DUAL BOOT

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

At Present my Motherboard allows me the option at boot up to press F11 & select which of 2 HDD's I want to boot to. (IDE0 or IDE1) Both drives have XP on them and work independently (ie if 1 is removed from the PC the other will still function.

I am told this shouldn't work!! - and that I should Reformat the IDE0 drive, reload XP, and then load XP again - within Windows - and select the IDE1 drive as the "destination" for the second OS.

This sounds complicated to me, and if the IDE0 drive fails terminaly would I still be able to boot to the IDE1 drive - I don't think so!

Questions:
1. Am I OK to keep doing what I am doing (pressing F11 if I want to access the IDE1 HDD?)
2. If not why not?
3. If not, then where can I find out easy instructions as to how to set this up properly?

Many thanks

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Hello

See link below.

How to Multiple Boot Win XP, Win2000, Win4.0 NT, Win95,98,ME,98SE,MS-DOS
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q217210



Alvin


Dave1510 wrote:

> At Present my Motherboard allows me the option at boot up to press F11 & select which of 2 HDD's I want to boot to. (IDE0 or IDE1) Both drives have XP on them and work independently (ie if 1 is removed from the PC the other will still function.
>
> I am told this shouldn't work!! - and that I should Reformat the IDE0 drive, reload XP, and then load XP again - within Windows - and select the IDE1 drive as the "destination" for the second OS.
>
> This sounds complicated to me, and if the IDE0 drive fails terminaly would I still be able to boot to the IDE1 drive - I don't think so!
>
> Questions:
> 1. Am I OK to keep doing what I am doing (pressing F11 if I want to access the IDE1 HDD?)
> 2. If not why not?
> 3. If not, then where can I find out easy instructions as to how to set this up properly?
>
> Many thanks

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"Dave1510" <Dave1510@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> At Present my Motherboard allows me the option at boot up to
> press F11 & select which of 2 HDD's I want to boot to. (IDE0
> or IDE1) Both drives have XP on them and work independently
> (ie if 1 is removed from the PC the other will still function.)
>
> I am told this shouldn't work!! - and that I should Reformat
> the IDE0 drive, reload XP, and then load XP again - within
> Windows - and select the IDE1 drive as the "destination"
> for the second OS.
>
> This sounds complicated to me, and if the IDE0 drive fails
> terminaly would I still be able to boot to the IDE1 drive - I
> don't think so!
>
> Questions:
> 1. Am I OK to keep doing what I am doing (pressing F11 if
> I want to access the IDE1 HDD?)
> 2. If not why not?
> 3. If not, then where can I find out easy instructions as to how
> to set this up properly?

You're fine as is. Not all mobos are as intelligent, so wouldn't be able to
handle your configuration, but yours is modern enough to handle it, so leave
it be.

The "advice" you've received is poor, so disregard it. FTR, there are two
general methods of dualbooting: the Microsoft way and everyone else's way.
Most third-party boot methods are compatible with each other, but none are
interchangeable with MS's method, which is more of a "pseudo-multiboot"
rather than a true multiboot. The third-party way is actually better, but
you won't find one shred of information about it on Microsoft's website,
which blithely pretends the third-party way doesn't even exist. As a
result, you'll find many half-knowledgeable people who assume the MS way is
the only way it can be done.

One major problem with the Microsoft way is that it intertwines the two
OS's. As you suspect, if you reformat and install the MS way, IDE1 will
*not* be able to boot by itself. Your current configuration is better
because both OS's are kept separated from each other, so the failure of one
won't compromise the other. Keep it that way. Sooner or later, you'll be
thankful you did.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

The first piece of real sensible advice I've had regarding this (not just because you agree with me either!) The non MS way makes more sense to me. Why have a dual boot system if failure of the main HDD will not allow the other one to take over. Again - thanks.

"I'm Dan" wrote:

>
> "Dave1510" <Dave1510@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > At Present my Motherboard allows me the option at boot up to
> > press F11 & select which of 2 HDD's I want to boot to. (IDE0
> > or IDE1) Both drives have XP on them and work independently
> > (ie if 1 is removed from the PC the other will still function.)
> >
> > I am told this shouldn't work!! - and that I should Reformat
> > the IDE0 drive, reload XP, and then load XP again - within
> > Windows - and select the IDE1 drive as the "destination"
> > for the second OS.
> >
> > This sounds complicated to me, and if the IDE0 drive fails
> > terminaly would I still be able to boot to the IDE1 drive - I
> > don't think so!
> >
> > Questions:
> > 1. Am I OK to keep doing what I am doing (pressing F11 if
> > I want to access the IDE1 HDD?)
> > 2. If not why not?
> > 3. If not, then where can I find out easy instructions as to how
> > to set this up properly?
>
> You're fine as is. Not all mobos are as intelligent, so wouldn't be able to
> handle your configuration, but yours is modern enough to handle it, so leave
> it be.
>
> The "advice" you've received is poor, so disregard it. FTR, there are two
> general methods of dualbooting: the Microsoft way and everyone else's way.
> Most third-party boot methods are compatible with each other, but none are
> interchangeable with MS's method, which is more of a "pseudo-multiboot"
> rather than a true multiboot. The third-party way is actually better, but
> you won't find one shred of information about it on Microsoft's website,
> which blithely pretends the third-party way doesn't even exist. As a
> result, you'll find many half-knowledgeable people who assume the MS way is
> the only way it can be done.
>
> One major problem with the Microsoft way is that it intertwines the two
> OS's. As you suspect, if you reformat and install the MS way, IDE1 will
> *not* be able to boot by itself. Your current configuration is better
> because both OS's are kept separated from each other, so the failure of one
> won't compromise the other. Keep it that way. Sooner or later, you'll be
> thankful you did.
>
>
>
>