Hello.  I have P5 (XP) installed on the Vista OS but it will not run, even when "run as administrator" and using the XP compatibility setting and I have P7 (2000 or XP) that will not install in Vista.  I have Win 7 in the box (bought it yesterday) and know how to partition Vista w/o reformatting the drive completely.  My questions are:

1. If I partition Vista, can I put XP in one and Win 7 in another and still boot under Vista, or would I neet to make one of the others the boot drive?  If so, how would I do that?

2. Assuming I can boot normally, will a shortcut on the Vista C drive link to and open Poser in a partition using XP or W7?

3. Other than "how much art do you think you'll create," what would be a good size for each partition if I plan to run P5 and P7 in XP and run P9 in W7 at a later date?

It has been suggested in other threads that we should have 4GB of RAM if we intend to do a lot of detailed, ultra-high poly count renders, and basicwiz informed me that my P7 (XP) would run in Win 7 (probably using "run as"), so I might not need per-OS partitions, but this is the first time I am trying to upgrade a "live" system and not just buying the next best comupter.

My current stuff:

Intel Core 2 Q6600 Quad Core, Vista Home Premium, NVIDIA GeForce 8500GT with DirectX support, 400 GB SATA II drive, 2 GB DDR2 dual-channel memory.

Hi!

Why not just use Windows 7 and forget about Vista and XP?

I can take Poser 5 (have a installation on an external disc) and run it just fine under Windows 7, cant see why it would be any different with Poser 7.

Regarding your second question, poser will run from a partition with XP as it would run from a partition without XP (of course it has to be an older version of Poser who keeps the importent files in the poser folder, newer versions puts stuff in the user folder of the system its installed in).

What I always do is that i keep my system on the C: partition and install Poser on another partition (away from the program files folder), I never have any problem with administrator rights that way.

Quote - Why not just use Windows 7 and forget about Vista and XP? I can take Poser 5 (have a installation on an external disc) and run it just fine under Windows 7, cant see why it would be any different with Poser 7.

I am so old school we used a clay tablet and a stick.  I still have the stick.

I was taught, way back when, that if the box said X, it would only work with X and Y would either say "that's for X" or not even find the item in question because it could only look for things formatted as Y.  As such, I am slow to absorb "run as" and "compatable with" as not only something that can be done, but something that can be trusted as well.

Quote - Regarding your second question, poser will run from a partition with XP as it would run from a partition without XP (of course it has to be an older version of Poser who keeps the importent files in the poser folder, newer versions puts stuff in the user folder of the system its installed in).

My copy of P5 is about as old as Vicky 3, however old that is.  Not sure if I got it when she was new or not quite released yet - I have an old, empty runtime for V3 and have V2 on a disc I had mailed to me from DAZ3D.  My copy of P7 is probably less than 5 years old, but the XP comp became unstable and I never installed it there.

Quote - What I always do is that i keep my system on the C: partition and install Poser on another partition (away from the program files folder), I never have any problem with administrator rights that way.

So, your system is set up to house Poser in its "guest room" while allowing the guest to wander the house (C drive) and then take stuff back to the guest room for storage?  Or, does your new work get stored on C and just run Poser from the partition?

Not sure where you are saving your work, but the rest sounds helpful.  I am looking into things before I get half of it wrong and cannot finish without a techie and their fee.

Well theres another option here... My last machine shipped with 7. Which despite the claims doesn't always run XP stuff. Sometimes stuff I need and use on a daily basis. All the hardware is XP capable so I figured why not have both. Yes you can play with multi partions and formats, but theres a much easier way:) Have one fast sata HDD running XP, the original running 7. Just select from the BIOS on boot to choose. Both drives see each other OK and you still have 7 if you need it later. Also got another internal data drive as well as 2 externals, all readable. OK did take some time to locate a couple of drivers, I recall network was one and one bios tweak. But some generic drivers and a quick change, job done, works perfectly.

Thank you for that.  I still have not done anything yet, so I will price additional drive on Tuesday.  Maybe by then I can find my isp install disc so I can get back on the internet afterwards. :-

I have Win7 Ultimate OEM just purchaed for my other comp. Took all my Daz Poser files and put on external along with quite a few other items. Plan on having OS on its own drive. Right now 2nd HD has Poser etc. Clean install will delete the C drive, but not the D drive right? Wasn't sure so moved everying to play it safe. UI would like the drive partitioned also. The D drive is partitioned.

Question..When I install Win7 64 bit how would I partition?

upgrading from Win XP 32 bit

I have Win7 Ultimate OEM just purchaed for my other comp. Took all my Daz Poser files and put on external along with quite a few other items. Plan on having OS on its own drive. Right now 2nd HD has Poser etc. Good plan. Though remember an external can fail like any other drive and being outside has arch-enemies like Captain Coffee Cup, so don't rely on just one drive. Actually don't rely on 2. Your system/approach should be... C: O/S and core apps - on the fastest biggest internal drive. D: Poser runtime and data - second internal. Usually runtimes work faster on internals than externals. Thats because many PC's USB isn't always true USB2 so you get data lag. Same applies when working with video clips. External 1: Working drive. External 2: Exact copy of External 1. DVD and CD Backups - also test the discs on another PC after burning because a writer can fail. Had that a few summers back and lost a couple weeks work. Also stick vitally important files on a smallish memory stick and hide it. Clean install will delete the C drive, but not the D drive right? If these are two physically seperate drives then yes. However it's very easy to select the wrong drive. So for safety physically disconnect the d drive and also any externals. Just run with the C and an single optical drive. Wasn't sure so moved everying to play it safe. Very good thinking! UI would like the drive partitioned also. The D drive is partitioned. Question..When I install Win7 64 bit how would I partition? http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7

Win7 Ultimate installed np...Have Poser and Daz working...Now when I installed did not see option to partition...Win7 has option but nothing really happened.  Maybe I shou8ldn't mess around and just leave it...Why break something if it works?

Try installing Poser in c:/poser instead of under C:/Program Files and see if it will install.  I suspect you are being victimized by User Access Control...