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dual boot?

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wintacs

Technical User
Jul 29, 2005
13
US
Hi, I am running a Xp home on my pc. I have a second computer with server 2003. I have removed the hard drive with 2k3 on it and put it in the xp box. booted up into xp and can see all the contents of the 2k3 drive. reconfigured the boot.ini to dual boot. but when I go to boot into 2k3 the drive starts for a moment and then nothing. Now let me clariy that the second drive just makes a like noise (like it was trying to open a file) and then a black screen. Now I am thinking of all kinds of reason why this is not working but before I start anything new I wanted a second opinion. Thanks if you can help.

Ryan
A+ N+
 
Have you tried the drive by itself? Have you tried it another system? Try running the recovery console on it maybe...
 
wintacs,

That is not normally how you do a dual boot - XP and 2003 Server are so intergrated into the hardware they are installed on you will need to try at least a repair of 2003 since it is in another/different machine.

I am not saying you can not make it work but I think it would be more trouble then it is worth.

Best would be a complete install on the new machine.

Good luck!



E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +
 
I agree with the CiscoGuy. Dual boot is more trouble than it is worth.

A+,N+,S+,L+,I+,HTI+,e-Biz+,Security+,CETma,CSS,CFOS/T,CCNT,CCTT,ACSP,ISA CCST3
 
Cisco's correct,

you'll need at least a repair (if lucky). The dual boot will work, between XP and 2K3, I did one here on this machine which fired up no problem. Just install in order, XP then 2K3. You can easily have *nix, 98, 2K, XP, 2K3 on the same machine. I say easily as it is - but it's not the smartest thing to do.

However, instead of the dual boot, since i'm guessing you need the 2K3 for like MS cert's. You can do one of three things.

1) Dual boot XP and 2K3, however if you need to join the XP to the 2K3 domain on the same machine - it won't happen.

2) Run the XP as your OS, and get a virtual server software to run the 2K3, however you will be somewhat limited on what you can practice between the XP and 2K3.

3) do vice-versa, use 2K3 as main OS, and run XP on a virtual server software.

Having said that though, XP Home isn't supported by MS to allow Domain networking like XP Pro is. There are some work arounds, but the capabilities just arent there.

"Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?"

Stuart
A+, Net+, Security+
 
Yeah I figured that since the hard drive with 2k3 was not configured for that box there would be problems. So then there is a chance if I run a repair off of the 2k3 install cd that it could run? I was thinking just to refomat the second hard drive and reinstalling 2k3. But can you boot from the slave on the primary? I am curious if there is a way to link two boxes to share one monitor?

As always you guys are the best thanks if you have more to say.
Ryan
A+, N+
 
running the repair is the least invasive.

Second would be to install it, selecting the same exact drive that you moved over. (not formatting). There is no real reason to try to boot off of the slave, as when you successfully install the second OS, it will give you the option to choose which to load. For installation purposes you can also choose where to install the OS to.

And you can share monitors and keyboards/mouse. - sort of. I do that at work for my server and a computer I may need to configure. There are various switches out there like on tigerdirect, I have a KVM one. on it says - "mini kvm switch" Basically you plug one end into your keyboard/mouse & monitor. Then you have two sets of cables to hook to each computer. To switch back and forth you just hit scroll lock twice then up or down arrow.

There are also more manual switches where you just turn the switch to activate the other computer. But I personally like the more automatic kind.

"Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?"

Stuart
A+, Net+, Security+
 
I'm generalizing here a bit, but a good way to give yourself problems is if you use dynamic disks versus basic disks.

There are exceptions, and ways to do it so it is properly done. Searching microsoft knowledgebase for dual-boot, or google for the same will shed some light on it. The many pro's-con's about dynamic disks are at times, OS specific.

Other gottchya - make sure the computer name on each OS installed in a dual-boot config is a unique one to that specific OS.

"Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?"

Stuart
A+, Net+, Security+
 
I wanted to thank all of you for your help. I think I will buy the 30.00 Kvm switch and just set it up like that.

Yeah I am starting to work on my MCSA. Any good pages you guys know with detailed objectives for all three test. Microsofts objectives are not as good or outlined as comptia. The one I saw was not anyway. Links and advice would be great

Ryan
A+, Network+
 
The other forum


is a little better for that type of info. There are probably as many recommendations on what to study as there are study methods.

I'm going to give an audio studying a try this test as a supplement to see how it does.

"Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?"

Stuart
A+, Net+, Security+
 
make sure that XP is installed first. or on your first controller. I am not sure if you have both OS's on the same drive or different drives. But either way you have to have XP installed first. You should have know problems.
 
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