dual hard drives running win xp

[Guest tonya]

I have two computers I want to "combine".

One is the kids computer, one is mine, I want to move my hard drive to

the kids computer so that we can share the CPU, but when i want to use

my hard drive I can boot from it, and when the kids are doing their

thing, my hard drive won't be in use (or jeopardy!)

I thought I would run it externally, but it does not appear to be able

to boot that way. Is there a fairly simple way to do this?

 

 

--

tonya

[Guest Holz]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

On Mon, 7 Apr 2008 05:49:41 +0000

tonya <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I have two computers I want to "combine".

> One is the kids computer, one is mine, I want to move my hard drive to

> the kids computer so that we can share the CPU, but when i want to use

> my hard drive I can boot from it, and when the kids are doing their

> thing, my hard drive won't be in use (or jeopardy!)

> I thought I would run it externally, but it does not appear to be able

> to boot that way. Is there a fairly simple way to do this?

 

There is no "easy" way to do so, although it is possible.

Rather than try to play with the boot process, would it be feasible to

just encrypt your drive?

 

--

Jerry McGuire: Help me, help you...

:-)

[Guest Rock]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

"tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote:

>

> I have two computers I want to "combine".

> One is the kids computer, one is mine, I want to move my hard drive to

> the kids computer so that we can share the CPU, but when i want to use

> my hard drive I can boot from it, and when the kids are doing their

> thing, my hard drive won't be in use (or jeopardy!)

> I thought I would run it externally, but it does not appear to be able

> to boot that way. Is there a fairly simple way to do this?

> --

> tonya

 

 

You can't just move a hard drive and have it work to boot. The installation

needs driver installed for the different computer. Also XP is not designed

to boot from an external drive in any event, unless it's SATA and connected

to an external SATA connector or IDE and connected to an external IDE on the

system board.

 

See this link for moving a hard drive to a different computer.

 

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

 

--

Rock [MS-MVP]

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

You would be better advised to use user accounts to share the computer. You

can then copy your files from the second hard drive to the "combined"

system. There is no need to dual boot.

 

"tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:tonya.37hfy1@no-mx.tabletquestions.com...

>

> I have two computers I want to "combine".

> One is the kids computer, one is mine, I want to move my hard drive to

> the kids computer so that we can share the CPU, but when i want to use

> my hard drive I can boot from it, and when the kids are doing their

> thing, my hard drive won't be in use (or jeopardy!)

> I thought I would run it externally, but it does not appear to be able

> to boot that way. Is there a fairly simple way to do this?

>

>

> --

> tonya

[Guest tonya]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

 

The comupter I want to use to combine the hard drives does not have a

large enough hard drive to transfer my hard drive to the other one. I

thought of doing that, as well as creating a partition and then doing

it, so as to keep the hard drives "seperate".

I work at home, and I don't want the kids on my hard drive "playing

around", but we are having to consolidate our computer space, so I

would really like to run these two machines in the same space, same

monitor, etc.

I have an external for storage already, I was just thinking if I could

hook my hard drive up someway, and just use it as if it were a combined

partitioned drive, or just be able to select which one to boot from,

then that would be the best option for me. I have seen where you can

run dual operating systems, so I thought maybe I could do this too. I

understand it would be a bit "involved" and not really "easy", but I am

just looking for the best way to do this and I may be way off trying to

dual boot...

thanks for all the input, I am reading the info you gave me, and would

appreciate whatever you can give me;

 

 

--

tonya

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

You can attach the old drive in the enclosure and use it as a data drive.

You cannot boot your computer from a usb connected drive but you can access

it as a data drive.

 

"tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:tonya.37i6rz@no-mx.tabletquestions.com...

>

> The comupter I want to use to combine the hard drives does not have a

> large enough hard drive to transfer my hard drive to the other one. I

> thought of doing that, as well as creating a partition and then doing

> it, so as to keep the hard drives "seperate".

> I work at home, and I don't want the kids on my hard drive "playing

> around", but we are having to consolidate our computer space, so I

> would really like to run these two machines in the same space, same

> monitor, etc.

> I have an external for storage already, I was just thinking if I could

> hook my hard drive up someway, and just use it as if it were a combined

> partitioned drive, or just be able to select which one to boot from,

> then that would be the best option for me. I have seen where you can

> run dual operating systems, so I thought maybe I could do this too. I

> understand it would be a bit "involved" and not really "easy", but I am

> just looking for the best way to do this and I may be way off trying to

> dual boot...

> thanks for all the input, I am reading the info you gave me, and would

> appreciate whatever you can give me;

>

>

> --

> tonya

[Guest Rock]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

"tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote

> The comupter I want to use to combine the hard drives does not have a

> large enough hard drive to transfer my hard drive to the other one. I

> thought of doing that, as well as creating a partition and then doing

> it, so as to keep the hard drives "seperate".

> I work at home, and I don't want the kids on my hard drive "playing

> around", but we are having to consolidate our computer space, so I

> would really like to run these two machines in the same space, same

> monitor, etc.

> I have an external for storage already, I was just thinking if I could

> hook my hard drive up someway, and just use it as if it were a combined

> partitioned drive, or just be able to select which one to boot from,

> then that would be the best option for me. I have seen where you can

> run dual operating systems, so I thought maybe I could do this too. I

> understand it would be a bit "involved" and not really "easy", but I am

> just looking for the best way to do this and I may be way off trying to

> dual boot...

> thanks for all the input, I am reading the info you gave me, and would

> appreciate whatever you can give me;

 

 

As I said before you cannot boot XP from an external hard drive. Establish

different user accounts, giving your kids a limited account and make yours

an administrator account. There is no additional security to having your

data in a separate bootable partition than user accounts. If the person has

physical access to the drive they can get to and damage the data if they so

wanted.

 

If it's just an issue of space, then get a larger hard drive.

 

--

Rock [MS-MVP]

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

Well, you can boot from an external SATA drive, but not from usb or

firewire.

 

"Rock" <Rock@nospam.net> wrote in message

news:%23c3zTKOmIHA.5660@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> "tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote

>

>> The comupter I want to use to combine the hard drives does not have a

>> large enough hard drive to transfer my hard drive to the other one. I

>> thought of doing that, as well as creating a partition and then doing

>> it, so as to keep the hard drives "seperate".

>> I work at home, and I don't want the kids on my hard drive "playing

>> around", but we are having to consolidate our computer space, so I

>> would really like to run these two machines in the same space, same

>> monitor, etc.

>> I have an external for storage already, I was just thinking if I could

>> hook my hard drive up someway, and just use it as if it were a combined

>> partitioned drive, or just be able to select which one to boot from,

>> then that would be the best option for me. I have seen where you can

>> run dual operating systems, so I thought maybe I could do this too. I

>> understand it would be a bit "involved" and not really "easy", but I am

>> just looking for the best way to do this and I may be way off trying to

>> dual boot...

>> thanks for all the input, I am reading the info you gave me, and would

>> appreciate whatever you can give me;

>

>

> As I said before you cannot boot XP from an external hard drive.

> Establish different user accounts, giving your kids a limited account and

> make yours an administrator account. There is no additional security to

> having your data in a separate bootable partition than user accounts. If

> the person has physical access to the drive they can get to and damage the

> data if they so wanted.

>

> If it's just an issue of space, then get a larger hard drive.

>

> --

> Rock [MS-MVP]

[Guest Rock]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

"Colin Barnhorst" <c.barnhorst@comcast.net> wrote in message

news:3C12A66D-A66A-47AB-9644-EE35C75F6BE2@microsoft.com...

> Well, you can boot from an external SATA drive, but not from usb or

> firewire.

>

> "Rock" <Rock@nospam.net> wrote in message

> news:%23c3zTKOmIHA.5660@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> "tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote

>>

>>> The comupter I want to use to combine the hard drives does not have a

>>> large enough hard drive to transfer my hard drive to the other one. I

>>> thought of doing that, as well as creating a partition and then doing

>>> it, so as to keep the hard drives "seperate".

>>> I work at home, and I don't want the kids on my hard drive "playing

>>> around", but we are having to consolidate our computer space, so I

>>> would really like to run these two machines in the same space, same

>>> monitor, etc.

>>> I have an external for storage already, I was just thinking if I could

>>> hook my hard drive up someway, and just use it as if it were a combined

>>> partitioned drive, or just be able to select which one to boot from,

>>> then that would be the best option for me. I have seen where you can

>>> run dual operating systems, so I thought maybe I could do this too. I

>>> understand it would be a bit "involved" and not really "easy", but I am

>>> just looking for the best way to do this and I may be way off trying to

>>> dual boot...

>>> thanks for all the input, I am reading the info you gave me, and would

>>> appreciate whatever you can give me;

>>

>>

>> As I said before you cannot boot XP from an external hard drive.

>> Establish different user accounts, giving your kids a limited account and

>> make yours an administrator account. There is no additional security to

>> having your data in a separate bootable partition than user accounts. If

>> the person has physical access to the drive they can get to and damage

>> the data if they so wanted.

>>

>> If it's just an issue of space, then get a larger hard drive.

 

 

I believe I said that in my original reply.

 

--

Rock [MS-MVP]

[Guest Rock]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

"tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:tonya.37i6rz@no-mx.tabletquestions.com...

>

> The comupter I want to use to combine the hard drives does not have a

> large enough hard drive to transfer my hard drive to the other one. I

> thought of doing that, as well as creating a partition and then doing

> it, so as to keep the hard drives "seperate".

> I work at home, and I don't want the kids on my hard drive "playing

> around", but we are having to consolidate our computer space, so I

> would really like to run these two machines in the same space, same

> monitor, etc.

> I have an external for storage already, I was just thinking if I could

> hook my hard drive up someway, and just use it as if it were a combined

> partitioned drive, or just be able to select which one to boot from,

> then that would be the best option for me. I have seen where you can

> run dual operating systems, so I thought maybe I could do this too. I

> understand it would be a bit "involved" and not really "easy", but I am

> just looking for the best way to do this and I may be way off trying to

> dual boot...

> thanks for all the input, I am reading the info you gave me, and would

> appreciate whatever you can give me;

> --

> tonya

 

 

Tonya there is another consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet. What

kind of installation of XP is it on the hard drive you want to move to the

different computer? If it's a retail license then fine, it can be moved,

but if it's an OEM license, such as a version installed by the computer

manufacturer when it was bought, that can't be moved to a new system. It is

tied to the computer it first come with.

 

--

Rock [MS-MVP]

[Guest Timothy Daniels]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

If you have a spare 5 1/2" drive bay in the desktop, you could

use a removable hard drive that is mounted on a slide-in tray.

These assemblies are sometimes called "drive caddies" or

"mobile racks". Here is an all-aluminum mobile rack made by

Kingwin that has a cooling fan built into the bottom of the tray:

http://kingwin.com/product_pages/kf101ipfb.asp

They cost about $25 from various web retailers (search Google

for the model no.). Extra trays cost between $15 and $20.

When you slide in a tray holding a hard drive that is the only

hard drive in the PC, that hard drive becomes the boot drive,

and the OS on it can't see any other drive so it can't alter

anything on the unseen and absent drive.

 

When you transfer the hard drive from your PC to the mobile

tray and slide it for its first bootup, you'll probably have to

re-activate the OS because it will see a new hardware environment.

You may also have to replace some of the drivers, such as for

the different mouse and other peripherals. That may be trivial

or a nightmare, depending on how different the new environment

is from the old one.

 

*TimDaniels*

 

"tonya" wrote:

>

> I have two computers I want to "combine".

> One is the kids computer, one is mine, I want to move my hard drive to

> the kids computer so that we can share the CPU, but when i want to use

> my hard drive I can boot from it, and when the kids are doing their

> thing, my hard drive won't be in use (or jeopardy!)

> I thought I would run it externally, but it does not appear to be able

> to boot that way. Is there a fairly simple way to do this?

>

>

> --

> tonya

[Guest 3c273]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

As an alternative you may want to look into a KVM switch. Then you can use

one keyboard, mouse, and monitor with two computers.

Louis

 

"tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:tonya.37hfy1@no-mx.tabletquestions.com...

>

> I have two computers I want to "combine".

> One is the kids computer, one is mine, I want to move my hard drive to

> the kids computer so that we can share the CPU, but when i want to use

> my hard drive I can boot from it, and when the kids are doing their

> thing, my hard drive won't be in use (or jeopardy!)

> I thought I would run it externally, but it does not appear to be able

> to boot that way. Is there a fairly simple way to do this?

>

>

> --

> tonya

[Guest MedRxman]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

Yes, that can be done. Once the first XP is in place, boot from your XP-CD

and install XP again on the second HD. For Microsoft this will look like a

re-install (as far as I know), so you won't have any issues with

(re-)registering, as it is the same PC.

The second install will insert an extra entry in your boot.ini file on the

first HD, thus causing a Start-menu to show up when you switch the PC on.

With Notepad you can change the entry-names, such as "Win-XP for Mom" and

"Win-XP for Dad".

They will have 30 seconds to make up their mind which XP to start.

The disadvantage of doing this is, that you will have to install all other

programs, such as Office, a second time as well. If you don't mind that,

they will never be able to mess up the other's XP, once both are installed.

 

"tonya" <tonyacozart@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:tonya.37hfy1@no-mx.tabletquestions.com...

>

> I have two computers I want to "combine".

> One is the kids computer, one is mine, I want to move my hard drive to

> the kids computer so that we can share the CPU, but when i want to use

> my hard drive I can boot from it, and when the kids are doing their

> thing, my hard drive won't be in use (or jeopardy!)

> I thought I would run it externally, but it does not appear to be able

> to boot that way. Is there a fairly simple way to do this?

>

>

> --

> tonya

[Guest Timothy Daniels]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

"MedRxman" [....]you will have to install all other

> programs, such as Office, a second time as well. If you don't mind that, they

> will never be able to mess up the other's XP, once both are installed.

 

 

Not totally. They will still have access to the other's partition,

and if a virus gets loose (or curious fingers get loose) on one partition,

all partitions may be corrupted (or peeked at).

 

*TimDaniels*

[Guest rena03sb]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

 

I have a similar issue, except I dont care about 'hiding' my drive for

protection... i just want to boot one HD with XP and the other with

Vista (if possible). As to not thread-jack; see thread here:

http://tinyurl.com/4z6ym9

 

 

--

rena03sb

[Guest Timothy Daniels]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

The most minimal (using the least software) method to dual-boot

using 2 HDs is to install each OS separately to its own HD

(without the presence of the other HD). Then, with both HDs

connected, merely select which HD gets boot control by setting

their boot sequence (i.e. priority) in the BIOS. Later, if you want

to remove one or the other OS, simply remove its HD. Each OS

knows nothing about the other OS except that it sees other

partitions with data on them.

 

*TimDaniels*

 

"rena03sb" wrote:

>

> I have a similar issue, except I dont care about 'hiding' my drive for

> protection... i just want to boot one HD with XP and the other with

> Vista (if possible). As to not thread-jack; see thread here:

> http://tinyurl.com/4z6ym9

>

>

> --

> rena03sb

[Guest MedRxman]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

That would work but what a PAIN, Each time you would wand to use one HD or

the other, you would hab=ve to enter the BIOS setting.Or, am I missing

something?

 

"Timothy Daniels" <NoSpam@SpamMeNot.com> wrote in message

news:%23fHCAWw2IHA.1436@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> The most minimal (using the least software) method to dual-boot

> using 2 HDs is to install each OS separately to its own HD

> (without the presence of the other HD). Then, with both HDs

> connected, merely select which HD gets boot control by setting

> their boot sequence (i.e. priority) in the BIOS. Later, if you want

> to remove one or the other OS, simply remove its HD. Each OS

> knows nothing about the other OS except that it sees other

> partitions with data on them.

>

> *TimDaniels*

>

> "rena03sb" wrote:

>>

>> I have a similar issue, except I dont care about 'hiding' my drive for

>> protection... i just want to boot one HD with XP and the other with

>> Vista (if possible). As to not thread-jack; see thread here:

>> http://tinyurl.com/4z6ym9

>>

>>

>> --

>> rena03sb

>

>

[Guest Timothy Daniels]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

Only when you wanted to switch OSes would you have to enter

the BIOS. Otherwise, the same OS at last startup will boot. In

dual-booting by menu, you have to select the OS to boot

*everytime* you start up. Which is the pain?

 

*TimDaniels*

 

"MedRxman" wrote:

> That would work but what a PAIN, Each time you would wand to use

> one HD or the other, you would hab=ve to enter the BIOS setting.Or,

> am I missing something?

>

> "Timothy Daniels" wrote:

>> The most minimal (using the least software) method to dual-boot

>> using 2 HDs is to install each OS separately to its own HD

>> (without the presence of the other HD). Then, with both HDs

>> connected, merely select which HD gets boot control by setting

>> their boot sequence (i.e. priority) in the BIOS. Later, if you want

>> to remove one or the other OS, simply remove its HD. Each OS

>> knows nothing about the other OS except that it sees other

>> partitions with data on them.

>>

>> *TimDaniels*

>>

>> "rena03sb" wrote:

>>>

>>> I have a similar issue, except I dont care about 'hiding' my drive for

>>> protection... i just want to boot one HD with XP and the other with

>>> Vista (if possible). As to not thread-jack; see thread here:

>>> http://tinyurl.com/4z6ym9

>>>

>>>

>>> --

>>> rena03sb

>>

>>

>

>

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

Going in the BIOS is the pain, Tim.

 

John

 

Timothy Daniels wrote:

> Only when you wanted to switch OSes would you have to enter

> the BIOS. Otherwise, the same OS at last startup will boot. In

> dual-booting by menu, you have to select the OS to boot

> *everytime* you start up. Which is the pain?

>

> *TimDaniels*

>

> "MedRxman" wrote:

>

>>That would work but what a PAIN, Each time you would wand to use

>>one HD or the other, you would hab=ve to enter the BIOS setting.Or,

>>am I missing something?

>>

>>"Timothy Daniels" wrote:

>>

>>>The most minimal (using the least software) method to dual-boot

>>>using 2 HDs is to install each OS separately to its own HD

>>>(without the presence of the other HD). Then, with both HDs

>>>connected, merely select which HD gets boot control by setting

>>>their boot sequence (i.e. priority) in the BIOS. Later, if you want

>>>to remove one or the other OS, simply remove its HD. Each OS

>>>knows nothing about the other OS except that it sees other

>>>partitions with data on them.

>>>

>>>*TimDaniels*

>>>

>>>"rena03sb" wrote:

>>>

>>>>I have a similar issue, except I dont care about 'hiding' my drive for

>>>>protection... i just want to boot one HD with XP and the other with

>>>>Vista (if possible). As to not thread-jack; see thread here:

>>>>http://tinyurl.com/4z6ym9

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>--

>>>>rena03sb

>>>

>>>

>>

>

>

[Guest Bob I]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

Actually you don't have to, the one that you set as default starts

automatically.

 

Timothy Daniels wrote:

> Only when you wanted to switch OSes would you have to enter

> the BIOS. Otherwise, the same OS at last startup will boot. In

> dual-booting by menu, you have to select the OS to boot

> *everytime* you start up. Which is the pain?

>

> *TimDaniels*

>

> "MedRxman" wrote:

>

>>That would work but what a PAIN, Each time you would wand to use

>>one HD or the other, you would hab=ve to enter the BIOS setting.Or,

>>am I missing something?

>>

>>"Timothy Daniels" wrote:

>>

>>>The most minimal (using the least software) method to dual-boot

>>>using 2 HDs is to install each OS separately to its own HD

>>>(without the presence of the other HD). Then, with both HDs

>>>connected, merely select which HD gets boot control by setting

>>>their boot sequence (i.e. priority) in the BIOS. Later, if you want

>>>to remove one or the other OS, simply remove its HD. Each OS

>>>knows nothing about the other OS except that it sees other

>>>partitions with data on them.

>>>

>>>*TimDaniels*

>>>

>>>"rena03sb" wrote:

>>>

>>>>I have a similar issue, except I dont care about 'hiding' my drive for

>>>>protection... i just want to boot one HD with XP and the other with

>>>>Vista (if possible). As to not thread-jack; see thread here:

>>>>http://tinyurl.com/4z6ym9

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>--

>>>>rena03sb

>>>

>>>

>>

>

>

[Guest rena03sb]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

 

I don’t mind having to go into the BIOS. I only use the design programs

once in a while… a few times a year at most.

 

So right now, If I install that HD in my PC and it's 2nd or 3rd in the

boot order then Vista will start and that drive is accessible as

storage correct? And then if I change the boot order during next

start-up to have that HD boot first, XP will start and the Vista HD

will be seen as storage?

 

The last time my mobo failed I replaced the mobo and DIDN'T need my XP

install disc… it just started right up. Will I need the XP disc in the

case above to get it running with the new hardware? (I'm thinking I

might just have to get the proper drivers from the mobo and video card

OEM websites to get them working properly…)

 

 

--

rena03sb

[Guest Timothy Daniels]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

Yes, but the default OS starts up only after the timout period.

In my case, since I can choose from 7 or more OSes, the

timout period is 30 seconds.

 

*TimDaniels*

 

"Bob I" wrote:

> Actually you don't have to, the one that you set as default starts

> automatically.

>

> Timothy Daniels wrote:

>

>> Only when you wanted to switch OSes would you have to enter

>> the BIOS. Otherwise, the same OS at last startup will boot. In

>> dual-booting by menu, you have to select the OS to boot

>> *everytime* you start up. Which is the pain?

>>

>> *TimDaniels*

[Guest Timothy Daniels]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

"rena03sb" wrote:

>

> I don't mind having to go into the BIOS. I only use the design programs

> once in a while. a few times a year at most.

 

Don't forget to keep the software updated with security patches,

though. That includes the OS and any anti-virus utilities and

browsers and their plug-ins, etc.

 

> So right now, If I install that HD in my PC and it's 2nd or 3rd in the

> boot order then Vista will start and that drive is accessible as

> storage correct?

 

Correct.

 

> And then if I change the boot order during next start-up to have that

> HD boot first, XP will start and the Vista HD will be seen as storage?

 

Correct.

 

> The last time my mobo failed I replaced the mobo and DIDN'T need

> my XP install disc. it just started right up. Will I need the XP disc in

> the case above to get it running with the new hardware?

> (I'm thinking I might just have to get the proper drivers from the mobo

> and video card OEM websites to get them working properly.)

 

What is "it", as in "to get it running with the new hardware"? Do you

intend to change your mobo, or do you intend to just add the 2nd HD?

Adding or changing a HD does not trigger the need for reactivation

of XP. I do that repeatedly without needing to reactivate. Changing

a mobo usually does, although the accumulation of changes in your

recent case was apparently so low (and the new mobo was identical

to the previous one) that the substitution didn't trigger the need for

reactivation.

 

*TimDaniels*

[Guest Bob I]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

The "default" time-out is 30 seconds. Adjust to suit taste.

 

Timothy Daniels wrote:

> Yes, but the default OS starts up only after the timout period.

> In my case, since I can choose from 7 or more OSes, the

> timout period is 30 seconds.

>

> *TimDaniels*

>

> "Bob I" wrote:

>

>>Actually you don't have to, the one that you set as default starts

>>automatically.

>>

>>Timothy Daniels wrote:

>>

>>

>>>Only when you wanted to switch OSes would you have to enter

>>>the BIOS. Otherwise, the same OS at last startup will boot. In

>>>dual-booting by menu, you have to select the OS to boot

>>>*everytime* you start up. Which is the pain?

>>>

>>>*TimDaniels*

>

>

>

[Guest Timothy Daniels]

Re: dual hard drives running win xp

 

Puhleeez! If I can adjust the boot.ini file to accomodate more

than 7 OSes (10, actually), I can adjust the timeout value.

My timeout is 30 seconds because I *want* it to be 30 seconds.

Generally, the more OSes in the boot menu, the more timeout

one tends to give in order to have enough time to decide which

OS (which clone of the same OS, in my case) to boot up. But

if you don't mind sitting and twiddling your thumbs waiting for

the timeout to signal the loader to boot the default OS, go right

ahead. But if I had just 2 OSes, each on its own HD (or 3 or 4

OSes, each on its own HD), I'd just use the BIOS.

 

*TimDaniels*

 

"Bob I" wrote:

> The "default" time-out is 30 seconds. Adjust to suit taste.

>

> Timothy Daniels wrote:

>

>> Yes, but the default OS starts up only after the timout period.

>> In my case, since I can choose from 7 or more OSes, the

>> timout period is 30 seconds.

>>

>> *TimDaniels*

>>

>> "Bob I" wrote:

>>

>>>Actually you don't have to, the one that you set as default starts

>>>automatically.

>>>

>>>Timothy Daniels wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>>>Only when you wanted to switch OSes would you have to enter

>>>>the BIOS. Otherwise, the same OS at last startup will boot. In

>>>>dual-booting by menu, you have to select the OS to boot

>>>>*everytime* you start up. Which is the pain?

>>>>

>>>>*TimDaniels*

>>

>>

>>

>