Two OS's Two HD'S

[want2ride]

Hi, I would like to run two OS's from two different hard drives on the same computer. The computer is currently runnning Win98SE and I like to install XP home on second hard drive and be able to boot from either OS. Any ideas on how I can do that. Thanks.

 

[4Ryan6]

Its Simple, If your M/Bs CMOS Setup will allow you to select which Hardrive to boot from.

In the CMOS if you set First Boot Device to HDD 0 it will boot the Master of Primary 1, set the First Boot Device to HDD 1 it will boot the Slave on Primary 1.

Now the one drive that already has Win98SE unhook that drive, so you don't take any chance of corrupting it, hook up the other drive as the Master on Primary 1 and proceed to load WinXP Home on that drive. After Win XP is fully loaded on the drive, shutdown the machine, change the jumper settings on the Win98SE hardrive to Slave drive function, and hook the drive back up.

So you end up with, both drives will be on the Primary IDE( IDE 1), the WinXP Home hardrive will be set (Jumpered as the Master) of Primary 1 at the end connector of the ribbon cable, or round cable whichever you have, the Win98SE hardrive will be on the Slave connector of the ribbon cable which is the middle connector, with the hardrive (Jumpered as the Slave).

Then from that point if you want to change the OP/SYS start up the computer holding down the Delete Key, if thats the key that gets you into the CMOS Setup, set to boot from HDD 0 for the WinXP Home hardrive to boot, or set to boot from HDD 1 for the Win98SE hardrive to boot, save your settings and exit the CMOS, and you're in business.


Any Questions Post Them. Ryan




<b><font color=purple>Listing your system specs, will greatly aid us, in being able to help you solve your problem.</font color=purple></b>

 

[alltaken]

either that or another option might be booting from cd or floppy and always having a bootcd/floppy in that pops up a message offering your choice. this might work but i don't know of a specific one except for linux ones.

Alltaken

 

[want2ride]

Thanks Ryan. I'll give it a try.

 

[Guest]

You shouldn't have to unhook your hard drive at all. You simply hook up your second hard drive, if it isn't hooked up already, and boot from the XP cd. Then all you have to do is install XP on your second hard drive, without having to mess with jumpers or cables. Since 98 is already on your computer, when you install XP on the second drive, it will add a menu to your boot file so that you can pick wich operating system to boot from. Read this:

<A HREF="http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;306559" target="_new">HOW TO: Create a Multiple-Boot System in Windows XP</A>

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Your arrogance is boring!

 

[4Ryan6]

You're right! But the way I'm doing it, each drive is independent of the other, so if I have the drive fail that contains the Boot Record Menu, it doesn't matter I'm still in business with the other OP/SYS. Changing the CMOS settings to boot from HDD 1 or 2, only takes a short time, and its well worth it when trouble comes, which it will in time. Also I've gone for days at the time running the same OP/SYS, and under those conditions you change or select nothing at all.



<b><font color=purple>Listing your system specs, will greatly aid us, in being able to help you solve your problem.</font color=purple></b>