How to dual boot from 2 HD's

[Jim]

I've installed Windows Server 2003 on a separate HD (by disconnecting my
primary HD). Now I'd like to be able to dual boot into either XP or Server
without having to switch my drive cables.

I did find a free boot manager called GAG but I'm somewhat reluctant to use
it because I don't want to mess up my existing system

Appreciate any and all suggestions.

Jim

 

[peter]

You dont have to switch cables..........you just need to tell the BIOS which
drive you want to boot from.
Some BIOS even have that option during the boot sequence where by pushing an
F? list the HD and you just pick .

A bootloader/manager also works..here is one of the better ones
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html
peter

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

The registry of both systems probably refers to "C:" as their respective
'system drive' letter. Changing that to the appropriate letter is a pretty
daunting task. Without this change, no 'boot manager' is going to be able to
accomplish a dual boot setup.
The drill, as I understand it, is to set the xp drive as C:, per an MS
article (below), change the drive letter enough in the registry to
accomplish a startup, then 'import an exported *.reg file that has had the
C: drive changed to D: or whatever, then put in the other C: system, boot
to the recovery console, and run 'bootcfg /rebuild'. All this has worked for
a few. Not many.
How to restore the system/boot drive letter in Windows :
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188/en-us
Reinstalling XP 'clean' after server is running is probably going to be
easier, but you lose the old registry. One available option is the use the
"Fast Wizard" to restore settings on the new install.
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard (FAST wizard): Go To:
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/fast.htm

 

[John John]

Sorry Mark, but that is incorrect. The Boot Manager doesn't care about
drive letters and it cares even less about registries and drive letter
assignments in the registry, for that matter it doesn't even know if a
registry even exits.

John

 

[Jim]

Peter:

Your suggestion of using the BIOS worked just fine. I just press F11 during
bootup and select with HD to boot from.

Many thanks for this simple solution.

Jim