I want to install another hard drive on my pc at work, and do a fresh install of xp, visual studio 2005 and sql 2005.

The be able to boot to either my current build or that one (for testing).

If i do a new install of xp and say the new drive as the install location, will it create the boot menu?

Yup, just make sure to specify your windows directory on the new hard drive.


last edited by gimpy at 23:04:52 07/Dec/05

thanks.

^^ bump.

ive tried that but the second boot doesnt work.

http://www.lucascullen.com/error.jpg

is the new hd different? ie SATA?

If it's for testing, why not just use Virtual Server / VMware?

owned.

boot.ini on c drive should contain a couple of lines
this is my current, single boot config.

[boot loader]
timeout=3
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

You will need to add
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Pro Testbuild" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect or something to yours. Notice the different rdisk? Now don't quote me on this because I never use the xp boot menu for dual boots I always use the linux one, grub or whatever the hell its called. You might have to change disk(0) to 1 rather than rdisk, mess with it till it works.

If all else fails google will know.


edit: wait, I'm half asleep windows should have done all that s*** for you. hmmm Windows most likely installed the boot loader onto the 2nd drive, try making it bootable.

last edited by whoop at 21:42:44 05/Jan/06

I'm not sure what you've done wrong, but here is a KB article on the error:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314477

Did you set the new partition to active? It's a common mistake people forget to do when trying to boot from a new hard drive. I'm guessing that's what you neglected to do?

When I did it, I had 1 hard drive, partitioned into C: and D:, I then installed a separate "instance" of XP on to D: that ran independent of C:.

Let me know how you go. Have you made the partition on the new disk active?


last edited by gimpy at 21:48:10 05/Jan/06

I wouldn't try a repair or any of that crap, as you might end up damaging your good install of XP. It's most likely:

-Windows XP is not installed in the location specified in the Boot.ini file.
-The partition path in the Boot.ini file is not set correctly.

Not 100% sure if not having the partition set to active could still cause it to throw this error, but check boot.ini, however, boot.ini should be fine. Mine didn't require any altering, just worked.

as far as I'm aware, a partition only has to be set active if you're booting off it, not too it from another, active, partition. I also believe you can only have one active partition, though I don't know about an active partition per hard drive, maybe it's possible.

I did have a dual boot xp system, it's sitting by the TV. If you don't figure it out I'll hook up the other hard drive & see if its still set to dual boot. Come to think of it, since both hard drives are bootable there's a good chance I do have 1 partition on each drive set active, in which case you can ignore all else I say in this post :)

I'm thinking it should still work providing the partition on the new disk is active and boot.ini has a correct entry to that partition.

Worst case scenerio (and probably a better one), use removable drive bays, OR, install to a 2nd partition on your current drive like I did.

Have you made the partition on the new disk active

No. Ive got partition magic, and im messing around with that now.

OR, install to a 2nd partition on your current drive like I did.

thats what im trying to do gimpy

If there is only 1 physical drive in the machine, do not change the active partition.

Can you post what you current disk configuration is? All partitions too. Also, which directory you have installed each instance of Windows XP to. And, the contents of your boot.ini file.

Ive hacked around with it so much now. Tried partition magics bootmagic, or "adding an os". still doesnt work. This is my current settings

http://www.lucascullen.com/1.jpg
http://www.lucascullen.com/2.jpg
http://www.lucascullen.com/3.jpg

Okay, hrm, well I never had to even use partition magic or any other 3rd party utils.

How I did it was:

1. Installed XP to C: drive.
2. Formatted the left over space on the drive as D: from within Windows XP (NTFS).
3. Booted from Windows XP CD again and started the install, except this time, I said D:\WINDOWS as the target directory.

This worked fine, the only thing I found weird was from the boot menu, both said "Windows XP Professional" so I modified the description in boot.ini to say something different.

I notice there is a dell partition there, not sure if they makes any difference.

I would assume your C: drive install still works fine? Maybe boot into your normal install, recreate and reformat your D: drive using Disk Management from within Computer Management in Administration Tools. Then try installing Windows XP again to D:\WINDOWS.

If that doesn't work, I'm stumped, it should just work. I did it on my work laptop cause I wanted a different environment for when playing games.


last edited by gimpy at 03:14:43 06/Jan/06