Hello, I have a SSD for my primary OS with windows 7 and a WD 1T for storage. How do I go about installing another OS on the WD? What would be the process? BIOS set up? Any help would be appreciated.

Just set it up as a duel boot, do a search in Google, loads of info/instructions out there.

 

 

Just set it up as a duel boot, do a search in Google, loads of info/instructions out there.

 

Another choice you have is to disconnect your SSD and then just install your 2nd OS into your existing WD HDD.  This is my preferred approach as I like to keep the installs completely independent.  I do this because I use two separate profiles in the BIOS--one a normal clockspeed which boots up to one OS on a HDD, and another overclocked profile that boots up my OS w/ FSX SSD.

I'm running a Linux distro on a separate HDD. Just booted up from the installation media (DVD or USB drive) and let the installer do its thing.

If it's Linux indeed, always remember to install it AFTER you install Windows (because MS' bootmanager is an arse and won't recognize any other kind of OS except Windows).

 

Windows-on-Windows is no problem though; you won't need to unplug anything.

Thanks so much for your replies. All are great. I like the idea of just unpluging my SSD and boot up the WD and install the OS then plug the SSD back up. I guess I need to go into the BIOS and set up for the WD. Is that correct? How is that done?

You don't need to unplug anything. Windows' installer will notify you if it detects present Windows installation.

 

 

See here for an example with W7 and W8:

http://lifehacker.com/5840387/how-to-dual+boot-windows-7-and-windows-8-side-by-side

Bjoern is correct--I only suggested doing this as it sounds like this is somewhat new territory for you and you won't even be able to make a mistake (except overwriting your existing data on the WD drive) if you set your BIOS to boot from the DVD drive where your Win 7 installation disk is in.  You are going to be booting into your Win 7 DVD (not to your SSD) and from there you will be installing Windows on your WD HDD.  You will be able to create a partition to dedicate to your new OS installation to on your WD HDD.  I mention booting from the Win 7 DVD else you will be doing your install from within Windows (i.e., boot to your SSD, then put in the DVD and install from there) which I understand it from past Windows installs will end up creating a boot manager that shows both OS's when you start your machine.  This is not my preference so I installed my 2nd Win 7 not from within Windows but from the install DVD prioritized in boot order within the BIOS.  Each of my OS disks therefore are unaware of each other and are a standalone OS.  This mattered w/ Vista & XP in the same box but maybe less so now.  Anyway, I prefer completely separate OS installs.

Thanks Noel and Bjoern. I believe I'll keep the two OS separate. That is what I'm looking to do.  Yes, this is new territory for me. Thanks again for all your help. I do appreciate it.