Setting Up a New Fresh Win7 System to Replace Old corrupt Win7 System!
Basically, I have an 8 year old MacPro late 2008 (not a MacBook!) using a Win7 Boot Camp system that's been thru a number of Repair Installs and Restores over the years and is no longer dependable!
The system is now at some 200 Gigs with over 100 applications and several gigs of data and it will take me a few days to choose and move things over as I have not been terribly organized. Thus, I really don't want to kill my existing system until the new one is ready to go.
I want to considerably reduce both the data and Apps on the new system.
I have a number of HDD's, including a brand new WD 7200 1T for the new system. The Mac itself has 4 bays and I also have a couple of docking stations for the HDD's!
Ideally, what I would like to do is install Win7 on my New HDD put the old HDD into a docking station and move over applications and data as needed. I have a multi computer MS license for Win7 including a spare for the new system.
As an alternative, is there anyway to reasonably install a 2nd Win7 drive into Boot Camp. My existing system is on its own drive, separate from the Mac drive.
Finally, is it worth using Win10 on the New system or should I stick with 7? My apps appear to be Win10 compatible. Thanks!
The system is now at some 200 Gigs with over 100 applications and several gigs of data and it will take me a few days to choose and move things over as I have not been terribly organized. Thus, I really don't want to kill my existing system until the new one is ready to go.
I want to considerably reduce both the data and Apps on the new system.
I have a number of HDD's, including a brand new WD 7200 1T for the new system. The Mac itself has 4 bays and I also have a couple of docking stations for the HDD's!
Ideally, what I would like to do is install Win7 on my New HDD put the old HDD into a docking station and move over applications and data as needed. I have a multi computer MS license for Win7 including a spare for the new system.
As an alternative, is there anyway to reasonably install a 2nd Win7 drive into Boot Camp. My existing system is on its own drive, separate from the Mac drive.
Finally, is it worth using Win10 on the New system or should I stick with 7? My apps appear to be Win10 compatible. Thanks!
ASKER
Thanks serial... helpful.
Is this what you have in mind?
I should 1st move over to my Mac IOS 10 system installed on its own HD, shut down the Mac, then remove the Win7 HD, install the new fresh HD, reboot into my IOS, install a new Win7 (or 10) OS on that drive, and then begin pulling over data and apps from the old drive which will be visible on my "Computer"! Does it matter if the old HD is installed internally on the Mac or on an external USB dock?
Same for the Boot Camp option. Does the old HD need to be internal to be in Boot Camp!
Is this what you have in mind?
I should 1st move over to my Mac IOS 10 system installed on its own HD, shut down the Mac, then remove the Win7 HD, install the new fresh HD, reboot into my IOS, install a new Win7 (or 10) OS on that drive, and then begin pulling over data and apps from the old drive which will be visible on my "Computer"! Does it matter if the old HD is installed internally on the Mac or on an external USB dock?
Same for the Boot Camp option. Does the old HD need to be internal to be in Boot Camp!
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ASKER
Thanks... right, I just bought a new Iphone and am still thinking iOS!
Appreciate your suggestions but would like to hold off for a day or two b4 closing this question to see if anyone else has some ideas on using Boot Camp with a dual boot Win7 option.
Appreciate your suggestions but would like to hold off for a day or two b4 closing this question to see if anyone else has some ideas on using Boot Camp with a dual boot Win7 option.
Don't close it unless it solves your actual problem.
ASKER
Thanks!
It should be possible to just take out the old drive when you install the new BootCamp partition on the new drive and basically start your BootCamp install from scratch. You should then be able to plug in the old drive and it should be readable to the system and you should be able to copy the data files over. As with any new installs, you'll have to dig up all your old program installers and install them manually.
If you want to boot from both BootCamp partitions, you may need to install rEFIt or rEFInd to select from multiple BootCamp partitions, but if you're just reading from the old one, it shouldn't be necessary. You should be able to plug in the disk and it should be visible to both Windows and OS X.
As for Windows 10, that should just be preference. You could always try installing both and see which you like. It would also depend on whether or not your 8 year old Mac Pro hardware is supported.