Hi to all and seeking all advice out there. I am eventually intending to migrate from OEM x86 Ultimate to x64 and have a copy of murphy78's Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64 - but want to keep x86 for a while (dual-boot) until I'm sure that everything is sweet. I only have this one laptop and need it on a daily basis for work (if a project comes in ), and want as close to zero disruption as possible while I tweak x64. My setup is as follows: 2 hdd bays, one with OEM x86 and another hdd with stuff + a new 1Tb SSHD with docking/cloning station. My questions, in order of preference, are: 1) Install x64 on new disk, and switch present x86 to 2nd bay. Do I simply change booting preference in bios and switch between the two? 2) Should I format new disk with 2 partitions and leave unallocated space, then clean install pre-activated x64 on 1st partition, then clone x86 onto 2nd partition. 3) Can I activate x64 using x86 activation, while not deactivating x86 because they will never run concurrently. 3) Do I rename x86 partition? 4) WTF other options are there out there? Cheers
Before actually answering any of your questions (maybe this is an answer to #4), realize you can do Enterprise and then activate with KMS, which will not interfere with anything previous. (unlike using Pre-Activated, which uses DAZ loader -- which I'm sure there's a way to set up without interfering, but I don't know)
Thanks a ton jellybelly, that's just the kind of good news that I wanted to hear. I'll read up on the multi oem project now. Ideally, I would like to have a dual-boot on separate partitions on the new SSHD, so might give you a shout later because I'm new to all this. BTW, laptop is a Toshiba Qosmio G50 that originally came with Vista Ultimate with an upgrade CD to Win 7 ultimate - however, because it came with x86, I've stuck with x86 but want to change. Where do I get a clean x64 version, and how do I go about this now? You say "create an x64 installation". I want to keep the x86 partition as is, but transfer it onto the new disk alongside the x64 in a separate partition.
@ Dreadbeat, your laptop came with vista it has SLIC 2.0 so multi oem iso project will install but it will not activate you will need to use loader or get bios mod or bios update if available for SLIC 2.1. To be honest I'm not sure if you could use your upgrade key on a dual boot system.
Can I dual-boot with an x64 retail/x86 upgrade combination. Clean install of x64 retail with OKed PID one one partition, and the cloned x86 upgrade on the other partition? Forgive my naiveté if I've said something stupid, but is it worth trying? I think that I understand about the 2 bios versions (Toshiba site/forum not a great help here, and the laptop model is oldish). The earlier joy was obviously destined to be short-lived I'm having a look at the modded bios list now.........feck, it's long. BTW, the model is PQG55E-04701KGE G50-12K
Ah ok I thought you had x32 Windows 7 already, but like urie said since you have Vista you would need a modified bios to use the OEM activation method I suggested.. I took a quick look and it does not appear that anyone has done a modded bios here at MDL for a G50 series (what's the rest of the model number? like G50-12K) It may be easy enough to create the modded bios but it also might just be easier to use the activation toolkit like you originally wanted. So now I would probably set up the new hard drive with at least 2 partitions for each OS, I'd say a minimum of 100GB each depending on how much stuff you plan on installing later.. clone the existing installation to the new partition, then install the new OS onto the other partition.... I might even go as far as to say don't bother with the dual boot stuff.. as long as you can get your work stuff set up quickly in x64 you wouldn't need the x32 anymore.. there's not a huge difference in the two systems.. so as long as any software you use runs and you have any files backup up and copied over you should be all set... (question already answered about the model number while i was typing this! lol)
My currently installed bios is this: v2.30 Primary BIOS: True Manufacturer: TOSHIBA SMBIOS Version: Version 2.30 SMBIOS Major Version: 2.5 Serial Number: 29041521H Current Language: Release Date: 28/08/2009 03:00:00 Software Element State: Running Status: OK BiosCharacteristics ISA is supported PCI is supported Plug and Play is supported BIOS is Upgradable (Flash) BIOS shadowing is allowed VL-VESA is supported Boot from CD is supported Selectable Boot is supported EDD (Enhanced Disk Drive) Specification is supported Int 13h - Japanese Floppy for Toshiba 1.2mb (3.5, 360RPM) is supported Int 13h - 3.5 / 720 KB Floppy Services are supported Int 5h, Print Screen Service is supported Int 9h, 8042 Keyboard services are supported Int 14h, Serial Services are supported Int 17h, printer services are supported ACPI supported USB Legacy is supported @ jellybelly, I dumped Vista in 2009, as soon as Toshiba sent me the upgrade disk. I've been on Win 7 since 2009. Yeh, it's G50-12K. I want to keep x86 until I'm sure that I have everything duplicated in x64, might take a while because of interruptions - but you're right. SSD next, but depends on work. In Jan I worked just 5 days, so had time to do things but I didn't have enough to get SSD. Can I start smiling again? This is roller-coaster, speedballing stuff.
Just as a note, appears that the bios update file is a .com file, which apparently is not supported by any of the tools to inject slic 2.1 into.
Yes it is!! You already have SLIC 2.1 which is enough to activate Windows 7. So your first choice works perfectly.
What was my 1st choice? Clean install x64 Ultimate on new disk using OKed PID key , then clone x86 on other partition OR Install pre-activated x64, then clone x86 on other partition I forget which you refer to
This should be the perfect choice; simply choose the HDD you want to boot from bios. murphy78's preactivated media should automatically detect SLIC 2.1 & install appropriate cert & key for you; no key input from your end is required.
Here's the bin. oops Memory_dump.bin invalid file I'll try again. Error: TOSHIBA0060_V2.1 invalid file