A stupid question?

Well, I have Windows Vista 32 bit on my laptop, and I was wondering if installing the Windows 7 RC 64 bit would be fine with a 32 bit already on there?

Furthermore, would it dual boot properly as the operating systems are on separate drives?

 

Putting the operating systems on seperate drives is the way to go. I'm assuming you mean physical drives. When it comes to partitions then its a little more trickier.

Why Windows 7 RC. The final RTM has been released. Thats the way to go.

Best Wishes
N

 

Well, looking at your notebooks' specs in your sig, seems that your plan of dual-booting will work smoothly. So no worries

 

No, not a stupid question. A stupid thread title, perhaps, but the question is OK. Dual booting should be fine, unless your laptop can't see the second drive at start up.

 

Maybe the OP isn't a Technet/MSDN subscriber?

 

If not mistaken, RTM expired date is shorter than RC right?
That's why some users are using RC version?
However, I read some tricks to update RC to RTM without using re-installation/reformat of OS. It is not a SUPER STABLE trick, it is advised to use RTM version by a re-installation/reformat of OS.

 

RTM doesn't have an expiration date. RTM is just retail before retail is available to the public.

 

I thought that the RTM was illegal at this stage? And yes, they are two physical drives.

 

Why would the RTM version be illegal "at this stage" if you legally obtained it through Technet or MSDN?

 

There are plenty of posts on this forum about what RTM means, and you can also Google the term.

 

I have an HP dv5t, and HP provides both 32x and 64x on the same drive. Works great, and has lots of advantages -- the main one being that you have the best of both worlds when installing apps that only work on one or the other.

 

Keep in mind: to do an in-place-upgrade, you can't change architectures. ie. 32bit to 64bit (or vice versa) will not work.

 

I just had a look at MSDN and Technet, and it seems that you have to pay for a subscription.

 

Well yes, unless you get someone else (like your employer) to pay for your subscription. Technet and MSDN are not free download sites.

 

I managed to get the RTM. I don't particularly want to say how I got it though. But now it's installed and working fine, but I have to find my Realtek drivers, Synaptics Drivers, and Truesuite Drivers. But hey, at least it runs cooler now.

Not sure about the video drivers though. It says I'm using the same one I was using in Vista according to dxdiag, but I'm not sure. Would they be the same. I haven't downloaded any yet, and is there even any point as the one in Vista was fine for gaming?

My second hard drive sounds different too. It clicks differently.

Edit: It seems to have found a whole heap of drivers, including a display driver, a Synaptics Driver, and a Realtek one. I think I might go and install them now.