Installing 2 different hard drives with different OS's & 3rd HDD for storage?

[J.M.]

Hi everyone,

I have an HP z200 workstation computer that I want to install 3 hard drives on. 2 of the hard drives will have different Operating Systems on them (Windows 7 & Windows 10).

I have been told that in order to do this & switch between Operating systems(2 different hard drives) I could just go to the bios and switch their positions. (I.e. switch the hard drive that has the OS that I want to use into the first position to load it.) is this correct or is there an easier way to do this?

also, The third Hard drive that I will install is just for Storage, but I want to be sure that this hard drive cannot be accessed when I load the Windows 10 OS. I want it only to be accessible when I load the Windows 7 OS Hard drive. Is there any way to do this?

The reason that I only want it accessible when I load the Windows 7 Hard drive is because I use the Windows 7 OS for Music production and I store my files on that Hard drive. I want to use the Windows 10 OS for internet browsing and other programs. I do not want the storage hard drive(that i store my music files on) to be accessible when I am on the windows 10 Hard drive on the internet. That way it is protected from getting a virus or malware installed onto it. I use anti-virus/anti-malware programs but I just want to be really secure and I am really cautious.

Thanks

 

[nerd2u]

Why go into the bios just setup a dual boot system.

Is win 7 going to be on the internet? If it is what does it matter if the drive is exposed to the internet through win 7 or 10?

As for making it non accessible to one and not the other you could get a 3 Bay drive tray with independent power buttons for each drive and just turn it on and off.

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[Computer Bloke]

Hang on a minute - this looks very end-usery to me, and you know how we feel about that.

Are you looking to start a computer business, already have one, working for someone else or something else?
I don't have a computer business and am not currently looking to start one.

@Kraken!

 

[J.M.]

Why go into the bios just setup a dual boot system.

Is win 7 going to be on the internet? If it is what does it matter if the drive is exposed to the internet through win 7 or 10?

As for making it non accessible to one and not the other you could get a 3 Bay drive tray with independent power buttons for each drive and just turn it on and off.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

The win7 drive will not be on the internet. If i connect all 3 Hard drives then the storage drive will be available through both WIn7 & win10. I only want the storage drive available through win7.

3 bay drive tray? I didn't know of this solution. is it costly? can you link me to a good one that is affordable? (So i know what you are speaking of)
Thank you.

 

[J.M.]

Hang on a minute - this looks very end-usery to me, and you know how we feel about that.



@Kraken!

Not. I should change that because I am a computer tech that has customers that I work for. I just don't consider it enough to be a legit business right now.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

You can do separate hard drives for each OS...or just partition a single drive. Not really any reason to do separate hard drives, dual booting on a single drive is soooo easy.

As for the 3rd drive, full disk encypt it from the WIn7 install. ANY other install can't read it.

 

[mikeroq]

Ah the good ol first post introduction, second post help thread.

 

[J.M.]

You can do separate hard drives for each OS...or just partition a single drive. Not really any reason to do separate hard drives, dual booting on a single drive is soooo easy.

As for the 3rd drive, full disk encypt it from the WIn7 install. ANY other install can't read it.

I want to do separate Hard drives for each OS since i already got all 3 hard drives with Win7 & Win10 & third for storage.
How do i "full disk encrypt with win7 install" on the storage disk. Do I need win7 cd-rom? Will this full disk encrypt process erase all my data already on the storage disk?

Thanks.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

There is the native Bitlocker app that Microsoft released. It was built into Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise, wasn't available for Pro...but I think MS released it recently as a free download for Pro now. Not sure you'll have to check. It's already included in Windows 10 Pro but that doesn't help you.
There are plenty of other FREE 3rd party encryption apps like TrueCrypt and VeraCrypt. They will encrypt a disk with existing data just fine. Although wise to make a backup before encrypting "just in case".

 

[Mick]

You will not stop malware leaping across your disks just because one of them 'doesn't go on the internet'.

 

[seashore]

Ah the good ol first post introduction, second post help thread.

+1
@Kraken

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

You will not stop malware leaping across your disks just because one of them 'doesn't go on the internet'.

Eeeh...wont get into full disk encryption on the 3rd disk there..unreadable, unmounted, from the Win10 install.

 

[Altster]

Two (2) words - Virtual Machine (software).

I run it on my Linux Mint box (this computer) and run several VM's in / on it! That way you can them all running at the same time and there is no reason to have separate drives.

Sure sounds like and "end-user" question to me, too!

"Computer Programmer / wanna be technician"

 

[nerd2u]

Look at a hard drive cage like this:

https://m.newegg.ca/products/N82E16...MIx8nT6OKV3QIVC1mGCh1j1QRPEAQYDCABEgKVBPD_BwE



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[Markverhyden]

Buy a Mac....

 

[J.M.]

Look at a hard drive cage like this:

https://m.newegg.ca/products/N82E16...MIx8nT6OKV3QIVC1mGCh1j1QRPEAQYDCABEgKVBPD_BwE



Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

Thanks. Is that the best type(brand) to buy?

 

[J.M.]

Two (2) words - Virtual Machine (software).

I run it on my Linux Mint box (this computer) and run several VM's in / on it! That way you can them all running at the same time and there is no reason to have separate drives.

Sure sounds like and "end-user" question to me, too!

"Computer Programmer / wanna be technician"

I want separate disks.

 

[Computer Bloke]

I want separate disks.

And I want a personal jetpack. That doesn't make it a good idea.

 

[Porthos]

I have a rig that has a tray in front And I swap drives that all point a storage drive in the machine. Dont have to wory about boot orders and boot loaders getting borked.

 

[nerd2u]

Thanks. Is that the best type(brand) to buy?

It's the best type as for brand it was just the first one that came up.

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