Dual Boot defaulting to first drive? [Archive]

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webtek

03-01-2005, 10:01 PM

Hey Guys. I was wondering, I have two drives in my pc....I would like to set up a dual Boot (both XP) yet have it default to my first drive or C: (Family stuff, kids,wife) and I would have to select my drive D: (Me). Is it possible. or do I have to dual boot off of one drive.
Thanks
Rich

BipolarBill

03-02-2005, 06:43 AM

It's best to boot from one drive, but that means having to reinstall the second OS. You could try using a 3rd-party boot manager like XOSL or BootItNG:

http://www.ranish.com/part/xosl.htm

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html

r8500

03-02-2005, 08:34 AM

Not that I am saying this is how it should be done Bill, but couldn't he also edit the boot.ini file for the second instance, and point it to the second drive?

BipolarBill

03-02-2005, 09:10 AM

I don't know - I never tried it. Do you have any experience with that?

webtek

03-02-2005, 11:05 AM

No I don't have any experience with it.

I guess I'll just set up our own profiles.

Thanks guys.

Rich

r8500

03-02-2005, 01:51 PM

I have some experience modifying the boot.ini file, but with a normal user, I am not comfortable trying to tell them how to do this for fear it will blow it up, and they won't know how to get back in. It was more of a general question to the computer god :) :p

Midknyte

03-02-2005, 02:16 PM

you can install to a second hdd. that's no problem. after that you can create a boot floppy with a custom boot.ini to boot from the second drive. this is similar to what you would do if you had a mirror set and wanted to boot to the second drive if the primary died. that way, your family doesn't even know about your install.

setting up profiles is easier, though. :rolleyes:

rangeral

03-02-2005, 05:45 PM

Not sure if I got ya but when you open the boot.ini file you can cut the line with the drive you want to go to first and paste it as the first line or OS you want to boot into first on the boot menu and save. I usually move the the order of OS's, recovery console and safe mode options on the menu around from time to time.

Sterling_Aug

03-02-2005, 06:54 PM

Or if the BIOS of the PC supports it, you can have two drives each with an OS installed and configured like they are BOTH the C: drive then switch the bootable hard drive in the BIOS and disable the second drive. I have tried this and it works fine.