Reinstalling Windows!! The Best Audio Setup!!!!???

[stjohn]

ok ok ok.. its that time of year again!

i need/want to reinstall everything b4 i get settled back into college and this time around i want to do it properly. i just have a few techie questions before i begin the looooooooooooooonnng process :) thank you please



Currently my system looks like..
C:\Windows - 15 GB partition Win XP media edition
D:\Audio - 300 GB ..for everything audio & music
E:\ Programs & Storage.. 100 GB for programs + everything else..

as far as i remember C & E are on 1 hd, and D: is separate.

I think id like to install 2 instances of Xp... one for Audio, and one for design, web + everything else. Would this work ok?? is there much of a difference?? i do notice XP slowing up over time!!

should i format the both harddisks?? the 15gb is too low so i was thinking a 20-25gb partition for each OS.

What version of XP is the most stable? i like the Media Centre one because there is a mp3 encoder as standard..

my potential worries are..
all my music.. once i begin to change drives and program locations/ OS's will my projects be accesible? im thinking keep the E: as the program drive maybe..?? but im not 100% sure of how dual OS's boot...

ive the same worry with my design work because im in the middle of a job for a travel company.. so i will be pretty f'kd if it gos tits up!!:ohdear:

there is probly loads of stuff im omitting... so thats is why i look to you.. reader of this post and fountain of all knowledge!

Yours Faithfully
Rory, 26, Blanchardstown

[Eddowion]

You can install windows as many times as you like on the same pc as long as each one is in it's own partition.
I have xp pro, xp mce and vista on the same machine with no problems.
If you want earlier versions ie 98 or 2000 then the earlier versions must be installed first, if you try to install 2000 after xp the it mucks up the booting of xp.

[TechMouse]

What version of XP is the most stable? i like the Media Centre one because there is a mp3 encoder as standard..

MCE is basically XP (SP2) with some extras.

That said, you can get better mp3 encoders for free off the internet.

The problem you'll have with multiple OSes is that they won't be able to share the installed programs. Some will work, but others require registry settings that get put in place at install time.

[Elvio Neto]

I think id like to install 2 instances of Xp... one for Audio, and one for design, web + everything else. Would this work ok?? is there much of a difference?? i do notice XP slowing up over time!!


my potential worries are..
all my music.. once i begin to change drives and program locations/ OS's will my projects be accesible? im thinking keep the E: as the program drive maybe..?? but im not 100% sure of how dual OS's boot...

2 Xp´s works great , use one just for audio production ( dont install net or antivirus there, will run very fast )

and another for your other works , internet etc


im using 3 systems , 1º for windows xp pro (no internet), 2º for linux ( internet and works) and the 3º im testing Mac osx x86 ( modded mac osx for pc´s )

for my audio / backups etc i have one external usb hardrive 160gb


about your programs partition , the programs only work with the xp you install them

example: you install from XP1 one program in E: drive , only that Xp will run the software , if you try to open in the XP2 the software will not work becouse is not registered in that windows


about the dualboot you dont have to do nothing , when you install the second windows , the instalation will detect another microsoft os and make a menu in the master boot record of the first hardrive , when you reboot the system you will see that menu and select the windows you want


i hope i have help, sorry my bad english

[stjohn]

cool thanks for the help so far...
i got some info from another forum..and at some stage it seemed to get complicated...

Create 2 partitions win win xp home on them.
You'll need to do some dualboot config shizzle which you can find here....

http://www.be.sys-con.com/read/180914_p.htm

Make each partition atleast 25gb, especially the one you use for designing.

Install xp, update it all then make a ghost using nortons ghost, to copy the partition onto the next partition make sure you have formated the other drive to store the ghost copy to it. Then use ghost to duplicate the partition image onto partition 2 ( D: )

Do the config in the link and bobs ur unkle.

2 installations of xp which both show as c: when in respective installations.


If thats confusing then sorry, will have to explain later or when this flu has passed as i feel like a zombie.

Read up on dualbooting in that link and you should get what i mean

that link gets technerdy with the partitions.. do u reckon i should bother with all that?

thanks again for the help

[dan the acid man]

using norton ghost just makes an image of your drive, they've said to do that to save time installing xp twice, it's probably easier for you to just install xp twice on different partitions