How to dual boot twoWin XPs from 2 separate hard drives?

[Aanand]

Hello all!

I am wondering if anyone can help with this question...

I would like to install Windows XP onto two hard drives in the same computer. How can both of the 2 xps be brought up in the start-up menu when starting the computer so that I can switch between them?

Can this be done?? and how would I go about doing this??

 

[sms_solver]

I have two XPs in two partitions of same drive.

the solutin for your problem might come be editing the boot.ini file.

you will see rdisk(0) somewhere in boot.ini file. you will need to add entry like ...rdisk(1)/... something is boot.ini file of booting hard disk.

 

[popper1987]

i think this can be done (BUT TRY THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK)


you know there is a boot.ini file on your hard disk if you install winxp

NOW listen ,let us say you want to boot up hard disk 1 (HD1) as primary
and hard disk 2(HD2) as slave .just install ony hd1 and boot up winxp
Go to START -> Run and type "C:\boot.ini"(without the quotes) you will see
few lines like these
=================================================
[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" /fastdetect
===============================================
now add a line at the end at
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Home edition" /fastdetect

now your boot.ini will look like this
===============================================
[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" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Home edition" /fastdetect
===============================================

SAVE YOUR SETTINGS ,SHUT DOWN AND ADD THE HD2 ,AND REBOOT.

i think it will work for you.

post me if it works :roll:

 

[theraven]

you still have to install right ?
they will be automatically dual booted afaik

 

[Aanand]

Thank you guys!
I installed successfully.
I gave two names for the 2 xps in the boot.ini file
The way popper1987 told was working.
In the start up screen we can choose between the OS we want.
Thanks Popper, Theraven!