Dual Boot... Kind of

[Laztlain]

Noob Question -
I have an older 40GB HD with Win 2000 as the OS. I just bought a new 80GB HD that I am going to install Win XP on. Will I be able to slave the old Win 2000 HD and copy files from it while booting into XP as the Master Drive? I am not sure if I need dual booting software when the OS's are on different physical drives?

Thanks!!

 

[nutxo]

You can install xp onto antother partition and it should give boot options for both I think. Or you coud do it your way.

 

[doan]

safest way is to install XP on your new drive set as master with the old drive not plugged in. Then install the old drive as slave. Make sure bios is set to boot off the first drive. Then when you boot it should boot off the new drive then you can copy stuff from the old drive.

If you install XP with both drives plugged in, you run the risk of the MBR being written to the wrong one.

 

[Lovehandles]

Originally posted by: Laztlain
Noob Question -
I have an older 40GB HD with Win 2000 as the OS. I just bought a new 80GB HD that I am going to install Win XP on. Will I be able to slave the old Win 2000 HD and copy files from it while booting into XP as the Master Drive? I am not sure if I need dual booting software when the OS's are on different physical drives?

General rule of thumb for this is to install the older OS first. In your case, since you already have W2K up and running, it's a simple matter of installing XP onto the 2nd HDD.

• You should boot up to W2K Pro normally as you would

• Insert the XP CD and you'll get a message saying Windows has detected an OS - would you like to upgrade? Make sure you click 'No' so you can do a full install onto the 2nd drive.

• At some point in the installation steps you'll see a menu giving you 3 buttons/options. One of them will say 'Advanced'.

• Click on 'Advanced' option and you'll see a checkbox that says "I want to choose the partition for the XP installation". Make sure you check that box.

• Let the installation do it thing - and when you reboot the system, you'll probably see what looks like a BSOD.

• If your new/spare drive is installed properly, it will list all the partitions & drives installed on your system.

• This is where can choose which drive to install XP on.

You don't need any special software, the dual-boot menu is created automatically when you follow these steps.

 

[CalvinHobbs]

Originally posted by: Lovehandles

Originally posted by: Laztlain
Noob Question -
I have an older 40GB HD with Win 2000 as the OS. I just bought a new 80GB HD that I am going to install Win XP on. Will I be able to slave the old Win 2000 HD and copy files from it while booting into XP as the Master Drive? I am not sure if I need dual booting software when the OS's are on different physical drives?

General rule of thumb for this is to install the older OS first. In your case, since you already have W2K up and running, it's a simple matter of installing XP onto the 2nd HDD.

• You should boot up to W2K Pro normally as you would

• Insert the XP CD and you'll get a message saying Windows has detected an OS - would you like to upgrade? Make sure you click 'No' so you can do a full install onto the 2nd drive.

:thumbsup:

• At some point in the installation steps you'll see a menu giving you 3 buttons/options. One of them will say 'Advanced'.

• Click on 'Advanced' option and you'll see a checkbox that says "I want to choose the partition for the XP installation". Make sure you check that box.

• Let the installation do it thing - and when you reboot the system, you'll probably see what looks like a BSOD.

• If your new/spare drive is installed properly, it will list all the partitions & drives installed on your system.

• This is where can choose which drive to install XP on.

You don't need any special software, the dual-boot menu is created automatically when you follow these steps.

 

[Lemodular]

Do you want to dual boot or not? If you do, do as described above if you dont do as described below:

Originally posted by: doan
safest way is to install XP on your new drive set as master with the old drive not plugged in. Then install the old drive as slave. Make sure bios is set to boot off the first drive. Then when you boot it should boot off the new drive then you can copy stuff from the old drive.

If you install XP with both drives plugged in, you run the risk of the MBR being written to the wrong one.

 

[tiap]

Originally posted by: Laztlain
Noob Question -
I have an older 40GB HD with Win 2000 as the OS. I just bought a new 80GB HD that I am going to install Win XP on. Will I be able to slave the old Win 2000 HD and copy files from it while booting into XP as the Master Drive? I am not sure if I need dual booting software when the OS's are on different physical drives?

Thanks!!

The answer to your question is YES
and
NO you do not need to dual boot.
Follow doan's instructions