How do I install two copies of XP on the same Computer?

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I want to install a second copy of Windows XP on a different hard drive on
the same computer - but I can't find an article that says how to do this. I
was getting a boot sector failure on c: (although that problem went away) and
I want to be able to boot off a different drive if necessary. Both drives
are on the same IDE controller. Should I move one drive to a different
controller or does it matter?

Thanks!
 
While you are within XP..insert the XP CD .....it will initiate a reboot and
the installation will start.
During the installation be sure to pick that 2nd HD and XP will create the
necesary boot files on the C drive.
After the installation has completed upon boot you will be given a choice as
to which XP to boot into so make sure that you can tell the difference.....I
changed the default directory name on the 2nd installation during the
install.Also be aware that the 2nd installation changed the MBR on the C
drive....without a That C drive nothing will boot.
peter
 
Unless you use a second copy of winxp that is a breach of the EULA and you
will have difficulty activating as only a single, active, install is
allowed.
 
That defeats the purpose - I want one active and one passive Windows XP
install on 2 different hard drives. I want to boot the second drive in the
event of a failue of the first. Having the MBR on the same drive does not
really help if that drive goes bad. Can't the second install just look lije
data until required to be bootable?
 
Tenfore said:
I want to install a second copy of Windows XP on a different
hard drive on the same computer - but I can't find an article
that says how to do this. I was getting a boot sector failure
on c: (although that problem went away) and I want to be able
to boot off a different drive if necessary. Both drives are on the
same IDE controller. Should I move one drive to a different
controller or does it matter?
Click to expand...


Just disconnect the 1st HD, and install XP on the 2nd HD.
Both HDs can be on the same controller (i.e. same IDE cable)
and jumpering does not matter at this point.
The 2nd copy of XP will call its partitions "C:", but that does
not matter as long as there are no shortcuts referencing other
partitions.
Then re-connect the 1st HD. If the 2 HDs are on the same
controller (i.e. same IDE cable) and if you're not using Cable
Select mode, jumper the 2 HDs differently.
To select which HD gets control at startup (and thus, which
OS gets booted), go into the BIOS at startup and adjust the
Hard Drive Boot Order (the priority list of hard drives). The
HD at the head of the list will control booting.

Otherwise, you can edit the boot.ini file of one of the HDs
to implement dual-booting. But that's another topic.

If the XP installation CD's registration no. hasn't been used to
activate an OS in about the last 120 days, activation of the 2nd
OS can be done over the Internet - just like the 1st activiation.
If it has been less time since the last activation, you *may* have
to call Microsoft and explain to the rep that your 1st HD failed
and you have to intall XP on another HD. You will be lying
and committing a cardinal sin, but it's aginst Microsoft, so it's
OK. (No flames, please.)

*TimDaniels*
 
Thanks Tim - sounds like a good plan. When not a boot drive, that drive will
come up with a different drive assignment but as long as I am not trying to
launch anything from that drive it should be fine - I think! My plan will be
to migrate to the newer drive over time anyway.

Thanks!
 
You should have been more clear in your first post
disconnect the 1st HD and then Install XP onto the remaining
HD...........now each drive will have its own MBR and as such you can
determine by means of the BIOS which HD to boot from. So long as you have
the 1st drive before the 2nd drive in the boot order you will boot into your
original XP.
You will also need to load all of the mobo drivers/video drivers/ and any
other drivers under that 2nd installation.
The 2nd Installation will not be able to run any programs unless you install
them while running that 2nd installation of XP...of course installing them
onto the C drive would defeat the purpose.

The other way would be to actually clone your present installation onto your
2nd HD....this would create a fully bootable exact same copy of what you
have now.Then remove that drive and set it aside for when you need it.If or
when your 1st HD goes kaput you would just remove and install that cloned
drive and you would be up and running in minutes.....and dont forget to back
up your work/personal files to CD/DVD so when that lovely occasion arrives
you would still be "up to date" work wise.

peter
 
Essentially, you're right. When a partition is not the one containing
the running OS, it will be "D:" (or "E:" or "F:", etc.), but as long
as the running OS does not refer to "D:" or "E:" or "F:", etc.,
there will be no problem. But the term "boot drive" is sorta "loose"
because a drive that controls booting (i.e. the one given control
at startup and the one containing the "active" primary partition
that contains the boot loader (ntldr) and the boot menu (boot.ini)
and the environment detector (ntdetect.com), doesn't have to
contain the OS that gets loaded. The OS's location (designated
in the boot.ini file) can actually be on another HD and even be
on a Logical Drive in an Extended partition on another HD.

To migrate to the new HD, remember to install the apps you want
on the new HD and to transfer your data files to the new HD.
Drag 'n Drop will work fine to accomplish the data file migration
from the old HD to the new HD.

*TimDaniels*
 
I have a related questions. I have one copy of WinXP on my C drive and I
recently installed a second hard drive. I formatted that and partitioned it.

I bought a second WinXP license and want to install it on the F: drive
(partition on the 2nd physical HDD).

Should I boot my computer from the CD ROM drive with the WinXP installation
CD or should I first boot my computer from the C: drive and then insert the
WinXP installation CD and let it go from there? Does it make a difference
either way?

thanks!
Saina77
 
Saina77 said:
I have one copy of WinXP on my C drive and I recently
installed a second hard drive. I formatted that and partitioned it.

I bought a second WinXP license and want to install it on
the F: drive (partition on the 2nd physical HDD).

Should I boot my computer from the CD ROM drive with
the WinXP installation CD or should I first boot my computer
from the C: drive and then insert the WinXP installation CD
and let it go from there? Does it make a difference either way?

thanks!
Saina77
Click to expand...

It depends on whether you want to use the XP (ntldr) to
boot manager to control the dual-boot or not. If you want
to use ntldr to read and present the boot.ini boot menu of
OSes, you just install the 2nd XP in the partition that you can
designate during setup for the installation process. This can
be on the same HD or another HD. See the following pages
for details:
http://www.winxpfix.com/page5.htm#dboot
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306559&Product=winxp

If you want to use the BIOS to select the HD that controls
booting, just disconnect the 1st HD when installing XP on
the 2nd HD. Thereafter, use the BIOS during startup to
select the HD which will be at the top of the Hard Drive
Boot Order (i.e. boot priority) list. The OS on that HD
will be booted.

*TimDaniels*
 
Hi Tim,

Thanks for the response. I do wish to use the ntldr to present the options
from the boot.ini file.

My question, though was specifically on how to go about installing WinXP
from the installation CD. My two choices are
(a) start the computer and let it boot as normal from the C drive with my
original WinXP and then insert the 2nd WinXP installation CD into the DVD-ROM
drive and let it install from there

or

(b) Change my boot sequence so that my DVD-ROM drive boots before the C:
drive and insert my WinXP installation CD in the DVD-ROM drive and boot the
computer from there.

thanks again
 
I've only done it with b), but I think it doesn't matter
which way you do it - the running OS will be replaced
in memory with what's on the DVD in both cases. When
it's over, you'll have to re-boot to get a Windows OS
running again. Try it both ways - there's nothing wrong
with experimenting, as long as youv'e got your files
backed up. In this case, the penalty for the wrong
choice is neglibly small. In any event, you'll probably
be told what you're about to do before you do it, and
you can decide then to stop and reverse course if you
want.

*TimDaniels*
 
Can I install a second version of XP on the same drive and have a choice at
boot up of which one to use?

The reason I want to do this is that my SYSTEM registry file become
corrupted, but in the process of using Recovery Console I have ended up
without a SAM registry file, and now when asked for a password I am unable to
proceed with the recovery. (Actually, is there a default password in this
situation?).

I hope that I will be able to boot up in the second version of XP and sort
out the registry files in the original version, and then reboot into the
original version.

I don't want to lose any data that I have on C: or D: (two partitions on the
same drive), but if it so happens that the original XP installation becomes
unusable then I can put up with that.
 
Why not do a Repair Installation.....which should correct your System Reg
problems and not touch any of your programs/personal files.
Of course then you would need to reapply all of the updates.
peter
 
That's something I didn't know about.

However, is the method I proposed feasible and if so is it more foolproof
than a Repair Install? It worries me to overwrite files!

If installing a second XP is feasible, would it go on C: (where the original
\WINDOWS directory is situated) or would it go on D: (the same drive but
another partition). Or if either is possible, which is best?

Am I right in thinking that I will not change anything to do with the
original installation by installing another version?

I am trying to be particularly careful because I have got myself into this
mess by slavishly following some incomplete instructions. I have my brain
plugged in this time! All I need to be able to do is copy some missing
registry files into \Windows\System32\Config – the only one there at present
is SYSTEM.

It is annoying that the Recovery Console is asking for a password when none
exists any more! What answer can it expect me to give? There is no SAM file,
so I am deducing that there is no password. I am correct in saying this,
aren't I?
 
Hi Tim,

I checked with someone else and they recommended that I go with option B,
i.e. boot up from the WinXP CD and go with the install. Everything worked
out - I have a dual booting system with two WinXP's, each on their own hard
drive!

While I suspect that it would work fine either way (i.e., booting up with
the C: WinXp first) I don't have the time or energy to fix whatever might go
wrong!

cheers,
Saina77
 
Saina77 said:
with option B, i.e. boot up from the WinXP CD and go
with the install. Everything worked out - I have a dual booting
system with two WinXP's, each on their own hard drive!
Click to expand...

I'm glad to hear that it worked out for you.

*TimDaniels*
 
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