Windows: Dual boot vs. virtual vs. multi-login

10/24/2012 06:26:11 PM · #1

I am going to upgrade to Windows 8 next week and so I have the opportunity to change things around. The home computer is the one I do the majority of my photo editing etc, but is also the family computer. Currently I have a dual boot system that allows me to restart and have a clean install of Windows 7 with just my high intensity programs on their own HD (Photoshop, Premiere, etc). I don't have to worry about all the family muck slowing performance or a bogged down registry, etc. The one downside, of course, is restarting whenever I want to jump over to photoshop. What are the pro/cons of a system like this versus just having different logins on the same OS? Can you keep one login very minimal and clean while the other accumulates the detrius of typical computer life? I only know enough to be dangerous in these situations.

10/24/2012 06:45:35 PM · #2

I'm trying a new one for myself.

Just bought a case that has a top-loading SATA port, along with a 1.5 TB internal HDD. I decided I wanted to do a really killer "Cartridge" type system (think Super NES), so I've got a couple of drives that I'm using as masters with different purposes, and just loading them in (cold) from the top of the machine. Gives me some crazy flexibility, and it's just geeky as all hell, so I love it. Plus, one is a fast SSD, and it's a real screamer with that one in it.

But, if you don't want to do something of that sort, then I think you've got the right idea with a multiboot - it gives you at least some isolation, but if they really slam-jam the machine you're still out of luck.

I wouldn't even consider the separate log-ins, except as the method of control for 'their computers'.

Yeah, the more I sit here and think about it, I'm pretty sure my current setup is exactly what I'll have to do when I have kids. They can each have their own, and I'll just set up a ghost image so I can slap out images onto their drive whenever needed, so as to avoid the headache of reinstalling or otherwise having to work on their software.

Message edited by author 2012-10-24 20:02:42.

10/24/2012 07:15:21 PM · #3

I dunno, separate boot seems like such a PITA. What Cory is doing seems like a cool way to mess with different operating systems more cleanly than a multi-boot scenario, but if it is just for user control, do separate user accounts. All but one can just be standard users.
The one downside to the user account method is that many apps just install for all users by default. If you don't want shortcuts to them on the other users' desktops, you need to delete them from an admin account. Not a big hassle, and if they really need the app, they can still get it from the Start Menu, or you can put the shortcut back.
There really should be no issues with "bogging down" due to accumulated stuff on a modern OS (any modern OS). That hasn't been a real problem since WinXP, and not even then if you have things locked down properly.

ETA: Switching OS seems like a nice time to upgrade to SSD though :-)
I'm thinking that I'm going to delay for a month or so and see if I can score a good deal on an SSD on a Black Friday special, then install Win8 on that.

Message edited by author 2012-10-24 19:29:03.

10/24/2012 07:27:42 PM · #4

Hmmm, maybe I'm just overthinking then. You know how you look at the processes running and the list looks way longer than it should? Or you have all the anti-virus stuff running in the back? or your HD gets super fragmented? I guess these are "boogey men" I worry about and figured if I have a boot system where I really only have four programs installed and it's all on its own HD I don't have to worry about it. You'll make my life easier if you tell me I don't have to worry about any of that stuff.

10/24/2012 07:35:08 PM · #5

Well, it's no fun if you can't worry about it... :-)
For AV, just run Security Essentials and have a couple anti-malware apps at the ready for those things that kids inevitably get into :-P
Disk fragmentation should not be a problem with Win7 or later... skim this. In particular, go to the bottom of the post, read the last paragraph (well, two lines). 'Nuf said.

10/24/2012 07:45:54 PM · #6

Originally posted by kirbic:

Ya, normally I think our computer would be very low risk for a virus. Jenn is trained to NEVER open an email from someone she doesn't know or any file linked to an email if she wasn't expecting it, etc. BUT we now have a 12 year old and he's starting to get into various gaming sites and we now probably become high risk.

Well, I guess I can start with a fresh Win 8 install on the new large HD and see how it goes. If I get sick of it I can always go with another boot.

10/24/2012 07:55:42 PM · #7

For those who are thinking of going SSD, here's a nice tweaking guide, I personally did everything, just for the heck of it, but you can mix and match to meet your own needs.

Modern SSD's are pretty much OK without any optimization at all, but I figured it can't really hurt. :)

10/24/2012 07:56:06 PM · #8

Oh, and NEVER DEFRAG a SSD. :)

10/24/2012 07:58:31 PM · #9

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Originally posted by kirbic:
Well, it's no fun if you can't worry about it... :-)
For AV, just run Security Essentials and have a couple anti-malware apps at the ready for those things that kids inevitably get into :-P
Disk fragmentation should not be a problem with Win7 or later... skim this. In particular, go to the bottom of the post, read the last paragraph (well, two lines). 'Nuf said.

Ya, normally I think our computer would be very low risk for a virus. Jenn is trained to NEVER open an email from someone she doesn't know or any file linked to an email if she wasn't expecting it, etc. BUT we now have a 12 year old and he's starting to get into various gaming sites and we now probably become high risk.

Well, I guess I can start with a fresh Win 8 install on the new large HD and see how it goes. If I get sick of it I can always go with another boot.

Gaming eh? Sounds like he's gonna need his own system soon. E-bay has some smoking deals on game machines, since gamers are worse than DPC'ers about hardware updates.

FourPointX

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

10/24/2012 08:10:05 PM · #10

i'm a non fan of MSSE...my predecessor at my job was enamored with it and installed it on dozens of win7 clients and i've seen it chewing up tons of ram AND cpu alternately. been removing it onesie twosie as i see it. just figured i'd throw that out there for anyone who is using it and has performance issues.

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

10/24/2012 10:10:30 PM · #11

Originally posted by FourPointX:

Hmmm. Wonder what the heck was going on there? MSSE is very low impact, in fact it is about the same as other low-impact AV software such as Avast, AVG, etc.; see here for one such test.

Ann

Olympus OM-D E-M1

10/25/2012 01:18:49 PM · #12

Personally, I just use separate user accounts for everyone in the house. My account is the only one that has admin privileges, so nobody installs any new software without my permission, and everyone has their own personal directory space. That keeps most of the trouble at bay.

My personal opinion is that as far as malware protection, MSSE is the best of the free ones, and is better than most of the paid ones. It's lower impact than most of the others. I do have to say, though, as someone who does computer security for a living, antivirus can only get you so far. The sites that inquisitive teenagers get to can have malware that no antivirus can stop. Most of my coworkers that have teenagers give the kids their own computers. You lose some control over what they're doing, but if they get malware, it doesn't break the computer that has banking information or, even more importantly, photos.

FourPointX

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

10/25/2012 01:24:45 PM · #13

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by FourPointX:
i'm a non fan of MSSE...my predecessor at my job was enamored with it and installed it on dozens of win7 clients and i've seen it chewing up tons of ram AND cpu alternately. been removing it onesie twosie as i see it. just figured i'd throw that out there for anyone who is using it and has performance issues.

Hmmm. Wonder what the heck was going on there? MSSE is very low impact, in fact it is about the same as other low-impact AV software such as Avast, AVG, etc.; see here for one such test.

you rang the bell in my mind, something i had forgotten. the machines in question were running avast AND msse. most likely what was causing the pegging.

PGerst

Canon EOS-20D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

10/25/2012 10:47:05 PM · #14

So....I'm on XP..debating to upgrade to 7 or 8.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/25/2012 10:56:09 PM · #15

Why not 8? If you don't like the metro portion you can get around it. 7 has been pretty nice, but I don't think 8 is going to be any step backward.

Devinder

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

10/26/2012 10:19:48 AM · #16

This is what i did. Left the laptop i had for "home" stuff and bought a desktop for the heavy lifting

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/26/2012 10:53:44 AM · #17

Originally posted by Devinder:

This is what i did. Left the laptop i had for "home" stuff and bought a desktop for the heavy lifting

Yep, lifting a desktop will be much better exercise than lifting a laptop! ;-)

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Why not 8? If you don't like the metro portion you can get around it. 7 has been pretty nice, but I don't think 8 is going to be any step backward.

I have a good friend who's updating the family computer and is going with Win8. It's a really cheap upgrade and it does have some nice features. It's probably not going to have Win7 users stampeding to get their copy, but it's one heck of an upgrade from XP!

Devinder

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

10/26/2012 11:05:14 AM · #18

i m telling ya Kirbic, its like having a 50 pound weight at my beck and call!