2 separate PCs in one box

corblimey

So right now, I've got 2 PCs (due an upgrade, thinking of self-build), 2 monitors, and I use synergy to share a keyboard and mouse between them. It's a great solution. One PC is then for internet/tv/movies/general faffing around, and I keep the other (a fairly ancient XP machine) distinct and unblemished - it's mostly for nixers and side projects. It has WAMP and every known browser installed, but very little else, and I like it that way.

If I do build a new PC, is there any reason to get rid of both boxes and combine the "leisure" and the "work" PCs together in 1 box? I'd like to set it up so that the leisure side would still be on monitor A and the work side on monitor B. That should be possible with a normal Windows (7) install, I assume. If I got 2 hard drives with my new build, and kept them both completely separate and backed up, I shouldn't run into any major unforeseen problems down the road?

mach1982

Sound like the best option would be a Virtual a machine

Khannie

mach1982 wrote: »

Sound like the best option would be a Virtual a machine

Agreed. Dual boot is also an option. You only need one hard drive for that and it would allow you to have both operating systems on the same computer. You would just choose at boot time which one you wanted.

corblimey

I'm not sure I need 2 OSs (although I'm open to suggestions). I only have 2 right now because they came like that. I don't think there's any reason to keep XP and not embrace Win 7. The XP box is basically for web development and I'm sure WAMP will work on Win 7 - also I no longer have the discs for either OS (Vista or XP) so I'd just end up buying them again anyway.

Does that make things easier or more complicated :rolleyes:

corblimey

Apologies for the double post, but I'm confusing myself and going around in circles. The setup I currently have is I have one PC containing all my music, movies, tv, etc, and I use that to browse the internet and now and then c*ck it all up by downloading something nasty. My other PC is currently turned on, it contains WAMP and several browsers along with some sideline programs I need, but everything is much tighter on that PC. I'll turn that PC off in 5mins before I go to bed and it should remain off until the weekend at least. The other PC, my 'main' one remains on 24 hours a day -- I reboot it on a schedule every week or so.

So I have one PC in constant use, and one PC in regular but infrequent use. I need both to be available at any time.

What I was thinking with my selfbuild is to have 1 SSD holding the OS (Win7) and then I could install everything I use on PC1 to one HDD, and everything from PC2 to another HDD. I would then use Win7 multiple monitors, running everything from PC1 on one monitor and everything from PC2 on the other.

Am I oversimplfying and/or opening myself to a world of pain?

bernardamaac.

Sounds stupid to me.Why not just sell your two pc's build your new one and have your os on ssd and everything else on like a 2tb drive?With multiple monitors?