Windows Vista Dual Boot [Vista] - using seperate Hard Drives

I am going to try to get on a beta for Vista but have a question:

I don't want to have a dual boot set up only on my main hard drive (2x raptors in a SATA raid array), instead want to install Vista on another (standard IDE) hard drive. I was wondering if I could do this and simply control which operating system boots by changing the boot priority of the hard drives? If I can do this are there potential problems ahead?

If I am way off base here - happy to be laughed out of the forum.

TiA
SIlver

 

Hello silverwork,

I dual boot two XP's on seperate HD's, that's how I did it. With XP, the XP install creates a boot menu.

I personally don't have experience with Vista. Look at this thread - someone dual booting with Vista.

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=50955&highlight=vista

I've added to your title to make clear its a Vista question and moved your thread to the Vista section.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Silver, if you mean changing the boot order in the bios then yes your idea will work with the latest beta 2 of Vista. I tested doing just that at the weekend, because my usual method of emulating the bios change with a bootmanager would not work. I don’t know why yet.

I would recommend disconnecting your SATA drives while installing Vista. I haven’t had time yet to explore if the new build will try to include OSes from a second hard drive to a dual/multiboot setup, or if it will make any changes to found OSes during it’s install. XP never did but Vista uses a completely new method of booting and you never know.

I’d also suggest turning off System Restore in Vista before you reconnect the SATA drives. Vista will write System Restore files to the XP drive/s and I’m guessing to the same folder as XP’s System Restore backup files. Probably unlikely this will cause any problems as I’m sure Microsoft will have planned for dual booting with XP, however Vista is still in Beta, so I’d say better safe than sorry – or am I just being to cautious?

 

Greayt - many thanks for the replies. Glad to see I am thinking on the right lines

Now I simply need to get on a Vista beta.

 

Hi,

1st post.

I am interesting in dual booting as well. I will be using 2 hdds. Is the bios boot order thing still working for you silverwork?

I am worried about what I am reading with Vista changing or messing up an XP install.

Can anyone recommend a better way of using 2 separate drives for this?

I suppose I could leave the side of my case open and swap cables.... But for every boot, I dont really want to do that.....

Can I boot from my external USB 2.0 drive?

 

Hello jer and welcome,

As far as I know, booting from an external drive depends on the BIOS that has the option. That is in a BIOS that's no older than a year or so. I can't do that, mine is 4 years old.

Regards - Charles

 

the motherboards bios?

 

Hi jer,

Yes, usually on a ROM chip.

Regards - Charles

 

I'm a little late to the party here. I am interested in the Vista Beta.

I dont want to undo my xp install.

I can use a separate drive (and would like to) instead of partitioning.

What method of dual/multi booting would you recommend for trying out vista? I'm reading elswhere that you cant load vista from an external hdd.....

Are you doing a dual boot charles?

 

Hi jer,

I am wih two XP's on two internal hard drives.

Have no experience personally with Vista so can't address your concerns.

Your idea of booting off a second HD would be the best solution, if you can do it.

The problem here is that Vista is too new, no widespread experience. If you would be asking about daul booting XP, you'd get a lot answers

Another possibilty would be to use Virtual PC, or something like it.

Regards - Charles

 

Thank you Charles.

 

I think I will put in one of those drive bays that lets you swap hdds.

Seems like the least amount of headache. My xp drive and vista drive will not be in the machine at the same time that way.

 

Hi Pete,

I think you run VirtualPC. Is that feasable or does VirtualPC have to be updated for Vista?

Regards - Charles

 

Ok, thanks Pete.

 

Charles,

I would guess you could run Vista in VirtualPC, but because of the hardware emulation Vista would probably have to run in 'basic mode' (no Aero). I'll be curious to see if Microsoft updates VPC so it will run Vista w/Aero, it would probably be a new version and not just an update.

B