Booting from HD

[firozmm]

Dears,

I recently brought two hard disks and would like to install that into my computer. The reason I brought the two hard disks is that to avoid disruption in my work. I want to setup in a way that if one hard disk fails to boot, the second one should boot automatically (without changing the cables or bios setup -). Based on this, what I did is that I installed windows 2000 professional (my operating system) and all other programs which I am using into both hard disks. Now the two hard disk contains the same operating system and programs. I connected the hard disk as one Master and the other one as slave. When I start the PC, BIOS detects both hard disks and it boots (I don't know from which hard disks it boots - probably from master). The problem is that when Windows 2000 professional start running, it is getting stuck from the beginning (when the logo of windows 2000 professional appears)! If I remove one hard disk it works fine. So what I think is that may be the windows having conflict with same operating system files in two hard disks and I believe there is a way to avoid this!

Is there any one can tell me how I can solve this problem? Or is there any better Idea/suggestion than the way I thought (all I want is that if one hard disk fails the other one boot automatically) ? Or is there any program which allows to choose from which harddisks I should boot other than BIOS setup?


Thank you for your great help

Regards, Firoz

 

[Cindy1]

Did you try cable select on both drives? That my work?
Cindy

 

[cadaveca]

there are plenty of software apps that allow you to chose os from boot..i think this would be your best bet.

the only right answer to "why?" is: "why not?"

 

[rpearson]

It sounds like you want to run your HD's reduntantly on your system based on your description.I dont know of any way to do this with a standard IDE controller or software.What you want is RAID: Redundant Array of Independant Disks.You can connect two or more HD's redundantly, or basically mirroring the HD's.If one fails,the other picks up with no interruption.You can connect up to four HD's per controller.The good thing is that these RAID controllers come on a PCI(card) host adapter,if your motherboard does not support RAID as integrated,which only a RAID motherboard would have integrated RAID conntrollers.

Try

http://www.adaptec.com

for more RAID info.

Good Luck.

 

[GaryKearley]

yep, if you want fault reliabilty - then RAID is your only practical choice... there is IDE RAID controllers availible now too, so you can use your current drives (as long as they are the same type of drive, same size etc. you would then "mirror" the drives, you would only see one drive in Windows, but any data written or changed would go on both drives, if one failed/died, then the machine would still boot, but some monitoring software would tell you one had failed (and what one!) and then once you change that failed drive (with powering off the machine, as IDE devices do not support hot-swap as SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) drives do. the other choice would be to replace your IDE drives with a SCSI array - this would be pricey, as SCSI drives are a LOT more pricey then IDE, but they are a lot quicker, ie, the fastest IDE spins at 7,200 rpm, the fastest SCSI spins at 15,000 rpm...

If it is for home use or non mission critical use, then IDE RAID is a good way to get the best features of RAID, if you NEED 24x7x365 uptime (impossible!!!) then SCSI RAID is the way to go, as failed drives can be changed whilst the OS and Apps are running, with only a performance hit whist the RAID rebuilds itself...

any more questions please post here...

 

[Cindy1]

I have used the program Norton Ghost and I would highly recommend it. That will take one drive and mirror image it to the other and it does it so quickly.
Keep us posted,
Cindy

 

[firozmm]

Apart from all the suggestions, is there any program which allows me to choose from which HD I boot? I mean a program allow me to select Hard disk (disk 1 or disk 2)!!!!

 

[franklin97355]

Yes there are. System Commander is one.