Dual Boot XP Pro SP2 and 2 HDD

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Guest

I would like to be able to dual boot XP, by having it installed on 2
different HDD. One drive will be for my use and the other for my son. I would
like the drives to not be visible to each other. Another words when my son is
using the computer he can't see or access my HD and visa-versa.

I've tried using PM's Boot magic but just can't seem to make it work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Tyler said:
I would like to be able to dual boot XP, by having it installed on 2
different HDD. One drive will be for my use and the other for my son. I would
like the drives to not be visible to each other. Another words when my son is
using the computer he can't see or access my HD and visa-versa.

I've tried using PM's Boot magic but just can't seem to make it work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

You can do this easily with XOSL (which is free). However,
it needs either a dedicated 15 MByte partition on either disk,
or access to a FAT32 partition. It will let you hide/unhide any
partition selectively and you can protect your own installation
with a password. Disabling it and returning to a normal WinXP
boot is very easy.

Have a look at the web site and post again if you need more
advice. And a word of warning: It is best to play with XOSL
on a spare hard disk until you are comfortable with the
product. If you don't then you could easily wipe your
existing installations.
http://www.ranish.com/part/xosl.htm
 
Tyler said:
I would like to be able to dual boot XP, by having it installed on 2
different HDD. One drive will be for my use and the other for my
son. I would like the drives to not be visible to each other.
Another words when my son is using the computer he can't see
or access my HD and visa-versa.

I've tried using PM's Boot magic but just can't seem to make it work.
Click to expand...


There is also a way to do it with hardware:

Use a single "mobile rack" with 2 "mobile trays", such
as those made by Kingwin:
for IDE hard drives - http://kingwin.com/pdut_Cat.asp?CateID=25
http://kingwin.com/pdut_Cat.asp?CateID=35
for SATA hard drives - http://kingwin.com/pdut_Cat.asp?CateID=47
http://kingwin.com/pdut_Cat.asp?CateID=44

With such removable HDs, you can be absolutely assured
that your son's OS cannot "inspect" any part of your HD
because your HD will be somewhere else. And vice versa.

For SATA HDs, you can even use an external case if it has
the new eSATA connectors and you can just plug in your
external SATA HD when you want to use it.

*TimDaniels*
 
I would like to be able to dual boot XP, by having it installed on 2
different HDD. One drive will be for my use and the other for my son. I
would
like the drives to not be visible to each other. Another words when my son
is
using the computer he can't see or access my HD and visa-versa.

I've tried using PM's Boot magic but just can't seem to make it work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

FYI, though you may have already taken this into account, two XP licenses
are needed for this.
 
Why dont you save time and effort by having two different user areas, but
allowing Hard Disk one to be used by yourself, and Hard Disk two to be used
by your son?

if by Dual Booting you mean you want them both booted at the same time,
unless you have a high end PC then dont bother because it will crawl.
 
Another way you could do it is through permissions. If you use a third
party boot manager and if you install the operating systems completely
independent from one another, then you can use each operating systems
permisions controls and deny the users any rights to the other drive.
Of course you need to behave and have respect and consideration for the
other user, if one has administrative privileges and decides to break
the rules and "peak" at the other drive then this won't work.

John
 
Tyler said:
I would like to be able to dual boot XP, by having it installed on 2
different HDD. One drive will be for my use and the other for my son.
I would like the drives to not be visible to each other. Another
words when my son is using the computer he can't see or access my HD
and visa-versa.

I've tried using PM's Boot magic but just can't seem to make it work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...


You've already gotten several answers to your question, but let me make
another suggestion. Windows XP is a mutlti-user operating system, designed
to have several users and separate them from each other, restricting access
of one users files to himself, and so on. Have you looked into these
facilities to see if they meet your needs? If they do, it would be a much
simpler and cheaper solution.
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
You can do this easily with XOSL (which is free). However,
it needs either a dedicated 15 MByte partition on either disk,
or access to a FAT32 partition. It will let you hide/unhide any
partition selectively and you can protect your own installation
with a password. Disabling it and returning to a normal WinXP
boot is very easy.

Have a look at the web site and post again if you need more
advice. And a word of warning: It is best to play with XOSL
on a spare hard disk until you are comfortable with the
product. If you don't then you could easily wipe your
existing installations.
http://www.ranish.com/part/xosl.htm
Click to expand...

I was unable to XOSL to install.
Just gave me a message saying error.
This is what I am attempting to do now.
1.) Install XP on the second HDD. Make sure it functions correctly.
2.) Remove that HDD from the system.
3.) Install XP on the first HDD, allowing the first 30MB partition for Boot
Magic.
4.) I will then put the second HDD into the system.
5.) Install PM8 and Boot Magic.
Hopefully this will work.

Thanks for the help.

Tyler
 
"Pegasus (MVP)"wrote
Why would he need two licences?
Click to expand...

If it's two different installations each one requires it's own license, even
though only one is run at a time.
 
Rock said:
"Pegasus (MVP)"wrote


If it's two different installations each one requires it's own license, even
though only one is run at a time.
Click to expand...

Here is what the EULA for WinXP Home says:

"Installation and use. You may install, use, access, display and run one
copy of the Software on a single computer, such as a workstation, terminal
or other device ("Workstation Computer"). The Software may not be used by
more than one processor at any one time on any single Workstation Computer."

I am unable to see any restriction about installing the product
more than once on the one PC. What do you base your
interpretation on?
 
Here is what the EULA for WinXP Home says:

"Installation and use. You may install, use, access, display and run one
copy of the Software on a single computer, such as a workstation, terminal
or other device ("Workstation Computer"). The Software may not be used by
more than one processor at any one time on any single Workstation
Computer."

I am unable to see any restriction about installing the product
more than once on the one PC. What do you base your
interpretation on?
Click to expand...


On what you posted. You may install and run one copy on a single computer.
If you install two copies, two licenses are needed (the only exception
being a parallel install for troubleshooting purposes).
 
Rock said:
On what you posted. You may install and run one copy on
a single computer. If you install two copies, two licenses
are needed...
Click to expand...


But the EULA does not *prohibit* two or more installations,
etc. on one computer. And it does not say that any such
prohibition is relaxed if a person buys more licenses. In
such a gray area, no judge would rule for Microsoft.

*TimDaniels*
 
Timothy Daniels said:
But the EULA does not *prohibit* two or more installations,
etc. on one computer. And it does not say that any such
prohibition is relaxed if a person buys more licenses. In
such a gray area, no judge would rule for Microsoft.

*TimDaniels*
Click to expand...

.. . . in particular sincd the ***spirit*** of the EULA is obviously
adhered to: That the software is not used by more than one
processor at any one time on any single Workstation Computer.
 
But the EULA does not *prohibit* two or more installations,
etc. on one computer. And it does not say that any such
prohibition is relaxed if a person buys more licenses. In
such a gray area, no judge would rule for Microsoft.

*TimDaniels*
Click to expand...

It prohibits it by what it says you can do. You can install and run on one
computer. The conclusion then is after that first installation you can't
install and run it on another computer, even the same one, without the first
installation being removed.
 
Rock said:
It prohibits it by what it says you can do. You can install and run on
one computer. The conclusion then is after that first installation you
can't install and run it on another computer, even the same one, without
the first installation being removed.
Click to expand...

As long as only one can run concurrently, and in fact Microsoft KB
article provides for parallel installations. On the other hand running
the second copy via Virtual PC would run counter to the EULA, as two
copies are installed AND running.
 
Rock said:
It prohibits it by what it says you can do. You can install and run on one
computer. The conclusion then is after that first installation you can't
install and run it on another computer, even the same one, without the first
installation being removed.
Click to expand...


Practically speaking, and forgetting legal semantics, the bottom
line is that an individual can do whatever he wants on his own PC
since Microsoft won't be able to catch him, and if Microsoft did
prosecute an individual for running more than one installation of
one copy of Windows on the same computer, the worldwide
public relations fallout would be devastating to Microsoft.

*TimDaniels*
 
Tyler said:
I was unable to XOSL to install.
Just gave me a message saying error.
This is what I am attempting to do now.
1.) Install XP on the second HDD. Make sure it functions correctly.
2.) Remove that HDD from the system.
3.) Install XP on the first HDD, allowing the first 30MB partition for Boot
Magic.
4.) I will then put the second HDD into the system.
5.) Install PM8 and Boot Magic.
Hopefully this will work.
Click to expand...

Tyler,

Please report, how did it work out? Send me an e-mail as I am
attempting to do the same thing (Setting up an install to test out some
software before I apply it to my system - yet retain the usability of
the current operating system.)

Thanks,

Nate
 
Please report, how did it work out? Send me an e-mail as I am
attempting to do the same thing (Setting up an install to test out some
software before I apply it to my system - yet retain the usability of
the current operating system.)
Click to expand...

I just finished doing my 2nd XP Pro boot install. Much easier than I
expected! I unplugged all the drives except the one I wanted to install
the new copy on, installed XP and that was it! Plugged the other drives
back in and everything works perfectly. I can change which copy boots
by changing the boot drive in the Motherboard BIOS. Very easy setup, no
third party software, no funny registry associations as both drives
think they are C:\ when they boot.

You might be able to hide drives by disabling them in the computer
management screen. I'll try this later.

And don't worry, I have two licenses - XP Pro is only $65 per (legal)
license.

-nate
 
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