Anybody using dual boot systems here ? I was planning on keeping my trusty old XP 32 bit system and buying a new W7 64bit to run alongside it as I have VST's that I use all the time that are 32bit only that I have been told "may or may not work" in 64bit and some other stuff that I use all the time that I presume needs XP as they will not even install/work on my Vista 32 laptop . I've made the assumption here that there some kind of readily available /reasonably priced gadget to enable me to switch the monitors between systems without unplugging them each time.

However, as it now seems like my DAW needs reasonably major surgery, I have to decide whether to stick to plan A (ie just rebuild it as XP32 and proceed with plan A) or go a stage further and build a W7 64 system with a dual boot so I can still have XP32 within that.

Some may say now is the time to embrace 64bit and ditch the old stuff that can't be made to work, but that isn't gonna happen, so does anyone have any experience of dual boot systems ? What are the pitfalls etc... ? How does it actually work when you switch on ? (yes I am that much of an ignoramus !) Does it ask which OS you want or does it default to one and then you have to re-boot onto the other ? A little research has told me that it is better to have seperate HD's for each OS, which would be fine, but again, how does that work when you power up?

I'm also assuming here that it is possibe to open a cwp created in 64bt system on the 32 bit, do my 32 bit stuff, bounce it to audio, save and then still be good to go in 64bit. (the files are all stored on an extrnal HD which could be plugged in to either system as req'd). I'm also assuming that 64bit system will be able to open existing 32 bit projects ? All this is with 8.53PE BTW, but maybe X2 as an when.

Part of me is already saying...don't go there, fix the other one up then buy the new 64bit system as you planned and just have both, but I'm a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it type" so I probably would say that. Trouble is that it is broke, so I have to decide how to fix it......


EDIT: Thanks again to those who responded.

Check out the Computers section, I think a few people are doing this (I asked about it once).

Hi Paulo,
I don't have a 64bit system, but in my dual boot (OS) before getting into Windows, I have to choose whether to go into XP or Vista (which are on seperate HD's).
Hopefully someone with both platforms could chime in on the functionality of a 64bit/32bit system and how they run together.

craigb


Check out the Computers section, I think a few people are doing this (I asked about it once).

Thanks, I will.  I put it here becasue there are usually more people here than there and I need to make a decision quite soon if I'm not to be DAW less for what will feel like eternity ! I did do a topic search before I posted this, but not much came up really.

Jonbouy does it.

WRT to 32bit VSTs "may or may not work", You can install 32bit SONAR and 64bit SONAR on Win7. If a 32bit plug will not work in 64bit SONAR (via bitbridge or jbridge) you can always run 32bit SOANR and you will be (for all intents and purposes) running as if you were in XP.

I've yet to have a 32bit only plug not work in 64bit SONAR via bitbridge. YMMV.


In fact, I mixed THIS SONG in 64bit SOANR with a 32bit only drum VSTi (METAL 1 by bluenoise).

Mesh


Hi Paulo,
I don't have a 64bit system, but in my dual boot (OS) before getting into Windows, I have to choose whether to go into XP or Vista (which are on seperate HD's).
Hopefully someone with both platforms could chime in on the functionality of a 64bit/32bit system and how they run together.

Thanks Mesh,

that's what I was hoping would happen, so at least that's good couldn't be doing with having to go into one to get to the other all the time.  I think seperate HDs for each OS would be the best way to go, but I have read a few things elsewhere that they still don't always play together nicely, so any information/experience about that from any users here would be really helpful.

BTW didn't hear anything further today. I called the shop when I got in, but no reply. Turns out they are closed Wed PM, which would have been ok if he hadn't told me he would get back to me Wed PM.

Bapu has the right solution, at least in my opinion.

There's absolutely no need to go dual boot & installing XP, just install Win7, followed by Sonar 64 AND 32 bit and you'll be good to go.

This is exactly the way I've got mine set up because I have a few vst's that are 32 bit only and don't like being bridged.

So I load up 32bit sonar, do whatever processing I want, then freeze the vst so I can continue the project in 64 bit

Bristol_Jonesey


This is exactly the way I've got mine set up because I have a few vst's that are 32 bit only and don't like being bridged.

So I load up 32bit sonar, do whatever processing I want, then freeze the vst so I can continue the project in 64 bit

Yeah, forgot to mention the freezing part. Again, I only have about 8 very low usage 32bit only plugs and have not yet needed to 32bit SONAR, but you never know. My remaining high usage 32bit only (UAD & IK Multimedia) work just fine in 64bit SONAR bitbridged.


Funny thing... I bought jbridge and have never had to use it.

Now, having said all that.

Outside of the DAW software, you may have other non-music related programs that simply will not install in Win 7. There would be a valid reason for dual boot computer.

Like your copy of Quake III Arena from 1999