Goal: Create dual boot with Win7 and XP using Acronis 2010 and 2 identical 2tb drives on same machine

Hi there,

I am on XP now. I have 2 identical 2tb drives and another 2tb drive for backups on the same machine. My goal is to upgrade 'gently' from XP to Win7. I want to keep drive 1 as xp until I am thoroughly moved over and have my nearly 100 programs moved over, installed, upgraded, and working on the Win7 drive 2.

I am thinking format drive 2, install Win7, then copy over all my files, then start installing my programs in the Win7 environment.

I then want to be able to choose which drive to boot from at start up and have the XP and Win7 environments be separate.

Should I backup with Acronis from the XP drive to the 3rd backup drive them restore to Win7 drive? Or should I just use FastCopy (another program)?

Any advice on the best way to accomplish this? Any pitfalls you might foresee?

thanks in advance,

Will, Maine, USA