install windows 7 on the second drive but there is no way to make it bootable.

Posted 4 years ago #
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zifnab06
Posts: 57

If i remember right I had somewhat of the same issue on my Dell...you should be able to just install it on the second drive, and it should rewrite the bootsector of the first drive...so it will give you the option of which version of windows to boot...

I'm running 7 now...as my main OS. It seems stable enough

Posted 4 years ago #
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Brazilianboiii
Brazilianboiii
Posts: 353

@zifnab06
as you said "I'm running 7 now...as my MAIN OS. It seems stable enough"
how do you run more then one OS at once?

Posted 4 years ago #
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zifnab06
Posts: 57

At the same time...you usually can't.

I've got VMware server installed...I have a linux server running in the background. I also keep XP there incase I need it. I just usually VNC into linux when I need it, using the server's IP. RDS for windows, same thing. It works well...especially if you are trying to do linux-specific C or something like that.

Posted 4 years ago #
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Brazilianboiii
Brazilianboiii
Posts: 353

O_o i see, i see.

Posted 4 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

I am running W7 in a virtual partition. I had already 2 blue screens and 2 freezes.In a virtual partition that is easy to overcome. But running W7 as your production system may be a little premature.

Posted 4 years ago #
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ScottW
ScottW
Posts: 6609

RobertOtt, hello. It sounds like you have 2 hard drives in a RAID configuration on that laptop. For example, if it is an HP dv9024ea such as this one:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfr.....ct=3232004

Note in the specs that it says the hard drive is "160 GB 5400 rpm (2 x 80 GB)", which would be two 80 GB drives in a RAID 0 configuration. There is no easy way to separate the two drives, but it can be done.

Posted 4 years ago #
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Brazilianboiii
Brazilianboiii
Posts: 353

@whs
May i ask what software you use to run your virtual machines?

Posted 4 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

@Brazilianboiii, I am now using Virtual Box (after I also used Virtual PC 2007 which has a few problems). I find VB to be the best. It performs beautifully (nearly like my Vista on the real machine), is really easy to install (in 10 minutes) and operate, can install W7 from your downloaded ISO file in 35 minutes (no DVD required), has access to USB ports and can share printers and files (via W7 HomeGroup) and the ultimate: I switch between W7 Guest and Vista Host with 1 click. What more can you ask for. And if it goes on the blink, I reinstall it in 35 minutes in the next virtual partition. Has not happened yet.

Posted 4 years ago #
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Brazilianboiii
Brazilianboiii
Posts: 353

@whs
Yes, i use it as well, but I've heard that there is an even better one. I forget what it was called all i remember was that it wasn't free..

Posted 4 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

You may be referring to VMWare. That costs $189 (last time I looked) - that's tooo much. I think Virtual Box does a pretty good job, and it is fast. I do not miss anything.

Posted 4 years ago #
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Brazilianboiii
Brazilianboiii
Posts: 353

Hum, ill get Virtual.B again then.

Posted 4 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

Brazilianboiii, I just uploaded a tutorial on the matter. See this thread.

Posted 4 years ago #
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