Help with OS install please

[guggas]

I currently have a pc with a 80gb HDD and windows xp home. I have a new Samsung Spinpoint f3 500gb that I would like to add to my system and I have windows 7 x64 that I would like to install on the new drive. However, I would like to still be able to access the programs on my old drive without having to reinstall them(because I don't have all of the install discs or cd keys).

What is the best way to do this? I'm assuming that I can just: (1) install the new drive. (2) Boot up and install windows 7, hopefully it will ask me where to install at and I can choose the new drive (I think it will be the E: drive). (3) then when I boot up it will ask me which OS I want to boot. (4) If I choose to boot From the C: drive It will boot xp and everything will be just like it is now or I can choose boot from E: drive and it will boot win7 and I will not be able to see all my old programs in the programs list, only the programs that I install using windows 7, on the E: drive.

Can you guys tell me if my thinking is correct and give me some suggestions please.

p.s. Would it be better to physically disconect my original drive C when I install windows 7, to force it to install on the new drive, and minimize the risk of my original drive being formatted?

thanks for any suggestions

 

[The_Prophecy]

It would be better to disconnect your drive with XP on it, so you don't accidentally wipe it out. As for your programs, you will have no choice but to reinstall them. Some of them may still work by running the main executable for the desired program, but this usually doesn't work, and if the program does happen to open in this instance, it may not work correctly.

 

[guggas]

So I will not be able to use my old programs on the old drive even if I boot into xp from the old drive?

 

[The_Prophecy]

As I said above, you may be able to simply run the main executable file for whatever program(s) you want to run under 7, but many applications won't allow you to operate them that way. In those cases, the only way to get the program to function correctly is to completely reinstall it.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

If you follow your route, Windows 7 will install most of 7 on the new drive but the boot files will still be on the old drive.....old drive dies, you won't boot to new one.

Suggest you take old drive outta da picture (disconnect cables), install new drive, connect cable to new drive and install windows 7 to new drive. Once complete and all upgraded, reconnect cables to old drive. You can use PC's BIOS to tell PC what drive to boot off.

One little trick you might be able to get away with is to copy your program folders from old to new drive.....some may even work w/ no additional effort. Others you will find can be installed over themselves and will keep their customizations, sometimes even with the activation codes.

 

[daship]

Your original idea will work perfect as long as you have a option to boot to which drive you want.