Re: Swapping HDs in Computer that Have the Same Windows Partition Setups

From: Alex Nichol (alexn.mvpdts_at_ntlworld.delete.com)
Date: 12/04/04 

Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 13:54:48 +0000

Sam wrote:

>
>Would the above work with having two HDs with the same windows XP Pro and
>applicable software? Would the computer BIOS be confused by seeing the
>change of two different HDs that have almost the same system programs? Any
>thoughts, suggestions, and help would be very much appreciated, Sam.

That would work; provided you remember that the second drive would need
the MBR code added to it. But the copy made on the second drive would
need its boot.ini file amended so it was referring to the correct
(absolute) location of the drive, in the disk(n)rdisk(m)partitition(x)
bit, or it will complacently complete the boot - from the *first* drive.
And then the registry's HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Mounted Devices would
need to have the DOSDevices lines cleared out and allowed to rebuild

I think you might find it confusing yourself having both systems
visible. What I would (and do - though I have both partitions on the
primary physical disk) is use an external Boot Manager to boot either
system and hide the other. Boot Magic, which you may have got along
with your ex-Partition Magic software would do it. I actually use
BootIT NG, from http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware - 30 day full
functional trial) - which also does all my Partition management.
That one has the benefit that you can not merely hide the partition you
are not using, but also adjust the order in which the partitions appear
(being on the same disk) so that both see themselves as partition(1) on
booting and hence those other possible confusions do not arise 

-- 
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K.  Alexn@mvps.D8E8L.org (remove the D8 bit)

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