Trying to better understand multiple boot SSD interaction

[Caveman]

SSD 1 = 2 partitions: 140GB for Win 7 OS and programs, and 85 GB for files

SSD 2 = 1 partition: 240GB for 2nd Win 7 installation and programs/files/etc...

When I boot into SSD 2, I'm assuming I'll see partitions on SSD 1 and vice-versa. What happens if I'm booted into SSD 2 Win 7 and then access one of the partitions on SSD 1? Is this akin to just accessing a file on a flash drive or something or is there something deeper/more dangerous here that I'm not understanding. Please help ASAP... Online right now waiting for anyone that can help...

 

[Caveman]

11 views and 0 replies. Must be a difficult question...

 

[Elixer]

Each partition is (usually)assigned a letter that you can access in explorer.
So, they can be thought of as a new drive.
For example, C: is (usually) boot partition, D: is next partition (or drive), then E: and so on...

Some partitions will not get a letter assigned to them, but that is a different story.

 

[Caveman]

I had weird behavior in both drives that made me reformat and reinstall... Boot option 1 into SSD1 was what I used... Boot Option 2 was SSD 2 that my kids use for games... Wondering if they didn't inadvertently get into SSD1 (from the SSD2 Win & install) and corrupt some files or something... :|

 

[Elixer]

I had weird behavior in both drives that made me reformat and reinstall... Boot option 1 into SSD1 was what I used... Boot Option 2 was SSD 2 that my kids use for games... Wondering if they didn't inadvertently get into SSD1 (from the SSD2 Win & install) and corrupt some files or something... :|

If you are asking, is it possible that they got into files (or a virus or...) and screwed with files on the other drive, then yes.
Having multi-boot doesn't mean that the system only sees 1 drive at a time, it just means what boot device it will use.
The other drive is still visible unless you disable it.

 

[Caveman]

What happens If I were to open a spreadsheet and save it to SSD 2, then open the spreadsheet on SSD 1... Could any bad things happen?

 

[ArisVer]

SSD 1 = 2 partitions: 140GB for Win 7 OS and programs, and 85 GB for files

SSD 2 = 1 partition: 240GB for 2nd Win 7 installation and programs/files/etc...

When you boot from (assuming no DVDs):

SSD1. C : is your SSD1 Windows 7 installation, D : should be your second partition on SSD1, E : your SSD2 Windows 7 partition

SSD2. C : is your SSD2 Windows 7 installation, D : your SSD1 Windows 7 installation, E : your SSD1 second partition

What you can do for safety. Boot into SSD2, go in Computer Management, Disk Management, right click on your SSD1 first partition, and remove the drive letter. Now your first partition on SSD1 will not be seen from the SSD2 Windows installation (basically your kids installation, for safety in case they overwrite or mess in any way with your SSD1 OS). Repeat the procedure for the second partition if you don't share it.

You might be seeing the recovery/EFI partition(s) of the other SSD, if they are assigned a drive letter by Windows. Repeat that procedure for those partitions.


Edit. In case you want to share files and you do not want to share a partition use an online cloud service.

 

[Caveman]

Thanks for the help, guys!

I did not know I could "hide" the drives from my kids... That is exactly what I want to do: make SSD1 stuff invisible to them when they are booted into SSD2. BUT... I still want to be able to read/write from the SSD 2 partition if necessary.

I also want to be able to be on their SSD 2 partition and be able to write back to my SSD 1 in an emergency or something...

I assume that "Remove" the drive letter and "Disable" the drive letter in computer management mean the same thing... I still want to be able to resurrect SSD 1 partitions once in a Blue Moon on their SSD2 install, but for day to day use, I want the SSD1 partitions hidden.

One thing that surprised me is that Windows NEVER prompted me with any dual boot choices when I installed Win 7 on SSD 2. I would have thought it would have asked me at that point if I wanted to have 2 separate boots... Now, to boot into SSD2, I have to switch the boot order in the Bios. WHY DOESN'T IT PROMPT ME WITH A BOOT LOADER MENU, so I can choose which install of Win 7 to use?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I had experimented with multiple WIN OS installations sometime between Win NT and Win XP. I didn't have any substantive problems with it that I remember, but I didn't like the re-arrangement of drive letters and some of the features described here.

There is an alternative solution though: if you could purchase a hot-swap bay and caddy device specifically for 2.5" drive devices, you could simply swap out one drive for the other and put the second caddy out of the reach from small hands.

 

[ArisVer]

What you can do is reassign a drive letter for the partition you want to write back to. It might be annoying but it's the only way I can think of. Actually, I would hide SSD1 partitions from SSD2 and leave the SSD2 partition shown in your SSD1.

As far as going in the BIOS to change the boot order there is not much you can do. Apparently you did the second installation with the first SSD removed, which is better since Windows sometimes chooses a different disk for the boot files. So unless you have a choice at BIOS startup (I have on my old computer) your only choice is going inside the BIOS setup to change the boot order which is time wasting. There is a program called EasyBCD http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/ from which you can change the boot order from within Windows but I haven't used it to know how good it is.

 

[KingFatty]

For one-time changes to boot order, you might have a quick-key you can press during bootup, which simply brings up a "boot device" menu (for when you want to boot off USB or CD etc.).

I can use that menu to choose whether I boot off my primary drive (SSD) or my secondary drive (HDD). It's much faster than going into BIOS and rearranging them, but the next time I boot it will use the primary device unless I invoke that boot menu again.

 

[Elixer]

IMO, when you 'remove' (which does disable that partition in question in explorer), it is just as easy to 'add' it back.
I would make them *user* accounts, so they don't have access to admin abilities to add it back.
That means they would have to ask you each time they install things on the machine though.

 

[Caveman]

So... The big question is: Why did my machine not automatically give me a dual boot screen option? Someone above touched on it I think when they said I must have had my other SSD1 out of the machine when I installed Win 7 on the SSd2... Actually, I did not take the SSD1 out of the Laptop, but I did change the boot order so that I booted from the Win disk and had the SSD2 as the "next" drive in the boot me order... That must have made Windows default to the SSD2 drive and see it as a "standalone" disk...

WHAT IF I DO THIS:

1) Reformat SSD2

2) Make boot order Win 7 DVD, followed by SSD1

3) Boot up into SSD1 and then pop the Win 7 install disk and install onto the SSD2 (from within SSD1).

I'd think at that point, Windows should "know" to give me a boot loader option each time the machine is started... So I can choose to boot into Win 7 on SSD1 or Win 7 on SSD2...

Will this work?

 

[Caveman]

bump

 

[ArisVer]

Actually, I did not take the SSD1 out of the Laptop, but I did change the boot order so that I booted from the Win disk and had the SSD2 as the "next" drive in the boot me order... That must have made Windows default to the SSD2 drive and see it as a "standalone" disk...

This never came across my mind and I will try it on my next build.

About the program I wrote above, I have seen it mentioned in these forums a few times.

You confused me at steps 2 and 3. First you set the boot order to DVD and then you boot into SSD1?
What I think you should do. Set the boot order to SSD1. Copy the Windows 7 installation files onto your SSD (or mount the ISO image, maybe you need to extract it). Run setup.exe and of course install on SSD2. You should be presented with a dual boot option when the installation finishes (if someone verifies this it will be good).
I think this is what you are saying as well, but getting the files from the DVD. And you can format SSD2 at the beginning of the installation, no need to pre-format it.

 

[Caveman]

Yes, ArisVer I think you are understanding what I may not have said quite right... Bottom line is that I install Win 7 for SSD2 while inside SSD1... Just reinstall over SSD2 from a "different door" so to speak...