Tips/Advice/Instructions for someone doing a dual boot for first time

[mrsmexythebeast]

As the title suggests, I plan on making a dual boot system with my laptop (ASUS GL502VS), mainly for the purpose of bypassing the 4GB VRAM limit on DX9 applications (Skyrim). I've never done this before and while I figured I can just find a guide to installing a dual boot, I was wondering if anyone had some words of wisdom or answers to a couple questions because I am honestly and completely clueless.

 

I plan to use Windows 10 as my main operating system as it was pre-installed onto my laptop when I bought it and occupies the main SSD. I've ordered an external SSD (USB 3.1 type C) to install Windows 7 and Skyrim onto. These are my main questions:

 

 

 

Will an external SSD, even though it's connected via USB 3.1 type C (which is supposedly very fast) slow my game down? I've heard that USB 3.1 has speeds that can compete with internal SATA, but I know little more than this.

 

How will I go about moving Skyrim over onto my external SSD? I'm guessing it won't function properly to simply drag and drop Skyrim and all of my mods (I use Mod Organizer) onto the SSD and hope that it will work? What will I have to do to make Skyrim and Mod Organizer function properly?

 

Am I able to run only Skyrim off of my external SSD while running other Steam games off of my internal SSD, or will I have to install everything Steam-related onto my external drive?

 

Despite Windows 10 being pre-installed on my internal SSD (I have no registration key or anything for it), is it possible to install it on my external SSD instead and install Windows 7 on my internal SSD?

 

 

 

In addition to this, if you have any tips or advice based on the information you've read above, sharing it would be extremely appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

[Varithina]

As the title suggests, I plan on making a dual boot system with my laptop (ASUS GL502VS), mainly for the purpose of bypassing the 4GB VRAM limit on DX9 applications (Skyrim). I've never done this before and while I figured I can just find a guide to installing a dual boot, I was wondering if anyone had some words of wisdom or answers to a couple questions because I am honestly and completely clueless.

 

I plan to use Windows 10 as my main operating system as it was pre-installed onto my laptop when I bought it and occupies the main SSD. I've ordered an external SSD (USB 3.1 type C) to install Windows 7 and Skyrim onto. These are my main questions:

 

 

 

Will an external SSD, even though it's connected via USB 3.1 type C (which is supposedly very fast) slow my game down? I've heard that USB 3.1 has speeds that can compete with internal SATA, but I know little more than this.

 

How will I go about moving Skyrim over onto my external SSD? I'm guessing it won't function properly to simply drag and drop Skyrim and all of my mods (I use Mod Organizer) onto the SSD and hope that it will work? What will I have to do to make Skyrim and Mod Organizer function properly?

 

Am I able to run only Skyrim off of my external SSD while running other Steam games off of my internal SSD, or will I have to install everything Steam-related onto my external drive?

 

 

 

In addition to this, if you have any tips or advice based on the information you've read above, sharing it would be extremely appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

 

If your laptop has it you might be better off looking at firewire rather than usb, I have not used usb to run games off a external hd, but I have used them to keep copies of data I accessed pretty often, and one of the things I got  lot was the transfer would start, variable amounts would actually transfer over then it would simply stop, the transfer window would still show xx amount of time remaining with that time increasing, checking the hardware side would show that the usb drive however was no longer showing on the pc, and the only way I found of getting it back was to reboot the pc, removing the usb lead, powering the caddy down non worked.

 

If you have the funds it may also be worth looking at a network attached storage device, 2 drive version of that are not too expansive and they work at the same speed as your network does, though they may cost a bit more if you do not have a router to wire them into.

 

Though do be aware with nas drives or at least the one I have if the power goes off it will run diagnostics before it will allow you to access the drives again, and that can take hours.

 

It could also be worth while checking to see if the laptop you have can have another hd added as that may be the better option, though that will definately depend on the make/model, my first laptop had the space for a second drive, but actually fitting it was not something that could be done by anybody, as it pretty much require the laptop to be dismanteled.

[mrsmexythebeast]

 

 

 

As the title suggests, I plan on making a dual boot system with my laptop (ASUS GL502VS), mainly for the purpose of bypassing the 4GB VRAM limit on DX9 applications (Skyrim). I've never done this before and while I figured I can just find a guide to installing a dual boot, I was wondering if anyone had some words of wisdom or answers to a couple questions because I am honestly and completely clueless.

 

I plan to use Windows 10 as my main operating system as it was pre-installed onto my laptop when I bought it and occupies the main SSD. I've ordered an external SSD (USB 3.1 type C) to install Windows 7 and Skyrim onto. These are my main questions:

 

 

 

Will an external SSD, even though it's connected via USB 3.1 type C (which is supposedly very fast) slow my game down? I've heard that USB 3.1 has speeds that can compete with internal SATA, but I know little more than this.

 

How will I go about moving Skyrim over onto my external SSD? I'm guessing it won't function properly to simply drag and drop Skyrim and all of my mods (I use Mod Organizer) onto the SSD and hope that it will work? What will I have to do to make Skyrim and Mod Organizer function properly?

 

Am I able to run only Skyrim off of my external SSD while running other Steam games off of my internal SSD, or will I have to install everything Steam-related onto my external drive?

 

 

 

In addition to this, if you have any tips or advice based on the information you've read above, sharing it would be extremely appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

 

If your laptop has it you might be better off looking at firewire rather than usb, I have not used usb to run games off a external hd, but I have used them to keep copies of data I accessed pretty often, and one of the things I got  lot was the transfer would start, variable amounts would actually transfer over then it would simply stop, the transfer window would still show xx amount of time remaining with that time increasing, checking the hardware side would show that the usb drive however was no longer showing on the pc, and the only way I found of getting it back was to reboot the pc, removing the usb lead, powering the caddy down non worked.

 

If you have the funds it may also be worth looking at a network attached storage device, 2 drive version of that are not too expansive and they work at the same speed as your network does, though they may cost a bit more if you do not have a router to wire them into.
 

Though do be aware with nas drives or at least the one I have if the power goes off it will run diagnostics before it will allow you to access the drives again, and that can take hours.

 

It could also be worth while checking to see if the laptop you have can have another hd added as that may be the better option, though that will definately depend on the make/model, my first laptop had the space for a second drive, but actually fitting it was not something that could be done by anybody, as it pretty much require the laptop to be dismanteled.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for the advice.

Checked my laptop; I have no firewire and I already have two drives installed in here so no room for any extras, and I don't think the network attached storage device could be an option for me, unfortunately. I'll look into it, but I don't think it's something I can do judging from your description (+as a student living alone I don't have much money). I think I'm stuck with USB 3.1 at this point, so I'm just hoping that it delivers.

[Varithina]

Thank you for the advice.

Checked my laptop; I have no firewire and I already have two drives installed in here so no room for any extras, and I don't think the network attached storage device could be an option for me, unfortunately. I'll look into it, but I don't think it's something I can do judging from your description (+as a student living alone I don't have much money). I think I'm stuck with USB 3.1 at this point, so I'm just hoping that it delivers.

 

No problem, though I am somewhat surprised nobody else has commented as I am sure somebody else must be doing something similar to what you want to do.

 

[allsunday]

I have no idea how Mod Organizer works since I don't use it, I do manual installations and occasionally use NMM for mods that have a fomod installer and to edit my load order because that's all NMM is good for.  That said, I can tell you for a fact that if I ever transfer my Skyrim to a new hard drive it would work just fine.  Just log into Steam and tell it where the game is located and I'm good to go.  I have over 250 mods installed so it definitely works.  I don't know if this information can help you but it's a fact.

 

Finally, if you want to move Windows 10 to the external hdd, just call Microsoft Customer Support and tell them so (better yet, tell them your Windows 10 has crashed and you need a new install key, this will be better than simply asking them for ANOTHER Windows 10 key which they will definitely hesitate).  They will ask you for the serial number on your laptop or something and then provide you a new Windows 10 key for you to install.  I think they will monitor to make sure that the Windows 10 key they give you is specifically used on the motherboard with the serial number you provide them.  

It would definitely be a huge risk at this point because you must now decide to completely erase your current Windows 10 first, install Windows 7 on it, and then install Windows 10 on the external.  I have called Microsoft Support for new keys before but I have never done anything as "complex" as this.  So pursue this option at your own risk.

 

P.S.  I know you've heard this before but now that you're modding Skyrim it's extremely fun and eventually you'll just keep upgrading for better performance, aka. instead of thinking about getting a desktop in the future, start thinking about building one now.  AMD's new Ryzen lineup is extremely cost/performance friendly.  However, keep in mind that Nvidia GPUs are better for Bethesda games.  When I was in college, having a desktop was far more convenient than a laptop.  More comfortable typing space, viewing screen angle, got more work done faster efficiently, the performance, no need to lug it around, no need to worry about it getting stolen, and did I mention the performance?  Writing a 12 page essay on a regular keyboard is far easier to do than on a laptop.  Also, it's significantly more easier to upgrade.  Need to install another hard drive for games, porn, and more porn?  Just plug it into the motherboard.  Done.

[mrsmexythebeast]

I have no idea how Mod Organizer works since I don't use it, I do manual installations and occasionally use NMM for mods that have a fomod installer and to edit my load order because that's all NMM is good for.  That said, I can tell you for a fact that if I ever transfer my Skyrim to a new hard drive it would work just fine.  Just log into Steam and tell it where the game is located and I'm good to go.  I have over 250 mods installed so it definitely works.  I don't know if this information can help you but it's a fact.

 

Finally, if you want to move Windows 10 to the external hdd, just call Microsoft Customer Support and tell them so (better yet, tell them your Windows 10 has crashed and you need a new install key, this will be better than simply asking them for ANOTHER Windows 10 key which they will definitely hesitate).  They will ask you for the serial number on your laptop or something and then provide you a new Windows 10 key for you to install.  I think they will monitor to make sure that the Windows 10 key they give you is specifically used on the motherboard with the serial number you provide them.  

It would definitely be a huge risk at this point because you must now decide to completely erase your current Windows 10 first, install Windows 7 on it, and then install Windows 10 on the external.  I have called Microsoft Support for new keys before but I have never done anything as "complex" as this.  So pursue this option at your own risk.

 

P.S.  I know you've heard this before but now that you're modding Skyrim it's extremely fun and eventually you'll just keep upgrading for better performance, aka. instead of thinking about getting a desktop in the future, start thinking about building one now.  AMD's new Ryzen lineup is extremely cost/performance friendly.  However, keep in mind that Nvidia GPUs are better for Bethesda games.  When I was in college, having a desktop was far more convenient than a laptop.  More comfortable typing space, viewing screen angle, got more work done faster efficiently, the performance, no need to lug it around, no need to worry about it getting stolen, and did I mention the performance?  Writing a 12 page essay on a regular keyboard is far easier to do than on a laptop.  Also, it's significantly more easier to upgrade.  Need to install another hard drive for games, porn, and more porn?  Just plug it into the motherboard.  Done.

 

Thank you for the response, it's good to know that moving steam games on drives is fairly simple to do, I'm sure this will help with managing which games I want to keep where. The thing I'm concerned about with this knowledge though is that maybe it will be different because not only am I moving it, but I'm running it off of a different operating system. Hopefully this doesn't change anything.

 

And yeah, this is actually my third time through doing modded Skyrim, and I had a desktop up until now. I moved to Japan about a year and a half ago, and this laptop was a gift from my parents. They didn't want to get me a desktop because it's more expensive in Japan and shipping it here would be hella expensive too, not to mention they believed a laptop would be better for my university life and my living space. I really wish I could get a desktop, but at this point it would have to be with my own money, and that's not something I can really consider right now, especially since so far this laptop has met all my needs quite well.

 

 

 

Thank you for the advice.

Checked my laptop; I have no firewire and I already have two drives installed in here so no room for any extras, and I don't think the network attached storage device could be an option for me, unfortunately. I'll look into it, but I don't think it's something I can do judging from your description (+as a student living alone I don't have much money). I think I'm stuck with USB 3.1 at this point, so I'm just hoping that it delivers.

 

No problem, though I am somewhat surprised nobody else has commented as I am sure somebody else must be doing something similar to what you want to do.

 

 

Yeah haha, I too was expecting more of a response. I'm okay waiting though, seeing as it means people would go out of their way to help me 

That or I can look somewhere else 

[allsunday]

 

I have no idea how Mod Organizer works since I don't use it, I do manual installations and occasionally use NMM for mods that have a fomod installer and to edit my load order because that's all NMM is good for.  That said, I can tell you for a fact that if I ever transfer my Skyrim to a new hard drive it would work just fine.  Just log into Steam and tell it where the game is located and I'm good to go.  I have over 250 mods installed so it definitely works.  I don't know if this information can help you but it's a fact.

 

Finally, if you want to move Windows 10 to the external hdd, just call Microsoft Customer Support and tell them so (better yet, tell them your Windows 10 has crashed and you need a new install key, this will be better than simply asking them for ANOTHER Windows 10 key which they will definitely hesitate).  They will ask you for the serial number on your laptop or something and then provide you a new Windows 10 key for you to install.  I think they will monitor to make sure that the Windows 10 key they give you is specifically used on the motherboard with the serial number you provide them.  

It would definitely be a huge risk at this point because you must now decide to completely erase your current Windows 10 first, install Windows 7 on it, and then install Windows 10 on the external.  I have called Microsoft Support for new keys before but I have never done anything as "complex" as this.  So pursue this option at your own risk.

 

P.S.  I know you've heard this before but now that you're modding Skyrim it's extremely fun and eventually you'll just keep upgrading for better performance, aka. instead of thinking about getting a desktop in the future, start thinking about building one now.  AMD's new Ryzen lineup is extremely cost/performance friendly.  However, keep in mind that Nvidia GPUs are better for Bethesda games.  When I was in college, having a desktop was far more convenient than a laptop.  More comfortable typing space, viewing screen angle, got more work done faster efficiently, the performance, no need to lug it around, no need to worry about it getting stolen, and did I mention the performance?  Writing a 12 page essay on a regular keyboard is far easier to do than on a laptop.  Also, it's significantly more easier to upgrade.  Need to install another hard drive for games, porn, and more porn?  Just plug it into the motherboard.  Done.

 

Thank you for the response, it's good to know that moving steam games on drives is fairly simple to do, I'm sure this will help with managing which games I want to keep where. The thing I'm concerned about with this knowledge though is that maybe it will be different because not only am I moving it, but I'm running it off of a different operating system. Hopefully this doesn't change anything.

 

And yeah, this is actually my third time through doing modded Skyrim, and I had a desktop up until now. I moved to Japan about a year and a half ago, and this laptop was a gift from my parents. They didn't want to get me a desktop because it's more expensive in Japan and shipping it here would be hella expensive too, not to mention they believed a laptop would be better for my university life and my living space. I really wish I could get a desktop, but at this point it would have to be with my own money, and that's not something I can really consider right now, especially since so far this laptop has met all my needs quite well.

 

 

I was considering going to Japan for work but the company that wanted to hire me required that spend $5,000 of my own money for the first couple months on the job.  Hell no.  Any job that requires that much investment and a salary that is barely better than minimum wage is a big HELL NO.

Anyway, if I was going to go to a foreign country like China or Japan and I gotta have my "porn", I'd take apart my desktop and pack only the motherboard, RAM, hard drives, and graphics card.  I would buy a cheap case, a decent power supply, and a cooling solution while in country.  

Japan is a good spot to search for used parts: