[gundja]

hi
i want to dual boot my pc with win xp and win2000 but do not know
how to do it.here are how my hard disks are installed :

IDE 1: primary master 80GB winxp
primary slave 3GB (want to install win 2k on it)

any help would be appreciated.
thanks

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To setup a dual boot system, you'll have to setup Windows 2K first. With Win 2K running, insert your XP CD into the tray. At the welcome screen, choose Install Windows XP. You'll select the second HD for XP to install to.

Unfortunately for you, you're trying to setup a dual boot system with an older OS. You already have the latest one, XP, installed. If you want to keep XP on the big HD, switch the two HD's around. Make the big drive the slave and the small one the master, install Win 2K on the 3 GB drive (now the master), and then install XP to the larger slave drive. Since XP is alreay installed on the slave, you'll just be installing a fresh copy into the same directory. Now, when you boot, you'll be prompted as to which OS you wish to load. The default timer is set to 30 seconds and the default OS selected will be the last OS installed (XP in your case). If you need to change the default OS to Win 2K, do this: Control Panel, System, and then Advanced Tab. In the Startup and Recovery section, click Settings. In the default Operating System list, select the OS that you want to be initially highlighed on the boot menu and started by default. You can also adjust the length in time (in seconds) that the boot menu is displayed. You can set this number to anything from 1 to 99.

Remember to backup any data before making changes to your HD's and/or installing a new OS.

Hope this helps. Sounds like you have a little bit of work ahead of you though. Wish you had installed Win 2k first. Have fun and let us know if you run into any snags along the way. We'd be glad to assist you.....

Edited by magusbuckley, 12 May 2005 - 03:30 AM.

[magusbuckley]

To setup a dual boot system, you'll have to setup Windows 2K first. With Win 2K running, insert your XP CD into the tray. At the welcome screen, choose Install Windows XP. You'll select the second HD for XP to install to.

Unfortunately for you, you're trying to setup a dual boot system with an older OS. You already have the latest one, XP, installed. If you want to keep XP on the big HD, switch the two HD's around. Make the big drive the slave and the small one the master, install Win 2K on the 3 GB drive (now the master), and then install XP to the larger slave drive. Since XP is alreay installed on the slave, you'll just be installing a fresh copy into the same directory. Now, when you boot, you'll be prompted as to which OS you wish to load. The default timer is set to 30 seconds and the default OS selected will be the last OS installed (XP in your case). If you need to change the default OS to Win 2K, do this: Control Panel, System, and then Advanced Tab. In the Startup and Recovery section, click Settings. In the default Operating System list, select the OS that you want to be initially highlighed on the boot menu and started by default. You can also adjust the length in time (in seconds) that the boot menu is displayed. You can set this number to anything from 1 to 99.

Remember to backup any data before making changes to your HD's and/or installing a new OS.

Hope this helps. Sounds like you have a little bit of work ahead of you though. Wish you had installed Win 2k first. Have fun and let us know if you run into any snags along the way. We'd be glad to assist you.....

Edited by magusbuckley, 12 May 2005 - 03:30 AM.

[gundja]

what will happen if i remove one of the disks ?

[magusbuckley]

What are you talking about when you ask about "removing one of the disks?"

If you remove the current slave (3GB), you just won't see that drive under "My Computer" in XP. If you remove the large drive (80 GB), you'll have to set the small drive to "Master" unless it's jumperless. You'll then have to install any Operating System. Sounds to me like you want to install Win 2K on that drive.

Does that answer your question?

Let us know. Thanks,

[gundja]

in fact what i really want is to be able to remove my 3gb HDD (win 2k)
at any time and still be able to use my other 80Gb in the meantime with winxp on it.
is this possible?
how to do it?

[magusbuckley]

The only way I can think of to do what you are trying to forget about the dual booting. Just do a clean install of Win2K on your 3GB drive. Both drives will be set to Master and you'll just hook up the drive you want to use before each boot. You'll have to move cables around inside the PC to pick wich HD will communicate. This will ultimately decide which OS you are loading.

I would suggest geting an external HD of some sort. That sure would make life easier. If you remove your small drive, though, you won't be able to use it anwhere else since it has an OS on it. It is't going to boot if you move it to another machine. Most people just use these other drives for data storage. For this reason, I am having trouble understanding why you would need to disable the small drive.

Whew, anything else?

[gundja]

would take too much time doing this.
can any 3rd party software resolves my problem?

[magusbuckley]

It depends. What is it that you want the software to do? Why are you removing the HD with Win2K? Do you need the software to do something for you on the Win2K drive after you remove it? I am really lost now as to what it is you are trying to do. Tell me why you are removing this small HD and what you want this 3rd party software to do.

[gundja]

What is important for me is to be able to format any of the two drives at any time and not loosing the ability to boot into the other.i would use the win2k
for testing or surfing.sometimes its difficult to remove spywares,so whenever
the problem arises i just format the disk

[magusbuckley]

For a while, I was wondering if you and I were on the same page. Now I'm wondering if we're even in the same book.

Wow...I've never heard of anyone formatting a drive just because you get a little spyware. You asked about 3rd party programs. Maybe you just need some 3rd party programs to help you with your spyware problem. There are programs out there to help prevent the installation of spyware. In addition, there are excellent programs out there for spyware removal should you become infected. If you need a list of any or both of these types, I'd be glad to refer some programs to you.

So lets say you find spyware on your large drive. You're going to format it anyway so why the need for the second drive? Earlier, you said you were going to remove the second drive from the PC from time to time. Now it doesn't sound like you're going to be removing it. Why would you remove it? Are you trying to move that little HD from PC to PC? Ok, Ok, let me not keep questioning you about all of this. I really can't figure this situation out.

Point blank though: To do what you want to do, try this. First, forget about the dual boot system. From what I gather, that isn't what you are trying to do. Unhook the first drive with XP and plug in your little 3 gig drive. Install Win 2K on that drive. Now reconnect the first HD, the big one with XP and use it until you get spyware. When you find you have a spyware problem, you can either hook up the smaller HD and run Win 2K or format the infected drive and reinstall XP.

I'm not trying to be rude, but nothing about your problem really doesn't make much sense.

Formatting a HD because you have a little spyware doesn't make sense.
Having a second HD even though you're just going to format the first one doesn't make sense. I mean, if you used a second drive for storage I could go along with that. I was going along with the dual boot system too. But I can't see installing Win 2K on a little HD for standby. You'll have it sitting there until you get spyware on your XP drive and then what? Are you going to run the Win 2K or format the big drive and reinstall XP? Well of course you're going to format and reinstall XP, so why the need for the second drive?

Again, I'm not trying to be rude. I really just don't get it. I'm affraid I will not be able to assist you with this matter any further. Please make another post, however, as someone may come along and asist you.

Good luck. I hope you figure it out. I'll keep checking in on this board so I can see what comes of your issue. Sorry I am unable to help.