Hi, I got a 60G hard drive on my toshiba laptop with lots of software using up the majority of the space. I have another hard drive with diff software installed and same operating system. At the moment if i want to use the software on the second hard drive i have to unplug the first one and install the second in the laptop ide slot. I am swapping quit often, so i was wondering if anyone has a good idea of running whichever one without having to remove the first drive from me ide slot. Thanks. Jase

I have not done any of this, but maybe you can figure out-- The second article tells how to add or remove an O.S. from the boot.ini file. The Purpose of the Boot.ini File in Windows XP HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP

Is it possable to reinstall the programs from the second HD, leaving them where they are, to the first XP where they will be registered to that drive and then delete [not format] the second XP giving you more space ? Was the OS on the second HD installed somewhere else and you just transferred the second HD from another location meaning that both OS's are drive C: which would explain the constant swapping ? If so, I don't think editing the boot.ini will do much because the boot loading files on HD1 might not be aware of HD2 and vice verse. Meaning that HD2 has to be written into the boot loading files [which occurs during a proper dual boot setup] so the boot.ini will understand that there is actually two OS's to choose from. These files rely upon each other to work properly. At least that's how I understand it but you can try it for yourself I guess

How about re-doing your system setup? Attaching the second drive via USB, format the drive and reinstall all the software (except the OS) to that drive. Do yourself a favor BACKUP! Sorry, I do not check for private messages

What I meant was I got two hard drives, each has its own OS and at the moment only one is connected to my laptop. When i need to use the software on the other hard drive i would physically pull out the one in me laptop and put in the other hard drive. I can't install all software in one hard drive, its too big. At the moment its a bit inconvinent to swap the hard drive every time i want to use the software on the other hard drive. That why i ask if anyone had done a dual boot with two separate hard drives in a laptop. Jase