Is this possible? (Booting related)

[Refreshment]

Greetings everyone:

This has been in my mind from quite some time. Now that my PC is having problems, took the time to ask.

I have 2 Hard Disks. Lets say i plug Hard Disk 1 (HD1) on and install Operative System 1 (OS1) normally. Now, i unplug HD1 and plug HD2. Procede to install second OS2, normally.

Now i plug the 2 Hard Disks. I press the F8 key (i think) to bring the boot up menu and select wish drive and OS i want to boot from.

So is this possible?

I know modern OS feature multi boot options but i want to do it this way, if its possible, even tough it might be a bit of a hassle the need to select a drive with every start up.

Have a good day.

 

[corkyg]

Do it more elegantly with mobile racks - one for each drive, or one rack with 2 trays, one for each OS.

Samples: http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-Swap-Aluminum-SATA-Mobile/dp/B0007LBMLS

 

[Refreshment]

Do it more elegantly with mobile racks - one for each drive, or one rack with 2 trays, one for each OS.

Samples: http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-Swap-Al.../dp/B0007LBMLS

Hold on a second. Since i dont understand it right.

After each drive has the OS they will be always plugged. What i will have to do, i asume, is always select from which drive to boot up. Since OS1 wont know about the existance of OS2 and viceversqa.

 

[jamesmcuk]

you cant do that as OS2 is not in the MBR of the Primary Boot device. You would have to do this at BIOS level and choose the boot device there. Some BIOS allow you to press an F-Key and choose the boot device on each start up.

 

[Refreshment]

you cant do that as OS2 is not in the MBR of the Primary Boot device. You would have to do this at BIOS level and choose the boot device there. Some BIOS allow you to press an F-Key and choose the boot device on each start up.

Thats where i wanted to get.

I think that when i press F8 key it prompts me a boot up selection withouth entering the BIOS menu directly.

So i could get away with it? I mean instaling the 2 OS´s in each hard disk independently and then using the F8 key to select which OS to boot.

 

[jamesmcuk]

yeah thats no problem I have done that b4 and its no different to having a bootable CD in a CD Drive but not booting from it.

 

[Refreshment]

yeah thats no problem I have done that b4 and its no different to having a bootable CD in a CD Drive but not booting from it.

Nice... Thanks for the advice james.

 

[corkyg]

Hold on a second. Since i dont understand it right.

After each drive has the OS they will be always plugged. What i will have to do, i asume, is always select from which drive to boot up. Since OS1 wont know about the existance of OS2 and viceversqa.

It is a simple hardware key switch on the mobile rack. If you have two, you can turn 'em both on if you want. Best with 1 on. Or, with one rack, you simply swap tray mounted drives and turn the key switch.

 

[ManyBeers]

Greetings everyone:

This has been in my mind from quite some time. Now that my PC is having problems, took the time to ask.

I have 2 Hard Disks. Lets say i plug Hard Disk 1 (HD1) on and install Operative System 1 (OS1) normally. Now, i unplug HD1 and plug HD2. Procede to install second OS2, normally.

Now i plug the 2 Hard Disks. I press the F8 key (i think) to bring the boot up menu and select wish drive and OS i want to boot from.

So is this possible?

I know modern OS feature multi boot options but i want to do it this way, if its possible, even tough it might be a bit of a hassle the need to select a drive with every start up.

Have a good day.

Yes. This exactly what I do on my desktop to boot both Windows7 and Ubuntu 10.04
Win7 is on the oem drive and Ubuntu is on a Western Digital I added. I hit F10 (Gateway GM5470E) at boot to select which drive to boot.