Using 2 HD's to run pc, to boot

muldrick · 01-11-2005, 04:41 PM

I have 1 desktop pc, I want to use 2 harddrives, each with WinXP on them. (1 for me and 1 for my kid)
Can I set up the BIOS to ask me which HD to boot from?
I want my stuff to be completely seperate, kind of like having 2 pc's. Is this possible? How?

old_lou · 01-11-2005, 05:12 PM

on some new M.boards you can choose the booting device in the boot screen. If your worried about your child trashing the pc why not put a removable caddy in then only one disk at a time is in the machine? and he/she can't even get to your drive

kiltjim · 01-11-2005, 05:18 PM

I know that in my extremely limited playing with Linux, with certain distros you can boot into Windows or Linux, and a loader makes you make the decision before you boot. I don't know if its possible to do it on an entirely Windows system though. And for the life of me, I can't remember the name of the loader that is used.

old_lou · 01-11-2005, 05:27 PM

The loader is called lilo and you can proberly use it for just windows if you originally load a small linux partition so it replaces the MBR with the bootloader then edit lilo to load the two versions of windows but it will take a bit of fiddling. How about VM Ware? will that do it

alti · 01-11-2005, 05:36 PM

If you install two copies of XP one on each drive windows will automoatically bring up its own boot loader right after post and ask which OS you want to boot with. Files under user profiles will not be avilible to the other OS's users unless you go through alot of effor t to set it up that way.

jcdillin · 01-11-2005, 07:00 PM

actually if you install windows XP onto the first drive then install it again on the 2nd drive it should put both entries into the boot.ini so then when you start the computer it will give you a screen asking you which install you want to boot to. then you could just name them you and your kid. so then you would have two seperate copies of windows. Or you could just go with something like Bootmagic which does the same thing as lilo. just no linux involved.

muldrick · 01-11-2005, 08:11 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jcdillin

actually if you install windows XP onto the first drive then install it again on the 2nd drive it should put both entries into the boot.ini so then when you start the computer it will give you a screen asking you which install you want to boot to. then you could just name them you and your kid. so then you would have two seperate copies of windows. Or you could just go with something like Bootmagic which does the same thing as lilo. just no linux involved.

I like this answer the best

I'm now using the 1st drive. So I could: open the pc, disconnect this current drive, hook up the other drive, install XP. Then hook up both drives, then when it boots it'll ask me what drive to use?

frodobaggins · 01-11-2005, 08:16 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by muldrick

I like this answer the best

I'm now using the 1st drive. So I could: open the pc, disconnect this current drive, hook up the other drive, install XP. Then hook up both drives, then when it boots it'll ask me what drive to use?

Not exactly.

Install XP on drive one. Then install it on drive two.
Leave them both connected.

jcdillin · 01-11-2005, 08:21 PM

yeah frodo is correct, you could try taking the current drive that has windows installed on it and install it as a secondary drive then install the 2nd blank drive as primary then just install windows on the blank drive and see if it gives you both options in boot.ini

Scouse Monkey · 01-11-2005, 09:01 PM

You clould jsut have both in the PC but put a key switch on that switches power between the two drives. that way when your kid uses it your drive is not even turned on so can't come to any harm and to use your drive you just put the key in and switch power to the drives. could do it with 2 caddies and turn one off but they are ugly.

muldrick · 01-11-2005, 09:57 PM

Thanks, I like Scouse's key idea too. I only wouldn't want the key turned until it was shut down correctly.
Maybe I should just get another pc

tj!2k4 · 01-11-2005, 10:48 PM

Or you could use an OS selector software such as System Commander, which will also let you password protect "your" WinXP installation so your kid can't "accidentally" boot to it..

gospeed.racer · 01-12-2005, 12:59 AM

I saw a unit at Frys once that had 3 or 4 buttons on the front, and each was mated to a hard drive. You choose one, and turn on the system. Cant seem to find it anywhere to show you.

Alternately, pretty much as said above...if you took 2 of the hard drive swap units, and hooked them both up as cable select....give yourself one key and your son the other. When one is "locked" it turns on, and the other is still off (and able to be undocked). It would seem to be very simple, cheap, and unless you get 2 keyed alike, foolproof.

Scouse Monkey · 01-12-2005, 06:08 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by muldrick

Thanks, I like Scouse's key idea too. I only wouldn't want the key turned until it was shut down correctly.
Maybe I should just get another pc

yeah i was thinking why not jsut get yourself a new Uber-computer

Or you could modify the switch circuit by adding a multipole relay controlled by the switch.

Switch in KID position - your kids drive has power.
Switch in DAD position - relay switches over to power your drive and ALSO powers itself. That way even if your turn the switch to KID position when the PC is on the relay won't flick over until the ATX PSU has shut down. Easy as pie!

Relay needs to switch Red, Yellow and itself in a parallel coil power supply (parallel in respect to the DAD/KID switch)

old_lou · 01-12-2005, 04:29 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Scouse Monkey

yeah i was thinking why not jsut get yourself a new Uber-computer

Or you could modify the switch circuit by adding a multipole relay controlled by the switch.

Switch in KID position - your kids drive has power.
Switch in DAD position - relay switches over to power your drive and ALSO powers itself. That way even if your turn the switch to KID position when the PC is on the relay won't flick over until the ATX PSU has shut down. Easy as pie!

Relay needs to switch Red, Yellow and itself in a parallel coil power supply (parallel in respect to the DAD/KID switch)

Something like this?
leaving out the second switch makes it as Scouse recomends