Member Avatar for normanallen

I want to know if it is possible to install a new copy of XP on a disk that is not HD0?

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Short answer for : yes — XP can be installed on a drive that isn’t HD0 and kept independent. The safest, simplest approach is to make the new disk the only disk present during the install so the Windows setup writes the boot files to that disk. That avoids cross‑drive dependencies and removes the need to keep changing jumpers later.

Practical steps (clean install, minimal fuss):

  • Back up critical data.
  • Power down and unplug the existing drive (leave it physically in the case if preferred).
  • Install the new drive, boot the XP CD and install normally. For SATA controllers not natively supported by XP, load drivers with F6 or use a slipstreamed installer.
  • After install, reconnect the original drive. Use the BIOS boot order or one‑time boot menu (often F12) to choose which physical disk to boot from. This keeps both installations intact and independent.

If both disks were left connected and the machine won’t boot, run the XP Recovery Console from the CD and use:

fixmbr
fixboot
bootcfg /rebuild

Those commands repair the MBR, write a fresh boot sector and rebuild Boot.ini. Example Boot.ini entries (rdisk = physical disk index as BIOS sees it):

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="XP - New" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="XP - Old" /fastdetect

Notes and cautions: keep current product‑licensing rules in mind (each installed copy needs a valid licence). XP generally won’t boot from a USB enclosure unless the BIOS explicitly supports it. If a non‑destructive migration is desired, modern free cloning tools exist; otherwise the disconnect/install/reconnect method is the least error‑prone. Credit to observations from and — those raise the right concerns about later complexity; the steps above avoid most of them.

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Member Avatar for Suspishio

Yes. I did it (once) and although it works perfectly well I won't do it again because of complications later when you want to change things round and can't remember exactly what you've done.

Write it all down!

Member Avatar for caperjack

I want to know if it is possible to install a new copy of XP on a disk that is not HD0?

hi,what are trying to accomplish by doing this ,is it you wish to be able to have 2 different winxp's to boot to ,a dual boot as they say ,or what!!

Member Avatar for normanallen

I think my existing installation is getting a bit shaky, and I'm not happy about the drive either (chkdsk won't work). I would like to be able to install a new version of XP on a completely new drive while keeping the existing installation intact, without having to keep swapping jumpers over - if it's at all possible.

Member Avatar for Suspishio

Ah - OK. When I did it it was because the C: drive was too small and I had more room left on D:. But you want to put it on a different physical drive.

What I'm about to suggest may not work if your original drive is corrupt - but there's a good chance it will work.

You will need a copy of Norton Ghost for this procedure.

Buy a new drive of the same type as your existing disk and put it into an external USB enclosure. Assuming your existing system still sort of works, use FDISK and Format on the new drive to make it blank. Then use GHOST to take your system over from old to new disk.

When that's all done, remove the old disk and replace it with the new one. Boot up and it should be OK or repairable from your Windows setup dis. There will be no bad tracks but I've no idea what state your files are in.

Good luck.

Member Avatar for normanallen

I would prefer not to have to spend 40 GBP (70 USD) on buying something that would probably never be used again!
Any other suggestions out there?

Member Avatar for Suspishio

I understand your desire not to lob out the dosh. But what you want to do has greater risks than what I've suggested.

Anyway, good luck with your quest for a no cost solution.

Member Avatar for caperjack

i did once do a dual boot with a scsi drive plugged in to pci scsi controller card and my regular ide drive ,using a boot manager program .the problem i think you will have is that windows can't boot from the secondary ide or slave setting ,so you would need to install a pci ide controller card to do what you are trying to do.

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