Multiple XP Installations

Alright, so when I built this PC, I installed XP on a brand new 80 Gb harddrive. That's great, I took my old 40 GB out and haven't used it since. But, now that SP1 draws near, I'd like to install my old 40 again and put Vista on it.

So, my question is thus: Since the XP installation is set for my old PC, will it ***** over my current Windows installation as soon as I boot up? Is there any way that I can make my PC recognize that I want to boot from my present Windows installation and only want to access the other as a normal drive?

Would I have to format it right away? Would I have to put my windows disc in before hand so that after i've installed it, it boots right into the disc so I can reformat it?

Or can I (preferably) be spared formatting the drive at all so that I can still access the files on it while retaining my present XP installation?

Thanks in advance,

Brad.

 

It won't change the system boot if you hook the old drive back as a slave. You'll have access to the files on it or you may format it as you wish.

The boot.ini file on the first primary drive determines which partition is booted and that won't change in your case.

 

Okay, just to make sure, I have 80 Gb set as component, so I hook the 40 up as a slave and it will work?

Thanks a bunch,

Brad.

 

Yes, 80 gig master and 40 gig slave, assuming you have the 80 gig jumpered as master now. I also assume that the 40 was jumpered as a master previously and that you will attend to changing it to slave as needed.

If the 40 gig doesn't get recognized at first, check your BIOS settings to ensure that it's set to Auto-detect the added drive.

 

So I can't slave the 40 and keep the 80 composite?

 

Yes, the 40 gig should work in any mode other than master. If you have 80-cond. data cable, then start with it set for Cable Select (CS) and if no go, then set for slave.

No need to change the 80 gig jumper at all.

 

Great, thanks a lot man.

 

Alright, here's the deal. I presently have:

An 80 GB SATA HD set on CS. It's on it's own, nothing else connected to its cable.

A 160 GB IDE HD set on CS and positioned on the slave connector of the ribbon.

DVD Burner, IDe set as Cs and in the master position on the same connector as the 160.

Now, I want to add another DVD ROM and the aforementioned 40 Gb HD, both are IDE. The problem is, my ribbon wont reach between the HD and the DVD, so I can't set them as master and slave with the cable.

So, is there any way that I can connect them both individually, without the 40 GB being selected as the default windows installation?

Would it automatically become master? Or would I just set the jumper to slave and plug it in on its own?

Thanks again in advance.