Windows XP Duel Booting/How To?

[SunRunner]

Hello,

Hope this is the right placw to ask this question. I have XP on 2 seperate 250 gig SATA hard drives. Can't figure how to duel boot them. Any direction will be appreciated.

Thanks,
SunRunner.

[mikeandike22]

you mean run two versions of xp on the same machine, or dual boot another operating system like linux or an older version of windows.

[SunRunner]

I'm sorry not to be clear. I have 2 hard drives on the same computer; both running windows xp pro. When I boot the machine I get my oringinal (1st) hard drive booting as c: drive. It shows my second hard drive as f: drive. I have to dissconnect my 1st drive to boot up my 2nd drive. They are both Sata drives with 250 gigs.

Thanks for your patience and interest.

Sunrunner.

[mikeandike22]

well why do you need 2 drives with xp, is this like a sever or something, you can make the second drive the slave drive and that should only boot the first one, but you really dont need xp pro on both hd.

[SunRunner]

Well Mikeanddike22,

It's like this: I was having crashes on my original hdd. My games were crashing often as well as occasionally during normal use. Microsoft Error Reporting said it was due to my Lucent Modem Drivers, which were for windows 98. I upgraded to XP and started having trouble. I downloaded the newer drivers and software but the Installasheild wizard got hung up. Useing task manager to end the process I got a message telling me that the remote procedure call failed. The tech guys at the modem site told me I had to do a clean install of XP since it was a windows problem. No: I just went through a hdd wipe and install a month previous and was not about to repeat that so soon. I simply got another hard drive and installed Xp on that one as well and installed new modem drivers without a hitch. I will run my games and a few other things from that drive and do most of my other stuff on the original hdd since it doesn't crash all that much without playing games. Some day when I am in the mood and want to do the hdd wipe thing and reinstall everything again I may do so on the original hdd. So I thought dual booting may not be a bad idea. Do I need to rethink that thought?
Well there you have it, my latest book.

Thanks again for you ear (or eyes as the case may be),

SunRunner.

[lloyd]

Do I need to rethink that thought?-----yes, this is not a technical question.
I have to dissconnect my 1st drive to boot up my 2nd drive.------i guess you didn't install your second os on the same boot system. you can check boot.inf file on first drive.

[lloyd]

sorry, boot.ini, not boot.inf

[SunRunner]

Hello LLoyd,

I'm ignorant in this matter. If i'm understanding what I see, you are correct. Here is what I've got in Boot.ini:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS="MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL" /fast detect /no execute=optin

So how do I correct the problem?

Thanks for replying,

SunRunner.

[mikeandike22]

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

I think you can do it like that not 100% so i would double check with someone else. Because i had to change this from one that was booting 2000 and xp so it could be different for booting 2 versions of xp, also not sure about if you just say xp pro or spell out professional.

[kccomputerdr]

i've found it easier to dual boot on just one hard drive, than 2. i think you just want to access your old XP system to try to repair it later, sounds like you're bored.

[lloyd]

Hello LLoyd,

I'm ignorant in this matter. If i'm understanding what I see, you are correct. Here is what I've got in Boot.ini:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS="MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL" /fast detect /no execute=optin

So how do I correct the problem?
Thanks for replying,

SunRunner.

1, first of all, i was not rude with you. have you ask friend is simply because, this is not very hard to fix, it is much more depends on your thought and requirement. when you talk with friend face to face, he can explain to you clearly.
2, your boot.ini shows it is not a dual boot sys. you might load your second os on another computer.

[mikeandike22]

where did he say you are rude, he said "im ignorant in this matter" i think he means he doenst know much about it not that you were rude to him.

[SunRunner]

Hello Lloyd,

Thanks for the info. Never crossed my mind that you were being rude. Mikeanddike is correct, my understanding is just limited, hence my postings. Looks like it may be better if I put my other computer back together and install my second harddrive on it instead of trying to do the dual boot thing. Or take kccomputerdr's advice and put another partition on the one hdd. Mikeanddike22, thanks for your input; I'll ask around and see if I can get conformation on your recomendation. Thanks to you all for your replys.

[Carebare47]

Hello,
Why dont you just change the jumpers on the hard disks. Make the second one primary master and the first one primary slave. Then your computer will simply boot from the other hard drive.

[dweeman]

you mean run two versions of xp on the same machine, or dual boot another operating system like linux or an older version of windows.

I was wondering how I can duel boot 2 seperate operating systems, if you could help with this. Do I need to reformat to put on a second operating system.

[nicrosniper]

i think dual boot only happens in 1 disk with multiple partition.. i don't think it could be applied to two separate disk coz if you try to change your boot configuration in your bios you are being ask what drive would you want to be the primary drive specially if you're using a xata. so why not decide what drive is more important to you and have the other drive your back up? i think thats the best solution i could think. hope it helps.

[jbennet]

This is a really old thread.

you can add an entry to the boot.ini on the primary drive, so it can boot the windows OS from the seondary drive.