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Silent_Joka

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I am considering of installing Windows 2000 Pro on my computer, and I already have Windows XP, I was wondering how to get both Windows setup on my computer, with out messing up my current computer, I have 2 WD 80GB HDD, I was also wondering if there was a way I could put Windows 2000 on my 2nd 80GB HDD and be able to boot it without have to change jumpers everytime I want to boot a different OS.
 
Yes you can do that..you wont have to change jumpers each time you will simply be prompted each time at bootup which OS you want to boot into once the boot.ini file is altered with the new OS install.
 
You are right..actually now that I think about it all of the OS's I've done have been on "one" physical drive with many partitions..thus all reading from that one boot.ini file..I would think you could manual edit the boot.ini file to point to the other disk though que no?It should work..just add another entry that points to the disk number. You can always also use the BIOS but that would be a pain to do if you plan to switch back and fourth a lot.
 
Well, that should work with manually editing the boot.ini file, once I get the Windows Disk, I'll try it out and let you know if it works or not.
 
Hello,

The text book way of dual booting Windows operating systems is to install them in ascending order of versions. For example in your case, Windows 2000 first, then Windows XP second. This is because Windows XP is capable of detecting older versions of Windows, and configuring the boot record to accommodate them as entries for you to choose which OS to boot into.

Windows 2000 won't detect XP. If you install Windows 2000 after having installed Windows XP, then the dual boot won't be configured properly....

...However, you can still install Windows 2000 after XP, and have the dual boot system functioning correctly. All you need to do is, after having installed Windows 2000, place the Windows XP Setup Disc in the drive, boot into the CD, enter the recovery console, log into the Windows XP partition, and then re-write the master boot record (with FIXMBR) and re-write the boot configuration file (with BOOTCFG) - thereby forcing Windows XP to detect all operating systems and configure everything for you, to allow the ability to select which OS to boot into.

Also, on the matter of installing operating systems on independent hard drives, so long as you've set the drive's jumpers correctly (hard drive hooked up to master IDE set to master) then as said, you won't need to move the jumpers around to boot from a specific OS...

...Whether you install Windows 2000 first then Windows XP, or if you install Windows 2000 after XP and re-write the Master Boot Record and boot.ini file in recovery console, Windows XP is capable of detecting operating systems on all hard drives connected to the system, and creating entries for them automatically for a dual boot config.
 
Well, I don't have the Windows XP Setup disk, which is why I am planning on getting Windows 2000, just incase my Windows XP harddrive fails, I still will have my Windows 2000. So, will I be able to boot Windows XP, after installing Windows 2000 on a different HDD without having to use the Recovery Console? Also, I can do a repair install without having the CD, but I am on a dial-up connection, so downloading SP2 and the hotfixes will take me FOREVER to download again, is there a way I can take my SP2 and all my hot fixes and save them on a partition that will not get deleted while doing the Repair Install (To get to the Recovery Console).

Edit : I have a few questions.

Q1. Why exactly do I have to fix the MBR?

Q2. Could I use Caldera DRDOS For Western Digital HDD's to fix my MBR instead of the Recovery Console?

Q3. I am able to manually edit my Boot.ini without going into the Recovery Console, so will that work?
 
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