Two Hard disk activated seperately on one system

[Suresh Lohar]

Hi,

Few days back my hard disk as I thoght crash, was not.
I buy a new one, installed xp with other product id and activated.
Later I came to know that old disk which I thought crash was not
so, actually it was a hardware problem. RAM stick were mismatch.

now I have two hard disk and both loaded with activated xp seperately on
same system.
To use both at the same time.. can I have dual boot..right now
I am using BIOS to boot any one of HD

Please help me...

 

[DL]

I believe you would need a third party utility

 

[Suresh Lohar]

What is third party utility..please tell me more .

 

[John R Weiss]

Few days back my hard disk as I thoght crash, was not.
I buy a new one, installed xp with other product id and activated.
Later I came to know that old disk which I thought crash was not
so, actually it was a hardware problem. RAM stick were mismatch.

now I have two hard disk and both loaded with activated xp seperately on same
system.
To use both at the same time.. can I have dual boot..right now
I am using BIOS to boot any one of HD

Dual-boot with 2 identical operating systems will be nothing but headaches!
Decide which HD you want as your boot drive, and set it up. Then copy any data
you need from the other drive, delete the partition on it, and re-partition
and reformat it. Use it as a pagefile, data, and/or backup drive.

 

[Georges Jullien]

Hi,

Few days back my hard disk as I thoght crash, was not.
I buy a new one, installed xp with other product id and activated.
Later I came to know that old disk which I thought crash was not
so, actually it was a hardware problem. RAM stick were mismatch.

now I have two hard disk and both loaded with activated xp seperately on
same system.
To use both at the same time.. can I have dual boot..right now
I am using BIOS to boot any one of HD

Please help me...

------------------------------------------------

It is possible to dual boot your two systems if you add one line in the file
boot.ini

If XP is installed in the first partition of your two drives the two
C:\boot.ini are probably the same :

[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 "
/fastdetect /noexecute=optin

This means that the system of the partition 1 of the disk number 0 will
boot (the boot disk has always the number 0 for XP).


For a dual boot, if you choose in the bios to boot on the old drive the
boot.ini of the old drive must be:

[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 old
drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP new
drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

This means that if we boot on the old drive a menu will appear. If we choose
the fist line we boot on the system of the disk 0 : old drive (the boot disk
is the old drive in this case). If we choose the second line we boot on the
system of the other drive (the new : rdisk(1) ), if we do nothing we boot on
the system of the old drive

It is possible also to choose to boot on the new drive (both modifications
are compatible)
the boot.ini of the new drive will be:

[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 new
drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP old
drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

This means that if we boot on the new drive a menu......symmetric
comments......
It is the same boot.ini (except the names of the systems proposed in the
menu (now the boot drive 0 is the new drive)

It is very useful to have two systems. If a system fails. it is possible to
replace it by a copy of the other system. But there are some traps to avoid
see http://perso.numericable.fr/gjullien/copy_xp.htm

Best encouragements
Georges Jullien

 

[Suresh Lohar]

the boot.ini of the new drive will be:

[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 new
drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP old
drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

This means that if we boot on the new drive a menu......symmetric
comments......
It is the same boot.ini (except the names of the systems proposed in the
menu (now the boot drive 0 is the new drive)

Mr George Sir
I want to boot with new HD ok
new hd has C & D
E & F is my CD ROM drives
old hd has three partition G H I
so in this case what should correctly I have to write in msconfig
boot.ini while editing in place of new drive/old drive

My new drive shows as below:
[Boot Loader]
timeout=30
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional"/
fastdetect/NoExecute=optin

My old drive shows as below:
[Boot Loader]
timeout=30
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional"/
fastdetect/NoExecute=optin
C:\="Microsoft Windows 98"

In this case how I must edit if I use a new HD as master or Old HD as Master
Old hd has win 98 also as dual boot.
thanx

 

[Georges Jullien]

the boot.ini of the new drive will be:

[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 new
drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP old
drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

This means that if we boot on the new drive a menu......symmetric
comments......
It is the same boot.ini (except the names of the systems proposed in the
menu (now the boot drive 0 is the new drive)

Mr George Sir
I want to boot with new HD ok
new hd has C & D
E & F is my CD ROM drives
old hd has three partition G H I
so in this case what should correctly I have to write in msconfig
boot.ini while editing in place of new drive/old drive

My new drive shows as below:
[Boot Loader]
timeout=30
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional"/
fastdetect/NoExecute=optin

My old drive shows as below:
[Boot Loader]
timeout=30
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional"/
fastdetect/NoExecute=optin
C:\="Microsoft Windows 98"

In this case how I must edit if I use a new HD as master or Old HD as
Master
Old hd has win 98 also as dual boot.
thanx

-----------------------------------------
Suresh Lohar

It is important to know the disk (0 or 1 or 2 or...) and the partition (1 or
2 or ....) for each system to boot.
There are no partition letters in a boot.ini. (except for the C:\ of the
legacy win98)
You can replace the words "new drive" or "old drive" by anything. All the
expressions in quote " " like ="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" appear
in the menu and can be replaced by anything.
The new (or old) disk can be master or slave no importance. In this boot.ini
the boot disk has the number 0, the other the number 1.

It is useful to learn the purpose of the Boot.ini file in Windows XP at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314081/en-us


I give you two examples of boot.ini but I am not sure that they operate
correctly
You can edit the file boot.ini with notepad
Before to do a modification save the content of the boot.ini file. If you
cannot boot it is easy to rectify because you can boot on your other drive
So try to experiment by yourself. (but be sure to know how to edit a file,
change attribute, copy, rename...)

Example 1 You want to boot on the new drive.
I don't know how to boot the Win98 of the old drive from the new drive.
To boot the windows XP of the old drive from the new drive you could try:

[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 new drive"
/fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP old drive"
/fastdetect /noexecute=optin


Example 2 If you choose in the bios to boot on the old drive you could try
in the old drive:

[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 old drive"/ fastdetect/NoExecute=optin
C:\="Microsoft Windows 98"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional new drive" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin


Again my best encouragements
Georges Jullien

 

[Suresh Lohar]

Georges Sir.

to the best of my knowledge I hope the thing should work. I will give up
win98
like to boot with new drive but:

In any case, if things doesnot happen correct.. then how can I be able to
reedit boot.ini file to get previous status.

As u mention I can boot from old HD through BIOS ok..
but Please let me know when I edit boot.ini as per your suggestion,
if not works..and I want to go back to same stage..

I shall be highly oblige to hear from you.
Thanx

 

[Georges Jullien]

Georges Sir.

to the best of my knowledge I hope the thing should work. I will give up
win98
like to boot with new drive but:

In any case, if things doesnot happen correct.. then how can I be able to
reedit boot.ini file to get previous status.

As u mention I can boot from old HD through BIOS ok..
but Please let me know when I edit boot.ini as per your suggestion,
if not works..and I want to go back to same stage..

I shall be highly oblige to hear from you.
Thanx

---------------------------

Suresh Lohar

I hope that the two exemples that I have given in
(e-mail address removed)... will operate as follow :
If you boot on the new drive you can choose to start any of your two XP (but
I don't know how to start your win98)
If you boot on your old drive then you can choose to start any of your three
systems.

To backup and to edit the boot.ini file see :

How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022/en-us

If you want to go back, replace the new boot.ini with its backup. If you
cannot boot, boot on the other disk on the other XP to replace the
boot.ini.

Georges Jullien

 

[Suresh Lohar]

Mr Georges Sir,

Thank you very very much.
It works nicely. I didn't face any problem.
I use with old hd and win98 also working.
thank you very much once again.

with regards

Suresh Lohar
Jodhpur
India

 

[Georges Jullien]

Mr Georges Sir,

Thank you very very much.
It works nicely. I didn't face any problem.
I use with old hd and win98 also working.
thank you very much once again.

with regards

Suresh Lohar
Jodhpur
India

-----------------------------------

Suresh Lohar

Congratulations.
You are now an expert on triple boot and dual drive .
Regards
Georges Jullien
Nice (not so famous as your Jodhpur)
France

 

[Suresh Lohar]

Thanks once again for admiring Jodhpur.
Hope u once visit here.

with regards

Suresh