[SpaceCowboy706]

I just got another computer and the hardware for the rest of the computer is pretty much grabage compared to this pc, so im wondering if i can pull the hard drive from the older pc (scrap the rest of it) and put that hard drive in my newer pc in this example...

Hard drive 1 has windows XP pro on it. with all of its own files and stuff

Hard drive 2 has Linux free distro on it. with all of its own files and stuff

If able to do this would i also be able to select which ever of the two hard drives i wanted to use for bootup by just going to the bios and changing the boot sequence?

PS... Both hard drives will be connected by a IDE ribbon.

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Heres some good answers for your question.

http://www.linuxques...threadid=225704

SRX660

[SRX660]

Heres some good answers for your question.

http://www.linuxques...threadid=225704

SRX660

[SpaceCowboy706]

Ok that is a littel beyond my comprehension with all the abbreviations and terminology. Lets shoot for an easier answer... along with some instructions on how to accomplish this....

Do I just use the same ide ribbon that the first HD is connected to and then set the jumper to slave, master or cable select, or do i need to use a different ide ribbon and connect it to a different ide slot on the motherboard.

Once that is accomplished do i then just install the linux OS on the second drive?

And do i need to use some sort of boot selector software or something to pick which HD i want o boot up with on a daily basis?

[Kemasa]

I personally prefer Grub to Lilo, but if you go that way you need to have the files in /boot/grub and that is best to have it on a separate partition. Lilo saves all the info in the boot block, which means any changes requires re-writing the boot block. Grub uses the files in /boot and so it can be changed by editing it and no changes to the boot block.

One thing to think about is that if the disk came from another computer, it might not have all the correct drivers and devices for the current computer.

[SRX660]

Well, lets try a simplier one then.

http://www.littlewhi...content-52.html

I personally do not dual boot. I have a older computer with 4 HD's in it. Each HD has a diferent install of Linux on it. The drives were laying around so why not, EH! Depending on how i feel decides which distro gets chosen. I do have to swap the data and power cables to boot each.

SRX660

[SpaceCowboy706]

Kemasa -

One thing to think about is that if the disk came from another computer, it might not have all the correct drivers and devices for the current computer.

Thats not a problem... I have the driver disk for each and every piece of hardware on this pc.

SRX660 - All that cable swapping is not for me... actually my kids would get into it and mess something up for sure as they currently think the empty bay where the floppy used to be is where they should hide thier hotwheels.

That link was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a million. Im going to give it a whirl this weekend.. I will post back saturday night and let you know how it goes.

[Bartender]

If you can, put the second HDD on the secondary IDE cable. Look at your mb - next to the IDE connections you should find tiny letters identifying which is which. Sometimes it'll say "IDE1" next to the primary port and "IDE2" next to the secondary. Sometimes only #1 will be identified, cause after all the other one can only be #2. Then you'll want the 2 HDD's positioned and jumpered as primary on each IDE cable.
I hang around the Ubuntu Forums, and they've got some good step-by-step tutorials on dual-booting. Just do some searches.
It's important to note that you really want to have Windows installed first. People have tried it the other way & it's a hassle. Linux will modify the Master Boot Record (MBR) so that your PC will open to a DOS-looking screen that basically asks, "Which OS do you want to boot to?" Easy once it's set up.
You don't have to worry about drivers. Your Linux distro will either have them or not. For instance, if you try Ubuntu and it can't configure your wireless, you might try MEPIS, or PCLinux, or SUSE, or Mandrake. Since the device manufacturers (printers, cameras, scanners, video cards, what have you) typically don't bother to write drivers for Linux, you rely much more on the folks who built the Linux distro - if they didn't include the drivers you need for your printer or scanner or video card things get very complicated very quickly for those of us who can't write code.

[SpaceCowboy706]

Good information bartender... I hope that doesnt mean that my internet will not work (because there are no drivers for the nic cards installed). I installed the mandrake on the 20 GB older hard drive PC last night and everything went smoothly and it is working, but I cant seem to get on th internet with it. The PC has a linksys wireless PCI card and a Linksys Wired card, I couldnt figure out why, as I dont even know how to check drivers, or my ip address, or even how to configure the network. Got done about 11:00 PM and had to go to bed (have an early meeting today that I cannot be late too - work sux)

BUT THAT IS THE EXACT REASON I WENT TO LINUX. CAUSE IT'S NEW AND I WILL HAVE SOMETHING FUN TO WORK ON AND FIGURE OUT - I couldn't resist before going to bed, so i get on linux.org and have already found out how to set up the network

[Kemasa]

Thats not a problem... I have the driver disk for each and every piece of hardware on this pc.

Yes, but if the disk was used in a previous computer, then the installed drivers and configuration is for that machine, which may not work with the current computer. It can be harder to get everything correct that way.

[SpaceCowboy706]

I dont think I'm following you.

So you must be talking about pulling the newly installed linux drive from the old pc and putting it on the newer pc and having driver issues then... HOPE THATS RIGHT.... I wouldn't thnik there would be any problems as the newer computer isnt really newer its just not as old as the older pc and the hardware in it is pretty average..,. is actually my wifes pc... I just dont like using my gaming PC for the web and such and XP is getting so boring.

If I have to then I will just wipe the linux drive clean and start over, when I put it in here.... But this all may be a moot point as Im buying a newer 80GB hard drive off of newegg on friday, just for the linux and then I plan on puttin that in MY gaming PC.. for web surfin and such (My wife hasn't approved that yet - If I buy somethin new she gets to buy somethin new kinda deal).

[Kemasa]

Yes, I am talking about using an installed OS from one machine to another. It is not about the age of the machine, it is about the differences between the two machines. It can be done, but you have to make sure that you get everything. Often it is easier to just reinstall.

[SpaceCowboy706]

Got it all figured out.. sorry forgot to post back. using HDA1 for WinXP and HDB1 for Mandrake, HDB5 for a swap, and HDB6 for a Win XP boot partition, HDB7 for Linux Boot partition. Using Lilo Graphical for my Boot Loader.

Now im Migrating all my bookmarks and important stuff over to linux and just going to use Win xp for my wife.