Re: Booting to another OS on a Separate HDD

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"W. eWatson" <notvalid2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:hMqel.14429$YU2.5251@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If I want to create a removable (tray or USB drive) HDD to another OS,
how do I do that with my XP machine? Further how do I boot from one to
the other?
--
W. eWatson

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Lil' Dave wrote...
Depends on your bios, any onboard interface, any add-on card interface
capabilities for true booting from a hard drive other than the onboard
hard drive you normally boot from. Its all hardware and bios capability
related.

Capability of an OS within the hardware you have on your PC is another
matter in itself. Description as an "XP machine" is a very broad term.
An unknown OS booting from that is not known possible based on that data
of an unknown OS and a broad spectrum of hardware that XP can operated
on.

Boot managers that use software manipulation to select the bootable
device and/or bootable partition are another matter entirely. And, in
the discussion of that within this thread, does not address your
question at all.


Terry R. wrote:
Hi Dave,

Other than WW figuring out his "removable drive" issue, why does
suggesting a boot manager not address his question? I have separate
drives with 5 OS's on them and use a boot manager. Works perfectly.


Terry R.


"W. eWatson" <notvalid2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uvJel.9472$pr6.3867@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Let me give a few more details. I have a removable tray that I can use. My
interest is putting Linux on it. I have vague memories that if I wanted to
install, say, Win98 (I don't!!) on the removable the install process would
ask me what HDD I want it on. The same may be true of Linux. I don't see
how BIOS comes into play here.

--
W. eWatson


W. eWatson...
First of all let me say I'm quite unfamiliar with the Linux OS having worked
with it only a very few times in the past. I don't think my lack of
familiarity with that OS matters re my following comments but I wanted to
mention this just in case it would have some impact on your situation.

Using a mobile rack to house a removable HDD would seem to me an excellent
idea in your objective of creating a simple & straightforward process to
boot to different OSs. But I'm not entirely clear as to the precise hardware
configuration you have in mind.

First of all you mention a "removable (tray or USB drive) HDD". These are
quite different types of configurations. I'm going to assume that you would
be considering a removable HDD contained in a mobile rack that's affixed to
a vacant 5 1/4" bay on your desktop machine. I don't think you want to set
up the kind of dual-booting system you have in mind using a USB external HDD
(if that's what you meant when you referred to a "USB drive").

The system considers a removable HDD as an *internal* HDD. I'm assuming you
would be working with two HDDs - an internally-installed HDD and the
removable HDD. On one of those HDDs would be installed the XP OS; on the
other HDD the Linux OS. So that you could easily boot to whatever OS you
want. And the OSs would be physically/electronically separated from each
other.

Alternatively, you could use a removable HDD and have two separate trays
(caddies) one being used to house the XP OS, the other housing the Linux OS.

If you want I could provide you with more details re this type of hardware
configuration, however, before doing so you should provide more details re
the kind of system you'll be working with.

Are these PATA or SATA HDDs?
I assume there's an internally-mounted HDD in your present system, right?
And you do have a vacant 5 1/4" bay to house the mobile rack, yes?

I trust I haven't misunderstood your objective.
Anna



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