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I have searched, and can't find anything about what I want to do. And I don't want to mess up my main OS. I have had XP on the main HDD forever, and I added a second HDD that I formatted using this same computer. But I couldn't format with both HDDs connected, so I had to format the 2nd one as a single drive.
My question is, how do I modify the boot.ini file to let me boot into XP Pro on my 2nd hdd without getting the location error if you have the string wrong? Or does anyone know what the string should be? Here is my HDD configuration in XP Home:
C:\ (Master Drive) The main OS, Disk 0 partition 1F:\ A HDD that I have media on, connected through USB, I turn it off when not playing media, music or videos
G:\ (Slave Drive) Disk 2 Partition 1 The Partition that has XP Pro that won't load into OS Choices menu after pressing F8 on startup
H:\ (Slave Drive) Disk 2 Partition 2 The Partition that has various stuff on it, mainly for back purposesAnyone have any ideas? I know it's probably simple, but I don't know for sure what the boot.ini string should be for the second OS on the second HDD.
Here is the string from my XP Home boot.ini file info as a single drive:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
Thanks for your help.
If it ain't broke, screw it up so you can fix it.
"But I couldn't format with both HDDs connected, so I had to format the 2nd one as a single drive"
Appears you have the drive jumper settings wrong......
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That is what I think also.
You should not have had to uninstall one drive to format the other!
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Jumper Settings are correct since it'll boot up into my main hdd. If the jumpers were wrong, this Dell won't boot up at all. I just need to know what the string should be to be able to access XP Pro in the OS Choices menu.
If it ain't broke, screw it up so you can fix it.
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Are you saying the second hard drive was taken from another PC with an install of XP ?
Though if you installed XP from a CD onto the second drive it should of created the Boot Menu!
Also jumper Settings are usually CS on DELL's
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"I just need to know what the string should be to be able to access XP Pro in the OS Choices menu."
There is more to booting than just the boot.ini entry.
Clearly you did not install this 2nd OS with the original in the system or you would have ended up with it in the boot menu.
You can not just add a string to the boot.ini. You are forgetting 1000's of registry pointers to a drive letter.
Which brings me to the next issue which is drive letter assignments. Your second disk, having a primary partition should be d: not g:/h:
Best thing you can do is disconnect the usb drive, then do a repair install of the 2nd OS. Do this by booting the xp cd via the bios. You don't want the usb drive up because drive letter assignments will change undesirably. The repair install will correct the registry entries and make the multiboot boot.ini.
Imagine the power if you knew how to internet search
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Terk3....
I have XP on two different drives ( the reason being that my second drive is a mirror image of my boot drive ). This is what my boot.ini is:
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptInWith it like this, i get a chance to access either operating system, before it is loaded. I changed the time out to 5, so i woulnd't have to look at it for such a long time. But it is still enough time, for me to down arrow to the other Operating system. And i have varified that it is indeed the other hard drive, because i can tell by the physical size of the second hard drive.
Hope this is what you were looking for.
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I'll give it a shot JohnFL.
I tried the CS jumper settings, and the no disk image found error came up.
I installed the operating system on the second HDD on the Dell as a single drive, or Master. I think that is the problem I am having. In the XP Setup screen after POST (not the Setup screen that comes up in Windows), it wouldn't recognize the second HDD. If my Compaq wasn't screwed (either mobo or CPU), I'd be using it for what I need the 2nd OS for. If all else fails, I'll just have to keep going into BIOS and turning off the 1st HDD in the Drive Configuration to get to the 2nd HDD for my diagnostics work. Thanks for all your help guys. Kepp up the good work.
If it ain't broke, screw it up so you can fix it.
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Yes you need one XP on C: and another on say D: that will create a Dual Boot seamlessley.
Though if you want them both to be bootable C: that aint going to happen, you would be better off creating an Image Backup to DVD with Acronis True Image, quicker easier less messy etcetcetc.
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mmm... If you did install the second version to the second drive - with that drive as Master (no other drive slaved/connected to it)... and then re-configured that drive to be Slave to original Master... It ougth to be no big issue to get it to boot - via the boot-menu on the Master.
JohnFl has given you an exampe of the boot.ini entry you need (on the Master drive) to allow the second/slaved drive's installation to boot. The key is the rdisk entry for the second drive/installation. - which will be part of the required ARC/path statment in the Master drive's boot.ini, and which refers to the second drive/installation.
Providing that second installation was to the same physical system - same Motherboard etc. - and presumably you did prove that second installation worked as stand-alone drive - the only item (currently) missing in the boot.ini on the original Master drive (with that second drive slaved) is an ARC/path statement pointing to it...
When that second installation was booting as Master drive its rdisk reference was (0) - as the current entry for the original Master. When the second drive becomes Slave... its rdisk entry becomes (1) - and in its own ARC entry in the boot.ini on the Master drive.
Simply access the boot.ini on the second drive - via Explorer on the first drive/installation. Copy the ARC/path statement (it's below the default OS to boot line) to the boot.ini on the Master drive. Then edit that line - and ensure it is that line) - to change rdisk(0) to read rdisk(0!. Save changes and exit.. When next you reboot you wil be able to boot to either version.
Both versions will boot as c: . and this is no issue to be concerned about. The original version will assign a drive letter other than c: to the second drive/version; and the second version will like-wise assign a drive letter other than c: to the original version/Master-drive when viewing it via Explorer. Again this is no isue to worry about...
You can edit the boot.in via notepad/wordpad - or via MyComputer\properties\Advanced-tab\Startup & Recovery/settings.
Note carefully that for either OS to work OK on the Dell it must have ben installed etc. via/to that (Dell) PC. An XP installation will not work - boot etc... - if installed in one PC and then the drive physically transferred to another PC... (Although there are ways to make it work...).
If you go the Repair installation route (as per Wanderer)... that will work; but I suggest there is no need of that approach at this time? Simply copy the required entry (from the second/slaved version/drive) to the Master drive boot.ini and edit it accordingly...
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Thanks for all the help. I figured it out. After getting XP Home to recognize the 2nd HDD, I was able to reformat the second HDD with XP Pro and have the OS Choices menu. I don't know exactly what I did to get it to recognize the 2nd HDD in XP Setup, but it worked, and now I have the dual boot choice easier than changing BIOS setting to make it work. As of now, no more problems with the Dell, thank you all for the help, this thread it officially done, no more help needed for this topic.
If it ain't broke, screw it up so you can fix it.
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"...I don't know exactly what I did to get it to recognize the 2nd HDD in XP Setup,..."
For future reference..
When you did fresh installation the second drive - and deliberately pointed the second installation to that second drive - XP setup automatically:
detected the original boot.ini on Master drive; saved it; created a fresh one with both the original version, and the required entry to the second drive/installation. Thus you got a dual-boot. Both versions use the boot/start-up files on the original Master drive...; and those files must remain safe/intact for either/both OS to boot OK.
The path I outlined above would have left you with the not so unusual situation where you "could" have (re)set the second drive as Master again - and it would boot OK - independent of the original/current Master drive...
Main item - you go what you wanted regardless... so well done for hanging in there.
bye...
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Got it to reformat the 2nd HDD for dual boot, it works now. Thanks for all of you guys' help. If I have more problems, I'll post messages here. Thanks again. Problem is fixed.
If it ain't broke, screw it up so you can fix it.
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