Multibooting with existing installs

[Dadofamunky]

I have an overclocked Core II system running Windows XP 64-bit. I'd like to keep this installation (though I'll eventually deep-six it for Win7 pretty soon) as a boot option on Drive C. I also have a Windows XP 32-bit install that has run like a champ for almost 4 years on a Socket 939 system in my sig. I've just disk-cloned it and moved that cloned disk over to my newer system as another drive.

My question: Can I set up a boot manager so that I can select this Win XP 32-bit drive to boot from as a choice alongside the XP 64-bit? I know I could simply plug it in as my C: drive, but that's not the plan.

What's the best utility to do this? (Preferably free)

 

[sourceninja]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022

 

[Scotteq]

For later, if/when you get Win 7 as you mentioned in your post:

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

 

[RebateMonger]

If you are saying you now have two bootable hard drives on the PC, I just use the motherboard's BIOS boot menu to select which OS I want to boot from. Pretty much every motherboard has a boot menu that can be brought up during boot. In Dells, it's F12. My Foxconn boards allow a menu to pop up for several seconds during the boot process where I can select which disk to boot.

 

[JackMDS]

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721886%28WS.10).aspx#BKMK_bcdedit

http://lifehacker.com/5403070/easybcd-makes-tweaking-your-windows-bootloader-a-snap

.

 

[SimMike2]

I also recommend separate hard drives and using the BIOS to choose between the two. With this scenario, the OS can remain pretty much independent from each other. If there is already an OS installed on one hard drive, and I want to install another on the other drive, I totally disconnect the first drive and proceed with the install. This way there is zero chance the other install will mess with the secondary install.

I don't really like to use boot-loaders to toggle between installs. If something happens to your primary drive, where the boot loader is installed, it is sometimes a big hassle getting the secondary OS to start.

 

[RebateMonger]

I don't really like to use boot-loaders to toggle between installs. If something happens to your primary drive, where the boot loader is installed, it is sometimes a big hassle getting the secondary OS to start.

That's why I don't use them. I'm not smart enough to figure out boot loaders and I see too many issues on these Forums where folks can't get their dual OS machine to boot. BIOS-level boots are a sure thing and easy for me to comprehend.

 

[JackMDS]

That's why I don't use them.

Same here, while I play around when a new OS comes out with double boot (in order to understand what others are doing, and why so poorly they facing it) in my working systems I do Not use it.

Currently I have Windows 7 on my Desktop with XP, Vista, and Win 2000 riding as Virtual computers.

I have Mobile Racks on all my desktops, and I keep old Installation on their original drive.

If the Virtual is not suitable for what I need to do with the old OS, it takes few minutes to boot down change the mobile tray, and reboot.

I am a busy man and spending a minute or two while knowing for sure that it going to work, is preferable on spending hours to save a minute or two. :hmm:

 

[Dadofamunky]

thanks for all the helpful replies guys! Never thought of that BIOS option. I'm off to try that now.