Not sure about that, TW. My information may be wrong, but I read Win 7 is not happy to install to a two-partition drive where there's an existing XP installation in one partition. However I already have two HDs, so it's not a worry.
Hi,
Two separate HD's is a cleaner solution, and probably the better way to go if you have the cash, but I have had XP Home SP3 32 on my C: partition, and W7 32 on my D: partition (same 1 GB hard disk) running side by side since January - no problems to report. W7 brings up a small menu just after initial boot saying 'load W7 (default) or previous version of windows (XP)'. I can even cross access files on the different partitions as well without problems (copy/move etc.).
I have since over installed the beta version with W7 RC (even though MS advise not to) and still no problems. I have had only one crash and that was back in January when I was when trying to install and uninstall an earlier version of AVG anti virus that didn't seem fully compatible, latest version OK though. I cant blame W7 or AVG for the crash as AVG was altering stuff at low level and was expecting Vista or XP, it wasn't designed for W7 but I gave it a go. W7 simply rebooted and repaired itself.
I am normally the first to criticise MS but I must admit they seem to have hit it with W7. I now use it more than XP when browsing emailing etc. I really rate the snappyness, solidity, features, and look and feel of W7, and as I am a miserable so and so most of the time that is saying something, as I don't praise anything easily!
The only reason I havent tried all of my games in W7 is the install times. I flip back to XP to play CoH and some of my old driving games etc. If I finally quit XP (no reason to really when you can dual boot) then I will reinstall everything under W7. I have heard that 99% of stuff is working out compatible, but W7 Pro will have an XP mode built in anyway for troublesome programs, so that will solve even more problems hopefully.
For the games I have cross installed the speeds seem exactly the same, but maybe the load times are a bit better with W7. If the compatibility still looks good, I am trying to pluck up the courage to go to W7 64 bit when I get my DVD in October, then I can use that full 4GB of RAM!