Dual Boot - 2 drives

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Hi I am considering adding a second hard drive to my system to enable a dual OS system

Currently a win 32 vista ultimate on drive 1

I want to add and make drive 2 a windows ultimate win 64 system -

However when I boot I want the option of which OS to load - w/o having to switch cables or reset the bios everytime etc

Any help appreciated or links to articles
 
VistaBootPRO

http://www.vistabootpro.org/

Free too

I know when i had xp and any vista (got ultimate retail so both flavours in both flavours lol) the boot options would come in with vista's Own boot Manager

But i used vistabootpro as it's easy to use n change OS names etc etc

Hope that helps

Ciao

Def
 
imo, the best way to do this..

plug in only drive 1, install XP

remove drive 1, plug in only dirve 2, install Vista

plug both drives in, and use the bios boot selection to choose which one you boot into, most bios's have a hotkey, like F10 or F11 or ESC that lets you choose which one you wish to use

if you use the windows bootloaded, it's a pain to remove one drive and have to mess around with the boot files
 
VistaBootPRO

http://www.vistabootpro.org/

Free too

I know when i had xp and any vista (got ultimate retail so both flavours in both flavours lol) the boot options would come in with vista's Own boot Manager

But i used vistabootpro as it's easy to use n change OS names etc etc

Hope that helps

Ciao

Def

Maybe me being thick - which hard drive does the software need to be installed on ?? - Both ??

Bearing i mind it will be 2 hard drives and a vista 32 on one and vista 64 on t'other
 
Hiya,

Ok, When i did xp n vista, I did xp then did vista and added vistabootpro to vista

So whatever OS (Drive) you have as 2nd install the vistabootpro on that

Though i have never tried 2 vista's but as far as i can figure the config should work just like any other 2hd dualboot setups

So install vista x64 as per boot from cd/dvd then when all updated etc install vistabootpro and let it find other OS etc and go from there (sometimes i've found it may take a few reboots for the vistabootpro to find other OS)

Hope that helps

Ciao

Def
 
redhandmanc

all i read was the title, then said the best way to do it without future problems. doesn't matter if it's macos and windows 95, the idea is the same
 
Hiya,

Ok, When i did xp n vista, I did xp then did vista and added vistabootpro to vista

So whatever OS (Drive) you have as 2nd install the vistabootpro on that

Though i have never tried 2 vista's but as far as i can figure the config should work just like any other 2hd dualboot setups

So install vista x64 as per boot from cd/dvd then when all updated etc install vistabootpro and let it find other OS etc and go from there (sometimes i've found it may take a few reboots for the vistabootpro to find other OS)

Hope that helps

Ciao

Def

It does thanks
 
Tell us how you get on ;)

May get a mate to do the same so he can try x64 to decide if he likes it (he don't listen so's the type that has to try lol)

Ciao

Def
 
Actually - I decided I am going to replace the HD and install 64bit on it-

Just going to keep the old with the 32 on it in case of emergency !!

Dont see the point of the dual system TBH
 
imo, the best way to do this..

plug in only drive 1, install XP

remove drive 1, plug in only dirve 2, install Vista

plug both drives in, and use the bios boot selection to choose which one you boot into, most bios's have a hotkey, like F10 or F11 or ESC that lets you choose which one you wish to use

if you use the windows bootloaded, it's a pain to remove one drive and have to mess around with the boot files

Bledd - Hi

Just thinking out loud - If I unplug the current drive with my current os (my C Drive) then pug in the new one and install the new o/s - wont vista name that drive "C" as well - so when I pug both in I have 2 "C" Drive

:o
 
Couldnt have been simpler...........


Installed Vista x64 onto new drive (didn't unplug the 1st drive), the install process saw the 1st instance of Vista and added the x64 version to the boot loader.

Only minor problem (I hope) is that the boot loader gives 2 choices, unfortunately both are the same – looking to change that
 
Bledd - Hi

Just thinking out loud - If I unplug the current drive with my current os (my C Drive) then pug in the new one and install the new o/s - wont vista name that drive "C" as well - so when I pug both in I have 2 "C" Drive

:o

when you plug both in, whichever you choose to boot from will be C:

the other drive will appear as E: or upwards (unless you change it in diskmgmt.msc) -assuming you have 1x dvd drive

the windows/boot files will be untouched on the 'other' windows drive

i still think this is the best way
 
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