2 hard drives same operating system

[drummond]

Is it possible to have 2 hard drives with Win XP in the same tower and switch between them, not just see the "C" and "f" drive but totally switch so as my boy can have one and I have the other. Thanks..................John

 

[bcastner]

Disconnect Second Drive set BIOS boot order, and install XP
Disconnect First Drive, set BIOS boot order and install XP on "second" drive.

Use the BIOS boot order to determine whether first or second drive is the boot drive.

 

[drummond]

I am sorry bcastner but could you please be a little more explisite, I have Win XP on both hard drives do I have to uninstall and reinstall after I set bios, do I have to F8 each time to specify which hard drive to boot from or is there a window that pops up. Thanks for your help.......drummond

 

[linney]

If you already have two installs of XP loaded you should under normal circumstances be presented with a boot options screen at Booting. This would allow the choice you seek.

If you do not have this then it means your Boot.ini file is incorrect. To fix this.

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console for Windows XP (Q307654)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q307/6/54.asp

A Discussion About the Bootcfg Command and Its Uses

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q291/9/80.asp

 

[drummond]

Thanks for the reply linney what do I enter when editing the system startup line to show me the bootcfg for the 2 hard drives, the links you gave me explaines it but no example. Thank you...............drummond

 

[gpalmer711]

The bootcfg /rebuild command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP installations, and then displays the results. You can add the detected Windows installations.

You may receive a message that is similar to the following message:

Total Identified Windows Installs: 2

[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu) Enter a useful name such as Dad's Windows
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)

[2] D:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu) Enter a useful name such as Son's Windows
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)


Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[drummond]

Thanks for the reply gpalmer711, but the bootcfg /rebuild command is not working all I get is a black screen that flashes on and off real fast. Thanks..............John

 

[drummond]

How shouls the 2 drives be jumpered I have 1 dual master and the other dual slave...............John

 

[linney]

Are you running Bootcfg from the Recovery Console, because you need to for it to work?

Example dual XP (SP2) boot.ini -

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Test and Repair XP TESTER" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons


In your situation rdisk would be (0) and (1) to differentiate the drives and partitions would both be (1).

HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP (Q289022)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q289/0/22.asp

http://www.sourcemagazine.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=597

 

[drummond]

Thanks linney, I installed Recovery console and changed my bootcfg to read "
[boot loader]timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect "

and when I try to boot from the dual boot at startup I get
" Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.
could not read from the select boot disk. check boot path and disk hardware."

John

 

[MowermanED]

I use 2 mobile racks with several extra trays to switch HDD's and OS's at will. By using this system it's pretty much impossible to mess the other OS up.

 

[linney]

Rdisk (0) = drive 1
Rdisk (1) = drive 2

Disk is for SCSI drives which I assume you haven't got, more likely you have IDE.

The bootcfg command from Recovery Console will give you the correct boot.ini for your system.

The boot.ini you have shown is pointing to the first partition on a second SCSI drive.
And the next line to the second partition on the first SCSI drive.

The default operating system is pointing to the first partition on the first SCSI drive, which none of the parameter lines mention.

Look at your lines of parameters, the default lines must match one of the operating systems you are trying to boot to.

With most non-SCSI controllers the drive is indicated by the rdisk parameter. The disk parameter is (0). This is the more common scenario (and probably yours too).

It's all confusing that's why you use the bootcfg command set the boot.ini command automatically.

 

[drummond]

Sorry now I am am really confused.I cant get into the bootcfg command from run to do anything........drummond

 

[gpalmer711]

First boot into the Recovery Console as per

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q307/6/54.asp&NoWebContent=1

Then follow the instructions below


The bootcfg /rebuild command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP installations, and then displays the results. You can add the detected Windows installations.

You may receive a message that is similar to the following message:

Total Identified Windows Installs: 2

[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu) Enter a useful name such as Dad's Windows
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)

[2] D:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu) Enter a useful name such as Son's Windows
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)


Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[drummond]

I installed the recovery console onto my system, as it says it is supposed to be on my start menu. i cant see it, man am I having problems, think I am just going to switch manually from one drive to the other...............John

 

[gpalmer711]

If you have installed SP2 then you are no longer able to add the Recovery Console as a startup option.

Just start the Recovery Console from the CD and you should be fine.

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[drummond]

Thanks gpalmer711, I hate to be a pain but could you email me with some step by step, I tried setting bios to boot from cdRom and no go, thanks.........John