vista install on laptop

hello,
i am trying to figure out if this will work.
i can install a second internal hard drive on my laptop. can i install vista and office 2007 on that hard drive and only that drive? i don't want to take the risk of anything being installed or changing anything on my C drive.
if this is possible, will i be prompted to pick a drive or something like that when i turn the laptop on? if so, can i set xp to be the default. i only need vista for testing purposes (surprise, surprise)
are there any external devices (that are reasonably priced) that i could install vista and office on?
i also don't understand the requirements for aero. is what i have sufficient?
my laptop has the following: video card is mobility radeon 9600 series agp - i know i purchased 128 mb of video ram, but i can't find an option that states that 1 gig of ram P4 3.0 ghz max screen resolution 1440 x 900 the second hard drive would be 60 gig. i wouldn't install any other software on that drive unless you say it's ok.
any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you.
ps. going forward would it be a good idea to buy laptops with 2 internal hard drives, so that when something like this comes along, i won't have to panic?
-- Indera * * * * * * * * * * Don't just live life. Live life well.

You can choose in the setup program to install onto the second hard drive - but the setup program WILL replace your Master Boot Record on your first harddrive with the Windows Bootloader - but it should retain the operating systems you currently have...
Tom "Dr. Indera" wrote in message

hello,
i am trying to figure out if this will work.
i can install a second internal hard drive on my laptop. can i install vista and office 2007 on that hard drive and only that drive? i don't want to take the risk of anything being installed or changing anything on my C drive.
if this is possible, will i be prompted to pick a drive or something like that when i turn the laptop on? if so, can i set xp to be the default. i only need vista for testing purposes (surprise, surprise)
are there any external devices (that are reasonably priced) that i could install vista and office on?
i also don't understand the requirements for aero. is what i have sufficient?
my laptop has the following: video card is mobility radeon 9600 series agp - i know i purchased 128 mb of video ram, but i can't find an option that states that 1 gig of ram P4 3.0 ghz max screen resolution 1440 x 900 the second hard drive would be 60 gig. i wouldn't install any other software on that drive unless you say it's ok.
any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you.
ps. going forward would it be a good idea to buy laptops with 2 internal hard drives, so that when something like this comes along, i won't have to panic?
-- Indera * * * * * * * * * * Don't just live life. Live life well.

hi tom,
i have a feeling that even with a second hard drive that something would be touched on my current hard drive.
this sounds like i could have some problems doing this and i really can't afford to have anything happen to my laptop, especially if something happens because i installed beta software.
i've read that the min ram one should have it 512. i have seen some $499 laptops, but they only have 256 mg and then i'm not sure if vista will run on celeron chips. i don't have a budget that high, and i don't have the space for a desktop, which i could probably find for less then $499.
thank you. i'll have to come up with something. -- Indera * * * * * * * * * * Don't just live life. Live life well.
"Tom" wrote in message : You can choose in the setup program to install onto the second hard drive - : but the setup program WILL replace your Master Boot Record on your first : harddrive with the Windows Bootloader - but it should retain the operating : systems you currently have... : : : Tom : "Dr. Indera" wrote in message : : > hello, : > : > i am trying to figure out if this will work. : > : > i can install a second internal hard drive on my laptop. : > can i install vista and office 2007 on that hard drive and only that : > drive? : > i don't want to take the risk of anything being installed or changing : > anything on my C drive. : > : > if this is possible, will i be prompted to pick a drive or something like : > that when i turn the laptop on? : > if so, can i set xp to be the default. : > i only need vista for testing purposes (surprise, surprise) : > : > are there any external devices (that are reasonably priced) that i could : > install vista and office on? : > : > : > i also don't understand the requirements for aero. is what i have : > sufficient? : > : > my laptop has the following: : > video card is mobility radeon 9600 series agp - i know i purchased 128 mb : > of : > video ram, but i can't find an option that states that : > 1 gig of ram : > P4 3.0 ghz : > max screen resolution 1440 x 900 : > the second hard drive would be 60 gig. i wouldn't install any other : > software : > on that drive unless you say it's ok. : > : > any help would be greatly appreciated. : > thank you. : > : > ps. going forward would it be a good idea to buy laptops with 2 internal : > hard drives, so that when something like this comes along, i won't have to : > panic? : > : > -- : > Indera : > * * * * * * * * * * : > Don't just live life. : > Live life well. : > : > : > : :