Hi, Larry.
Legal? I don't know. I'm not a lawyer. My own interpretation is that is
SHOULD be like Jeff Gaines describes as the rule in the UK: "you can
install as many copies as you like of XP on one PC as long as you can only
use one at a time."
That's what I've been doing for years on my only computer. While
beta-testing Vista, at one point I had 8 Windows (XP and multiple Vista beta
builds, 32-bit and 64-bit) installed simultaneously. With these beta
builds, I didn't have to worry about RTM license issues. And I still have a
few multiple installations for testing only, using MSDN keys, alongside the
single Ultimate x64 that is my "daily driver".
> If it is legal to have both operating systems installed at the same time,
> is there a method to to setup Visual Studio 2008 Pro so one install is
> accessible to both versions of Windows 7? This means, among other things,
> setting up each OS's registry.
I know nothing of Visual Studio, any version.
But I have had some experience with running a single application from
multiple Windows installations on my one computer. Quicken may be my best
example. Since Quicken for Windows first replaced the DOS version, I've
always installed successive versions of Quicken into E:\QuickenW, rather
than into the default location. Drive E: is a logical drive that has no OS
on it, but is accessible from any Windows installation on my computer. I
can enter checks while running WinXP x86 in the morning, then read those
same entries after rebooting into Win7 x64 in the afternoon. (It has been
several years since I've run WinXP, but I'm sure it would still work.)
But if you install an application into the default Program Files folder, you
will have major headaches (aside from license issues) in trying to use it
from both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows! When 64-bit Windows first appeared as
Windows XP x64 Edition over 5 years ago, Microsoft chose to have it install
64-bit applications in its Program Files folder, just like 32-bit Windows.
Then MS created a new folder for 32-bit apps only and named it "Program
Files (x86)"! The "x86" was to indicate that it was a 32-bit app designed
for the x86 family of Intel CPUs (8086, 80286, etc.), which were all 32-bit
CPUs. (Why couldn't they have kept 32-bit apps in the original folder and
created a new one named Program Files (x64)?)
Is VS a 32-bit-only app? Or does it come in both 32-bit and 64-bit flavors?
If VS comes in 64-bit, then you can install it only in Win7 x64, of course,
and you might as well let it install into x64's Program Files, since you
can't run it from 32-bit Win7, anyhow. If it is 32-bit only, then you MIGHT
be able to install it in 32-bit Win7's Program Files folder and then force
64-bit Win7 to execute it from that folder - but I've never done this or
tried very hard to do it.
Or, do as I do with Quicken and install 32-bit VS into a "neutral" location
that can be accessed from both versions of Win7. For example, if you've
installed Win7 x64 into your Partition 2 and Win7 x86 into Partition 3, then
install 32-bit VS into Partition 5. (I'm using Partition numbers because
"drive" letters can vary, depending on which OS is running, but Partition
numbers stay the same no matter which OS is currently in charge.) Boot into
Win7 x86 on Partition 3 and install VS on Partition 5; this will let VS
Setup write what it needs into the Win7 x86 Registry. Then reboot into Win7
x64 on Partition 2 and install VS AGAIN. Install it into Partition 5 again,
so that VS Setup can make its entries into the Win7 x64 Registry. The two
Registries will be different, but both will use the same copies of the .exe
and other program files. Make sure that any VS data goes into the same
location(s), no matter which OS is in charge at the time.
As I said, I know nothing of VS, but this arrangement has worked for me for
Quicken and the 32-bit-only versions of Word, Excel, etc., for several years
through several incarnations of 64-bit Windows.
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64)
"Larry Lindstrom" <> wrote in message
news:htgme4$pc$...
> Hi Folks:
>
> I'm an independent software developer, still using 32 bit XP Pro. A
> client just moved from Vista to 32 bit Windows 7. Other clients will be
> moving to Windows 7 and I'd like to be able to test my builds for each.
>
> I'm getting Win 7 Ultimate retail full. Can both 64 and 32 bit
> versions be installed on different partitions or drives of the same PC
> with one key?
>
> If it is legal to have both operating systems installed at the same
> time, is there a method to to setup Visual Studio 2008 Pro so one install
> is accessible to both versions of Windows 7? This means, among other
> things, setting up each OS's registry.
>
> It won't be a tragedy to install VS 2008 on the 64 bit Windows 7 as
> long as I can select 32 or 64 bit builds.
>
> I'm a first timer to this group, so I perused some of the threads
> before posting from Google Groubs, but that seems to offend at least
> somebody. Why is XS11E killing all posts from Google Groups?
>
> Sorry to hear that Microsoft is dropping support for this and other
> newsgroups. I also prefer this format to forums.
>
> Perhaps it's time to think about other platforms.
>
> Thanks
> Larry
Linear Mode
