Need Some Help Guys - HDD Problem.

[RalphJoy22]

Well Hello guys, it's been a while since I have been away from this forum and I was wondering if you guys could help me out.
Well my problem may seem a bit odd at the most but hope you can understand. Well as of October 2012 - I do have a new PC with all the new requirements that I could ever have. But the thing is I still have my old PC and my cousin wanted to use it - I very much would love to hand it over to him but there's one problem that I am facing with that system and I am sure my buddies here could help me solve this problem or at the least find a solution with which I can fix this thing.

So the Problem is : My old computer is running on Windows XP Service Pack 3. (I never thought of upgrading it as I was planning to buy a new PC plus I loved Windows XP too much to just change it.) I have 2 HDD (Mechanical Hard Drive) - One is of 256 GB HDD and the other is 2 TB HDD. The 2 TB HDD was added later on to the old PC. All the other parts are just running fine. So the problem is with the 256 GB HDD. My 256 GB HDD is divided into 4 Partitions, Local Disk : C,D,E & F. My Windows XP is installed in Local Disk C which has a total size of - 24.5 GB. and the problem is that this particular partition which has the Windows installed - The Space is getting down and getting lower everyday. Yesterday it was 19.5 GB and Today it is 17.8 GB - I think it is happening because the 256 GB HDD is very old - almost 5-6 years old and I guess it's dying, Am I right.?

If So than I have an idea - but I don't know if it will work and I need some help on this from you guys - What I plan on doing is that I am thinking of doing a dual Operating System on the PC. I will leave the Windows XP as it is, and I am thinking of installing Windows 7 on the 2 TB HDD (I know it will be slow since it's not an SSD, I don't care - I don't want to spend extra money on this PC, I just want it to get running and send it off to my cousin) So what I want to know is what are the steps as to how I should Install Windows 7 on the 2 TB HDD when I already have Windows XP on the 256 GB HDD. And will installing Windows 7 on the 2 TB HDD affect the files which are present on the 256 GB HDD (Windows XP) and I have a few files present in the 2 TB HDD, will I need to format the complete 2 TB HDD and than do a clean installation of Windows 7 on the 2 TB HDD or can I make a Separate Clean Partition of around 200 GB and Install Windows 7 on there. I forgot to Mention my 2 TB HDD is also partitioned into 2 Drives - Local Disk : J and K.

If you need any more pointers to help me solve the problem, just ask me and I will tell you all about the computer.

 

[phil22]

The first thing you need to do is find out if your old PC can actually support Windows 7 with it's existing hardware (mainly thinking about drivers here).

If it's a "no name" PC you need to check the motherboard manufacturer's website too see if Windows 7 drivers actually exist for that motherboard model.

If it's a brand-name PC, check the PC manufacturer's website instead.

Without Windows 7 drivers your intended project is a non-starter.

Re-post if and when you can confirm that obtaining Windows 7 drivers for that PC is not a problem.

 

[RalphJoy22]

Well apparently it's a no go for me, since my motherboard supports only up to Windows Vista. But there is one thing we can do, since Windows 7 can't be used - I will go forward with Windows Vista as the second operating system.

My motherboard supports it, so it won't be a problem I guess. I know Vista sucks - but as long as it runs and keeps my computer alive without having a memory leak problem - I will go for whatever is possible. Can you help me on that.?

 

[zdbc13]

Hi, if your XP is running fine why don't you just delete some of the other partitions and expand your c: to use the freed up space? Installing another operating system will just confuse the issue. You can use a Linus Live CD or USB to boot the system and use gparted to re-do the partitions. Just an idea...

 

[RalphJoy22]

Well buddy (zdbc13) My XP isn't running fine - I think you haven't gone through what I have mentioned in the starting post. I have said I had 2 HDD - One is 256 GB (Which is 5 years old) and another is of 2 TB (Which is hardly a year old). I have gone through the internet about the problem and it happens to mention that when a HDD becomes old, it starts to have memory leakage (i.e A few MB's or GB's will drop everyday until no space is left on the partition and it happens at the place where your Windows is installed.) Since I have 4 partitions of my 256 GB HDD, the other 3 are okay - but Local Disk C where my windows is installed, it's space is getting lower and lower everyday. So what I proposed to do was that I plan on installing a second operating system on the other HDD of 2 TB. Since it's new it won't have any problems - So what I require from you guys is how I do it.? How do I have two operating systems on a single PC and Like Phil asked about my motherboard and it happens to supports up to Windows Vista, so I would like to have Windows Vista installed as my second operating system on the 2 TB HDD. I just need the steps How.? Thanks in advance.

 

[zdbc13]

OK, that clarifies things for me. But sometimes when using 2 drives with operating systems they will interfere with each other, eg. write over some of the other disks system files. With that warning I still think you can do it as I have done it, too.

1. back up your 2tb disk
2. remove your 256gb disk (just unhook it's cables)
3. do a complete format and install of Vista or 7 on your 2tb drive.
4. re-connect your 256gb disk
5. set your bios to boot from the disk you like best (i'd use the 2tb)
6. use your f12 or whatever key your motherboard uses to select the other disk when you want to use it.

Hope this helps....