New DAW, dual boot?

Yes. There's partition software and dual boot software that you can install after the Win 7 install. Try a google search. I use EASUS partition software - free and really good and I found free dual boot software too but can't remember which one - worked well too.

EasyBCD is awesome to make custom dual boot menus. This is how to do it:

 - Download EasyBCD (v2.0.2) from here: http://neosmart.net/downloads/software/EasyBCD/EasyBCD%202.0.2.exe
   and put it on a USB stick for later.

 - Plug a new hard drive into a working PC, and use Disk Management to make 2 formatted NTFS partitions on it...
   name one "Windows XP" and the other "Windows 7"... it won't matter what drive letters they are at this point.

 - Remove that hard drive and put it into your new DAW

 - (the order is important here) First: install Windows XP (a clean install) onto your "Windows XP" partition (without formatting)
   then install Windows 7 (clean install) onto your "Windows 7" partition (without formatting)
   ...You will now have Windows 7 as your only booting OS.

 - Install EasyBCD on Windows 7, and use "add new entry" to select Windows XP (auto detect drive) and press "add entry"
   then "save settings" under "edit boot menu" There are other options you can play around with as well.

 - The next time you boot up, you will have the choice to boot from XP or 7

I hope this helps :)

That's also an excellent method, provided you are going to use 2 hard drives. With only one hard drive it's a bit more complicated. I'm sure partitioning tools could be used so the User wouldn't have to hook the hard drive up to another computer but the end result is still having to install XP, then 7, then using a boot manager to display both systems on the boot menu.
 Yes it's much easier with 2 new hard drives :)

I'd consider installing both the 32-bit and 64-bit version of Sonar on your 64-bit Windows 7 instead and only consider the dual boot if you really have to.

 
+1
 
The dual boot is most likely not necessary...

RogerH


I just ordered a brand new DAW. 
My question is: Can you make a dual boot after windows7 is installed, or is it a choice you have to make before the first install takes place?
 
 

Yes you can make a dual boot after windows 7 is installed.
 
Let me be more presize on when you need third party software.
 
If you have Win7 allready installed you need an unused partition or unpartioned disk space to install the second Win 7.
To install the , you boot your computer from the install disc.
During the install the installation program will ask you on what partiton you want Win7 to be installed.
For dual boot you point to another partition or disk then where your current DAW is installed and tell Win7 to install in the unused partition. If have unparitioned disk space, you can tell win 7 to make a partition form unparitioned disk space. Win 7 automatically creates dual boot system. For dual booting itself you don't need third party software.
 
Since your DAW comes allready installed, you probably don't have an unused partition or unpartioned space. Unless you install another hard drive.
 
If you don't have an unused partition or unpartioned space you need third pary partition software to redistribute the existing disk space, so you can create the extra partition you need for dual boot.
 
I read that some say that dual boot is not neccessary, but it is very handy to have a second partition with an OS with which you can connect to the internet, the cakewalk forum and has a virus scanner.
 
 

Tanks guys for the info. My new DAW is working great so far, but I think I will try to make it a dual boot so that I can use it for other things also (internett etc.)

You are apparently planning to dual boot to 2 separate Win 7 installations. One issue not mentioned so far is the fact that Microsoft requires a separate license for each installation--2 installations =2 licenses. They also require a separate license for installation in a virtual machine. There is at least the possibility that they can enforce that by only allowing you to activate one copy unless you buy a second product key. I do not know if that is in fact being done, but it would be a PIA if they decided to deactivate one of your installations down the line. So aside from the technical problems that may be introduced by a dual boot, there is that to consider.