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You brought up some good points. Options available. There are many and I have setup a computer with a his and her's hdds .Quote:
Originally posted by oldhermit
I would like to post this before we abandon the idea of using two hard drives, if I may...
That is what they wanted and that is what they got. Must admit that the pull ring on the ribbon saves a lot of wear and tear.
I am with Kalli.....multi boot wether it be 98/2k or 98/xp or 98/2k/xp on a single drive with partitions is definately the easiest no fuss multiboot option....now while I still prefer the multi drive and the boot loader for windows multiboots....if I am going to through a unix (read linux) os in the mix I prefer to add another hard drive and use the bios option just so there is no cross talking of os' going on..
Isolation of the OS's , as Sarr brought out is what this is all about. From a mechanical side , yes this way seems more difficult, but from the isolation point of view, which is important this is the easiest method.
Now why do you use your method?
What factors do you have to look out for?
Conciderations?
Do OS's play fair with one another?
In the case I set up it was because they did not want anything from one hdd on the other. Nothing. In other words , they did not want to buy another computer.
Sarrkazztic posted:
Quote:
if I am going to through a unix (read linux) os in the mix I prefer to add another hard drive and use the bios option just so there is no cross talking of os' going on..
Could you explain this cross talking bit?
I'm with Kallikru and Sarrk. on this one. Simply, because I remember (as do you all) my "newbie" days, a little too well. :D
Mentioning adding hard drives and going into the bios would have had me heading to the hills. :p
But surely this is semantics? We can use this thread to discuss multibooting using 2 drives, and another thread, describing how to use one.
Let the posters decide for themselves, which they feel is "easiest and simplest".
Daizy
I'll go along with that. As each of us look at things is differently.Quote:
Originally posted by Daizy
Let the posters decide for themselves, which they feel is "easiest and simplest".
Daizy
I will elaborate on cross talking later if someone else does not...Tuesdays are very hectic for me and I wont be home again til after midnight.
I think Train's (re)pointed things here in a good direction. Before jumping to far (further) in to the physical/mechanical methods of multi-booting and whether a particular method is easier or not, IMHO its important to delve in to the factors, considerations and goals that should/must be considered in multi-booting.
Goose provided a base/starting scenario: two OSes on two seperate drives. That provides (as has been pointed out) isolation of things. But what "things", in what ways? What would/could one want to provide isoaltion from? When/why isolate? When/why NOT isolate? Using Goose's setup, aside from mechanical ease, what does it give you and what doesn't it give you from the standpoint of goals/considerations relevant to a mutli-boot setup?
Any (even the simplest) multi-boot scenario involves factors that must be considered/addressed, trade-offs between what can and can't be acheive or perhaps at least how it can be acheived, etc. In order to evaluate or discuss any method/means of multi-booting I just think the background/goals/issues of multi-booting need to be flushed out here.
Not to long ago I tried to install Linux Redhat on a partition on my Win 2K pro. machine. The result was that I couldn't boot to my Windows partition. The reason,as far as I could figure, was that the Linux boot loader(LiLo) couldn't see the NTFS file system. After a few days of trying to repair LiLO, I gave up and reinstalled Win 2K pro.. Luckily, I had backed up all important data. Now(today) I'm going to install a Trios switch and second harddrive for my Linux install. I'm shutting down after I post this thread and have a go at it. I'll post back with the results after a while.
Train-what did you mean about having to shut off the power to the PC before switching from one drive to the other. Did you mean: shut down the PC, turn off power switch on the back of the box, or shut down the PC, wait till all LED's are off then change the switch position?
Well here I go-:)
Hi All,
There have been some interesting questions brought up along with various viewpoints on dual booting which is just one type or part of this subject of multibooting.
I was taken to task for my use of the word debate. It was pointed out to me that this is a forum of learning which I can't agree more with. The word can mean an arguement OR deliberation, consideration, or a question in a public assembly. And the latter is how I used the word.
Hi jmtjet, Just go to Start, click on Shutdown, Choose Shutdown in the dialog list that comes up and click OK. Then change your switch position on the Trios Box, and reapply power.
"One of the built-in safety features of the Trios is the button "lock-out" feature. Once a button is pressed and a hard drive selected, pushing the button again has no effect until the system is shut down. This prevents accidental data loss from bumping or accidentally pushing the switch while the unit is on and functioning. The Trios is d**n near foolproof."
To answer some of Train's and DrMDJ's questions. I did not have to know anything about BIOS, much about files systems, hard drives, partitioning, third party apps, etc. This is why I started more on the hardware side of it. When you don't know anything you find something that will work. And I was scared of the BIOS, the Registry - you know little things like that. :) Nowadays I feel more comfortable with the OSs, third party apps and so on. And I have the necessary backups to get me back on line quickly should I make a mistake.
Having two operating systems separated by and installed on two hard drives made sure I could come back up with my computer if I messed up the hard drive. You ensure by the physical limitation of having one IDE cable connected to one hard drive that you have one hard drive that is safe. This was a decided advantage to me for a while. The biggest disadvantage of course was that I physically had to shut down power, go into the case, and change the IDE cable.
Well I'm back. But didn't get the Trios switch to work. I installed it following the instructions to the letter. The result was I couldn't boot to the drives. The BIOS didn't auto. detect the drive.??? I think the switch might be defective. I've got an email into Romtec support asking them what's next. I purchased the switch from TigerDirect so I can RMA it and get another one if this one is bad. I'll keep you posted. :(
Maybe try reseating the cables before you give up.
Hi GG, I tried reversing the cables, reseating them and every other thing I could think of. -no go. It's as if the switch is not getting power. I connected the switch power cable to a molex connecter from the power supply(350 watts)-tried two connectors-same result. The instructions say the IDE cable from the Trios switch to the motherboard should not be longer than 18". The one I'm using is 18" -the same one I'm using right now.
Question, Should I be seeing LED lights on the front of the Trios switch if the switch has power? I'm not-and don't see any LED's either. The switch is model RX-910T6.
Thanks for letting me jump on this thread. jmtjet. :)
The LED on the Trios switch comes on when you push a button. Number 1, 2, or 3. Also are all your Hard drives set to MS? Did you check your BIOS as per instructions.
By the way, the Trios switch does have its part in multibooting so we are not wandering to much. :)
:( I took the switch back out of it's box and smell it. It smells fried. :( I'll try for an RMA. I don't think I done anything to fry the thing-I never got it to work even once. Thanks.
Not a probem. By the way I have the identical one to yours. No biggy to install. Probably a crossed up wire in manufacture.