Another Windows install (different drive) without affecting the existing one?

[thewhat]

I have:
HDD 1 - Windows 7 installed
HDD 2 - I'd like to install Windows 8 here

If I just do that, it will modify the boot sector (or whatever it's called) on HDD 1 and I'll get a dual boot option.
I don't want that. I want two completely independent installations on two drives and I'll use the motherboard's boot menu to switch between them.

Is the only way to prevent that to unplug HDD 1 during the installation to HDD 2 or is there some other way?

 

[ViRGE]

Is the only way to prevent that to unplug HDD 1 during the installation to HDD 2 or is there some other way?

That's generally the only way, and certainly the easiest.

 

[Ferzerp]

I do this, but in a slightly different way. My laptop has two drives, and I password protect each with different passwords. On boot, I only unlock the one that I want to use. This adds time to the boot process, but maintains the isolation I need for what I'm doing with it.

 

[corkyg]

I use a hardware selector switch to boot from drive A or B. Another way is to use a SATA trayless mobile rack and swap drives. I have always preferred hardware solutions to software ones - keeps things neat and clean that way. I put in this drive selector switch on this machine:

On my other machine I use a Vantec EZ Swap 4 Satarack:

Hardware solutions keep everything discreet - no cross corruption.

 

[Ferzerp]

Now do that in a laptop like I do 😉

 

[corkyg]

Now do that in a laptop like I do 😉

I do that in my laptop (T510 Thhinkpad) easily - just swap the HDDs.

Alternatively, I can put a different OS drive in the Ultrabay adapter, and hit F12 on boot to select the boot drive. I prefer to just swap disks - SSD1 with SSD2 and vice-versa.

 

[Ferzerp]

I do that in my laptop (T510 Thhinkpad) easily - just swap the HDDs.



Alternatively, I can put a different OS drive in the Ultrabay adapter, and hit F12 on boot to select the boot drive. I prefer to just swap disks - SSD1 with SSD2 and vice-versa.

I hear ya. I used to do that (and have seen many others do the same thing). The advent of the dual SSD laptop has been great for me though. It lets me have a clean, domain installation for connecting to corporate networks, and then an isolated, goof off installation for movies/games/whatever in a hotel room.

The only thing I didn't like about the drive swap method was relying on the HD connector to secure the drive in the bay (or taking the time to unscrew the caddy each swap)

 

[JackMDS]

It might be that you can use EasyBCD for this purpose to build a Boot selection at the bootup of one default drive.



😎

 

[SimMike2]

I have:
HDD 1 - Windows 7 installed
HDD 2 - I'd like to install Windows 8 here

If I just do that, it will modify the boot sector (or whatever it's called) on HDD 1 and I'll get a dual boot option.
I don't want that. I want two completely independent installations on two drives and I'll use the motherboard's boot menu to switch between them.

Is the only way to prevent that to unplug HDD 1 during the installation to HDD 2 or is there some other way?

You make is sound like a huge inconvenience to unplug one drive while you install to the other one. In fact it is simple and easy and there is absolutely zero ability for the install to mess with a drive that isn't even connected.

 

[corkyg]

The only thing I didn't like about the drive swap method was relying on the HD connector to secure the drive in the bay (or taking the time to unscrew the caddy each swap)

I have about 5 caddies - plenty of spares. So, my drive swap is simple - flip the dude over, deal with one captive screw, open the door, pull out one drive and pop in the other. All pre-caddied as shown in the photo, complete with Lenovo rubber rails. 🙂

 

[lopri]

Definitely do it the way you described. Dual-booting is a remnant of the past when HDD space was scarce and expensive. With the prices and capacities of SSD/HDD, there is no reason to fiddle with boot loaders. And in the past MS did everything it could to prevent users from going portable, but with the rise of virtualization, MS had no choice but to give in to it. (See: Windows-to-go) You can simply plug in an OS as needed.

If performance or 3D games matter, then yeah go with an internal SSD. But my real preference would be a virtual machine.

 

[thewhat]

You make is sound like a huge inconvenience to unplug one drive while you install to the other one.

Not a huge inconvenience, but an inconvenience nevertheless. Especially if I'm doing this many times. But no big deal, I guess I'll unplug it.

It's just.. by 2012 I'd expect the Windows installer to give me the option to do this (at least with a "hidden" setting). Instead, it doesn't even warn me that it will modify the boot sector of another drive. So there, a little rant.