2 SSDs one Win7, one win 10

[35joebeard]

If I put an empty SSD drive ahead in boot order, with working copy of Win 7 Ultimate, then do a clean install of Windows 10 Pro, will it affect the Win7 if both have their own keys, Please?
If so, if I remove the SATA lead to the Win 7, and put it back once Win 10 Pro installed, will that just be dual boot?
Can I write from one to the other, please?
Thanks and regards, to any one who helps, Joe

 

[Multipack]

You would need to boot your board in legacy mode, and make sure you install Win 10 in UEFI Legacy mode too as UEFI isn't supported on Windows 7 but other than that I dont see why not. Would be interesting to know for sure, because I don't 😛

 

[joshmoyer]

Unplug the Windows 7 drive, plug the empty one in, install Windows 10 normally, then plug the Win7 one in. Select the boot order for them, so whichever is first will boot at startup. Then if you want the other you press something like f12 while the PC is booting and it'll give you a boot menu. May be a different key for a different mobo, but that'll be in the Motherboard manual.

 

[35joebeard]

You would need to boot your board in legacy mode, and make sure you install Win 10 in UEFI Legacy mode too as UEFI isn't supported on Windows 7 but other than that I dont see why not. Would be interesting to know for sure, because I don't 😛

Thank you, Multipack for your advice.

 

[35joebeard]

Unplug the Windows 7 drive, plug the empty one in, install Windows 10 normally, then plug the Win7 one in. Select the boot order for them, so whichever is first will boot at startup. Then if you want the other you press something like f12 while the PC is booting and it'll give you a boot menu. May be a different key for a different mobo, but that'll be in the Motherboard manual.

Hi Joshmoyer, this sounds good to me, because it says elsewhere that Windows 10 Pro 64bit, takes its key serial number from an existing eg Win 7, and I am concerned that the licensing may affect the independence of Win 7 Ultimate 32bit. Thanks and regards. Joe

 

[joshmoyer]

Unplug the Windows 7 drive, plug the empty one in, install Windows 10 normally, then plug the Win7 one in. Select the boot order for them, so whichever is first will boot at startup. Then if you want the other you press something like f12 while the PC is booting and it'll give you a boot menu. May be a different key for a different mobo, but that'll be in the Motherboard manual.

Hi Joshmoyer, this sounds good to me, because it says elsewhere that Windows 10 Pro 64bit, takes its key serial number from an existing eg Win 7, and I am concerned that the licensing may affect the independence of Win 7 Ultimate 32bit. Thanks and regards. Joe

It does require a Win7 key if you're upgrading Win7 to Win10. If you own both a windows7 and Windows 10 key, then installing windows 10 on a separate, independent drive from the win 7 one, they should both work independently of each other, with you choosing which it boots at startup, via the bios boot selection quick menu.

 

[35joebeard]

That's brilliant to know, I've been really worried about how to get this right, many thanks for your help and advice, regards, Joe