Dual Boot: XP<->XP

[tcebob]

I have 2 identical hard drives (old and new) and am setting up my programs on the new one
while using the old one for continuing work. This is tedious, as I want fresh
installations rather than migrating, so I expect it to take a while. Right now I have to
enter BIOS at each change of systems and re-order the boot priority. Is there a method of
booting that will allow me to select the desired system? F5 and F8 don't help.

rs

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Sure, just boot with the WinXP CD and load the Recovery Console by hitting
'r' when first prompted. From the prompt, run bootcfg /add and you should be
able to add the second installation.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[tcebob]

Rick, what you say makes perfect sense. But I can't get it to work. I changed the boot
order to cd first, then waited while the setup files loaded. Finally, at the choices
screen, I selected "r." The recovery console offered both systems for my selection but
never presented a command prompt. Further, although "help" tells me I can install the
recovery console on the system, I cannot find it to install. The choices screen doesn't
offer it and I can't find it manually.

Please talk me down.

rs


: Hi,
:
: Sure, just boot with the WinXP CD and load the Recovery Console by hitting
: 'r' when first prompted. From the prompt, run bootcfg /add and you should be
: able to add the second installation.
:
: --
: Best of Luck,
:
: Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
:
: Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
:
: Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
:
: : >I have 2 identical hard drives (old and new) and am setting up my programs
: >on the new one
: > while using the old one for continuing work. This is tedious, as I want
: > fresh
: > installations rather than migrating, so I expect it to take a while. Right
: > now I have to
: > enter BIOS at each change of systems and re-order the boot priority. Is
: > there a method of
: > booting that will allow me to select the desired system? F5 and F8 don't
: > help.
: >
: > rs
: >
: >
:
:

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

If you are getting a selection screen, what happens once you indicate one or
the other? You need to select one and logon, then run bootcfg.

To add the RC as a boot option, first boot up and load one of the
installations. Insert your WinXP CD and hold the <shift> key to override the
autorun. Click start/run, type the following and click ok:

X:\I386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons

Use your CD drive letter in place of "X".

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[tcebob]

(sorry, sent to your address by mistake.)

Rick,

I took your advice, booted to the disk, selected the old system and ran bootcfg/add.
Answered all questions as best as I could. Exited, revised bios to go to old disk first
and rebooted. Hung on to f5 and followed prompt "back to os selection." Just one selection
available, so took it and opened old system. Maybe one selection because both are Windows
XP? Anyway, I'm ready to give up and go back to bios switching -- unless you have any
further tricks up your sleeve.

As far as loading the Recovery Console, I think it may be impossible. No matter what I do
I get the message "Windows setup/ setup cannot continue because the version of window on
your computer is newer than the version on the CD."

Thanks for your help.

rs

: Hi,
:
: If you are getting a selection screen, what happens once you indicate one or
: the other? You need to select one and logon, then run bootcfg.
:
: To add the RC as a boot option, first boot up and load one of the
: installations. Insert your WinXP CD and hold the <shift> key to override the
: autorun. Click start/run, type the following and click ok:
:
: X:\I386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons
:
: Use your CD drive letter in place of "X".
:
: --
: Best of Luck,
:
: Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
:
: Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
:
: Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
:
: : > Rick, what you say makes perfect sense. But I can't get it to work. I
: > changed the boot
: > order to cd first, then waited while the setup files loaded. Finally, at
: > the choices
: > screen, I selected "r." The recovery console offered both systems for my
: > selection but
: > never presented a command prompt. Further, although "help" tells me I can
: > install the
: > recovery console on the system, I cannot find it to install. The choices
: > screen doesn't
: > offer it and I can't find it manually.
: >
: > Please talk me down.
: >
: > rs
: >
: >
: > : > : Hi,
: > :
: > : Sure, just boot with the WinXP CD and load the Recovery Console by
: > hitting
: > : 'r' when first prompted. From the prompt, run bootcfg /add and you
: > should be
: > : able to add the second installation.
: > :
: > : --
: > : Best of Luck,
: > :
: > : Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
: > :
: > : Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
: > :
: > : Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
: > :
: > : : > : >I have 2 identical hard drives (old and new) and am setting up my
: > programs
: > : >on the new one
: > : > while using the old one for continuing work. This is tedious, as I
: > want
: > : > fresh
: > : > installations rather than migrating, so I expect it to take a while.
: > Right
: > : > now I have to
: > : > enter BIOS at each change of systems and re-order the boot priority.
: > Is
: > : > there a method of
: > : > booting that will allow me to select the desired system? F5 and F8
: > don't
: > : > help.
: > : >
: > : > rs
: > : >
: > : >
: > :
: > :
: >
: >
:
:

 

[AJR]

When SP2 is installed it "upgrades" the OS with the result that if you try
to use a post SP2 XP CD to get the message about the "newer version...". Use
a CD that contains SP2 or slipstream your XP CD with SP2 or remove SP2 from
the computer.

 

[tcebob]

But, seriously . . .

Use a CD that contains SP2.

I love this ol' disk. It was free from Bill and I have gotten more than full value
from it. I balk at paying $200 just to boot from alternate hard disks.

remove SP2 from the computer.

Isn't that another way to say "seppuku"? A case of priorities gone mad?

slipstream your XP CD with SP2

Ok, sounds do-able. I will look up "slipstream," which I believe is a method of
incorporating upgrades to a new disk

Thanks,

rs


: When SP2 is installed it "upgrades" the OS with the result that if you try
: to use a post SP2 XP CD to get the message about the "newer version...". Use
: a CD that contains SP2 or slipstream your XP CD with SP2 or remove SP2 from
: the computer.
:
:

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Boot to your primary installation, click start/run and type C:\Boot.ini and
click ok. Then click edit/select all/edit/copy, then open a response to this
post and click in the message text area. Hit ctrl+v to paste the contents.

Part of the problem with the way you created the initial dual boot is that
whichever installation is loaded, it "sees" itself as the primary (0) disk.
We can alter boot.ini to load the second installation, but it may not load
correctly due to the way it percieves itself on the system.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[tcebob]

voila,

[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional"
/fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn


rs

: Hi,
:
: Boot to your primary installation, click start/run and type C:\Boot.ini and
: click ok. Then click edit/select all/edit/copy, then open a response to this
: post and click in the message text area. Hit ctrl+v to paste the contents.
:
: Part of the problem with the way you created the initial dual boot is that
: whichever installation is loaded, it "sees" itself as the primary (0) disk.
: We can alter boot.ini to load the second installation, but it may not load
: correctly due to the way it percieves itself on the system.
:
: --
: Best of Luck,
:

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Assuming the second installation is on the first partition of the second
drive, alter it this way:

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional II" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. To alter the file, go to the
control panel/system applet/advanced tab and click on the startup and
recovery settings. Click the edit button in the top section to open boot.ini
in edit mode (has to remove the read only attribute, so you can't edit it
directly by opening it the way I initially I had you do it). Add the line,
then close saving changes. When you reboot, there should be a 10 second
delay at the boot menu where you can select the OS installation.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[tcebob]

Belated thanks, Rick, I've been preoccupied with getting some projects out. I did as you
suggested and it seems to work.

My original (drive F installation of xp was getting pretty rickety so I went ahead and
slipstreamed sp2 to a new disk (advice from AJR) and reinstalled this am. Didn't seem to
make it better but not worse either.


rs


: Hi,
:
: Assuming the second installation is on the first partition of the second
: drive, alter it this way:
:
: [boot loader]
: timeout=10
: default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
: [operating systems]
: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
: Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
: Professional II" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
:
: Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. To alter the file, go to the
: control panel/system applet/advanced tab and click on the startup and
: recovery settings. Click the edit button in the top section to open boot.ini
: in edit mode (has to remove the read only attribute, so you can't edit it
: directly by opening it the way I initially I had you do it). Add the line,
: then close saving changes. When you reboot, there should be a 10 second
: delay at the boot menu where you can select the OS installation.
:
: --
: Best of Luck,
:
: Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
:
: Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
:
: Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
:
: : > voila,
: >
: > [boot loader]
: > timeout=1
: > default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
: > [operating systems]
: > multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
: > Professional"
: > /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
: >
: >
: > rs
: >
: > : > : Hi,
: > :
: > : Boot to your primary installation, click start/run and type C:\Boot.ini
: > and
: > : click ok. Then click edit/select all/edit/copy, then open a response to
: > this
: > : post and click in the message text area. Hit ctrl+v to paste the
: > contents.
: > :
: > : Part of the problem with the way you created the initial dual boot is
: > that
: > : whichever installation is loaded, it "sees" itself as the primary (0)
: > disk.
: > : We can alter boot.ini to load the second installation, but it may not
: > load
: > : correctly due to the way it percieves itself on the system.
: > :
: > : --
: > : Best of Luck,
: > :
: >
: >
:
: