Dual booting with two HDDs

[cheesetoast]

I would like to know if it is possible to dual boot windows 7 and windows xp x64 from two separate hard drives. if it is possible are there any specific steps to be taken !!

 

[corkyg]

Easily done with mobile racks. I have done it for years. You decide which drive to boot from by turning one off and the other on.

The tabs marked 1 and 2 cover key switches. I actually have three of these for a hardware triple boot. Win 7, Vista, and XP.

 

[Homerboy]

Easily done with mobile racks. I have done it for years. You decide which drive to boot from by turning one off and the other on.

The tabs marked 1 and 2 cover key switches. I actually have three of these for a hardware triple boot. Win 7, Vista, and XP.

yeap.
Though I have to laugh, how many times have you used that image here now Corky?

 

[corkyg]

Many times - that's because related questions keep getting asked.

 

[xCxStylex]

^ Those pictures are cool. ^__^

 

[greyeyezz]

Don't need mobile racks, just install XP first, 7 will configure bootloader.

 

[corkyg]

Don't need mobile racks, just install XP first, 7 will configure bootloader.

On a separate HDD?

 

[lxskllr]

corkyg's idea works as a low tech choice also. Disconnect one drive, install the O/S(doesn't matter which), then unplug that drive and install the other O/S. Plug them both up, and use BIOS boot order to select which O/S you want to boot. Keep the default drive on the O/S you use most. That way you don't have to do anything special to boot to it.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Could also try EasyBCD if you want to use the actual bootloader. As others have mentioned, it's probably best to unplug the opposite drive during each OS install.

 

[stlcardinals]

Or you could do a true multi-boot, not having to unplug hard drives or swap any out.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

 

[greyeyezz]

On a separate HDD?

Yes I'm triple booting across 2 drives.

 

[corkyg]

Yes I'm triple booting across 2 drives.

Very good! Personally, I always prefer hardware to software solutions, but you seem to have it worked out. What I would like resurrected (Newegg once had them) would be simple power switches on a 5.25-in case panel that would allow an easy power on/off selection of internal HDDs. The data lines would remain connected.

Anyway . . . good job!

 

[ftajeffrey]

I install each OS seperatly on each hard drive then use BIOS, once I reconnect all or both, to choose which I want to use. However, BSD is a good choice.

 

[thedosbox]

corkyg's idea works as a low tech choice also. Disconnect one drive, install the O/S(doesn't matter which), then unplug that drive and install the other O/S. Plug them both up, and use BIOS boot order to select which O/S you want to boot. Keep the default drive on the O/S you use most. That way you don't have to do anything special to boot to it.

This is the technique I use. Just hit F8 on the BIOS screen whenever I want to boot from the other drive. No additional hardware or software needed.

 

[greyeyezz]

Windows will add its own boot loader for your OS's. You don't need to hit f8 or use the bios.

 

[thedosbox]

Windows will add its own boot loader for your OS's. You don't need to hit f8 or use the bios.

The advantage of using F8/BIOS is that the two drives are truly independent. You can reformat one drive and install a new OS without affecting the other.