Dual Boot windows vista ultimate 64

[Desisuperman]

I own a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate 64 & here is what i'm trying to do.

I have two seperate HD's in one PC. I would like to install a seperate copy of windows on to each hard drive. Reason being, I want to dedicate the one hard drive for Home Theater PC use so I can use a seperate set of drivers for that purpose only.

Is this possible? I have installed vista 64 on both hard drives but it seems no matter where i boot from it loads the same copy of windows

thanks in advance for the assistance

 

[Billb2]

All computers, in order to be able to locate their operating systems among other things, read a snipet of code from the first sector of the Boot disk. That code is put there by every operating system during installation.

If you think about it, that's the only way it can work, otherwise, how would the "computer" know what to run to start the OS?

When you do a subsequent install that code on that first sector of the boot disk is modified in such a way that you then get a menu, on boot up, that lets you choose which of the installed OSs you want to boot.

So, theoretically, you can not "separate" OSs, no matter where you actually install their files and folders. That's the way MS intended it to work. If you remove the "Boot drive" that contains the boot code the system will not boot either OS.

You can get around this by disconnecting the original hard disk and leaving a second one installed and then installind an OS to that second drive. Then you will have two separate OSs installed, each on a separate drive, and each with their own boot code. But then you'll have to enter the BIOS and reset which drive is the "Boot drive" whenever you want to change OSs (in order the the boot code you need is read from the drive you want to boot). There are a few other neusances that result from this kind of setup too.

You also seem to be assuming that the "computer" somehow loads drivers. No so. The OS loads the drivers. So each installed OS can, and does, load it's own drivers.

So......
Install the first OS, set it up however you want, than install the second OS and set it up however you want.
You'll get a menu at every boot up allowing you to choose which OS to load. The only caveat is that you have to install each OS's files and folders to separate drives or partitions, since you can't have two folders with the same name (Windows, Program Files, Documents and Settings, etc.) on the same drive/partition.

And you can install two copies of any MS OS, from the same install disk, onto one computer, using the same key and they will both authenticate and validate.

 

[Desisuperman]

thanks for the reply

I just did a fresh install of windows vista and I did exactly what you said. I installed one operation system on one hard drive , then after that i went ahead and installed the second. But no matter what i do in the bios it always loads my c:\ and doesnt give me an option in the boot menu to load the operating system on my other hard drive

I'm prepared to a fresh install on both HD's. If I take this route what approach should i take to ensure I get this right from the getgo. My goal is to have all my programs installed on to my C:\ and dedicate my D:\ to use as a Home Theater PC. I want nothing installed on my D:\ other than what is needed to run a HTPC to eliminate any driver or software conflicts.

thanks again

 

[Rifter]

You need a bootloader, i use Grub as it came with linux mint 6, i use it to boot my OS's which are currently Vista home basic 64bit, windows 7 beta , mint 6 64bit. I would assume it would work fine for your situation but have not tried it with only multiple MS OS's installed. even if grub doesnt work google bootloaders im sure someone has made one for MS OS's.

edited for spelling.

 

[dmh1167]

I have used and love" vista boot pro" its good for what i've been using it for windows XP PRO 32 bit, and Vista Ultimate 64 bit, It has tools for fixing boot issues in windows OS so boot to somthing install Vista boot pro and start reading and tweaking . Hope this helps.

Oh, and Im not sure using the same OS twice with same product code on one machine fly's with Micro Crash, Hope you get by with it havent tried it myself.