Install XP on alternate drive

[normanallen]

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

[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!

[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!!

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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.