PlanetZ forums - scopeusers.com

Dear Z browsers,
I was just wondering if I could install 2 instances of WinXP each on a separate drive, eg. C & D, and dedicate one to music only, the other to internet, graphics,office etc. And if so how do you set them up and run them individually?
Regards to all.

Hi,

Here's how I've set it up:
2 OS'es on the same physical disk, but on another partition. Each OS partition is 5-7GB, that's more than enough headroom for my needs. After installing the first OS, just boot with the XP cd again and during the setup, choose another partition to install to.

Then there's a load of things you can share between the 2 OS'es: email files, SFP devices, modules and presets folder, TRillian logs, 'My Documents', Virtual Memory... All these files that can be shared, I've put on a 3rd partition, so if I ever run into problems, I can format OS partition and reinstall without loosing my mail files, I just format, reinstall and route the programs to the folders on the 3rd partition.

Good luck

at0mic.

Thanx atOmic,
Unfortunately I don't know how to partition a drive. Do you use a program such as Partition Magic?
Also how do you switch between the two OSs, does it occur at boot up or is it like switching between user accounts??
BTW I have C 13GB & D 35GB, 2GB of which my computer shop tech partitioned for me to use as virtual RAM,to good effect, labelled E. I use C for XP, SFP, SX and all other progs, and D for keeping all my music stuff separate + backup files.
Look forward to your response
Regards

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Richmo on 2003-05-14 20:35 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Richmo on 2003-05-14 20:35 ]</font>

Hi Richmo,

Next is what I'd do if I got my hands on your machine.

I rather use Partition Magic in emergency situations. XP has a built-in disk amanagement that does the job fine for me.
Ideally make 2 new partitions in the space provided by current "D:" partition, and put all your current audio files and projects on a second physical drive.
New large drives (ie. Seagate Barracuda IV) are yours for less than 100€, and your multi tracking will benefit big time from that.

Supposing you buy a new audio harddisk, you get it physically connected inside your pc, and boot XP as usual. XP will install drivers for this new disk. Then go to Computer Management -> Storage -> Disk Management, where you can make partitions on the new drive. After partitioning, format the drive and run a scandisk on it.

Partitions on 2nd physical drive are made, copy all audio files from your current "D:" to one of the new partitions, making "D:" drive empty. Then go to Computer Management again, and delete "D:" partition. Make 2 new partitions where "D:" used to be. Reserve space to your liking for the new OS, the partition made out of the remaining could take 'My Documents', mail folder, temp files, mp3's, logs etc.

Then insert the XP cd and run setup. Choose to manually select destination folder or drive. This is a tricky part, XP's setup is quite confusing. If anyone can be more elaborate on this... Last time I took some wrong road and ended up 'repairing' "C:" OS instead of installing on "D:" After copying the files required for installation, the setup program will ask you to reboot.

After reboot, if you selected the right partition to install on, you already get a boot menu, where can be choosen from 2 options: boot in XP Pro on "C:" or continue Setup. Take the last one and follow XP's installation from here. I think Subhuman laid out the installation in thisTips and Tricks topic.

From now on, every time you boot the pc, you will get the choise between both OS'es. Go to System Properties-> Advanced-> Startup and Recovery. Since boot.ini offers a bit more options, I've copied my boot.ini between (excluding!) the ****:

****
[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="M$ XP Pro DAW 0001" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)WINDOWS="M$ XP Pro DAW 0002" /fastdetect
****

The time-out is the time you get to choose an option before it auto-selects the
default OS. Between the " " you write any name you want to give to the operating systems.

Now if you are broke and still want dual boot, you'll have to empty "D:" to cd's and do with a little less drive space. I would not feel very confortable if I'd have only one harddisk.


I hope that explained a bit more...

at0mic.

Wow thanx for all that atOmic. I think I understand. I think I didn't explain that I already have 2 hard drives 'C' and 'D'. 'E' is a partition of 'D'. So really I should empty 'D' and install the new OS there without it affecting 'E'. After that I can just follow your instructions.
I have a week off work next week so I'll give it a go, and let you know. If you think I should get rid of the "E" partition please let me know.
Once again, many many thanx.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Richmo on 2003-05-15 09:51 ]</font>

Yes, I understood you have C, D, E drives now. You can keep the E for Virtual Memory and keep the D to install the second OS. But I think D will be a bit too large for an OS, so you can devide it into an extra OS partition and space to put your personal files.

You can safely make a new partition in the space provided by D. I think I know what you mean by 'E is a part of D': they're on the extended partition. Inside that extended partition, you can also make drives to your liking. You won't be able to remove/touch E partition, cos it's being used for Virtual Memory, so your primary OS can't remove that.

You're welcome

One last question,
When I've got my 2nd OS working (let's say it's the audio only OS), should I reinstall SFP and SX to the same drive, and does the 2nd OS automatically recognise my audio hardware or do I uninstall then reinstall?
or does it become shared between the two OSs? I think my lack of tech knowledge is clouding my view .
Bye for now.

Initially, you have install everything 'as if there was no "C:" OS', complete with all drivers and programs on "D:".

Once installed, u can edit cset.ini for example and tell SFP to get devices, presets and modules on "C:" and delete these folders from "D:" drive. There's a many programs that can share some files between OS'es, but that's for later. First, setup on "D:" and once that's complete, we can get started sharing files between "C:" and "D:"

Okey Dokey,
Wish me luck. I'll post again when I get there.
Till soon, Tschau

Good luck Richmo

i recommend you buy a removable HDD KIT + 1 extra caddy. setup up the os' over 2 hdds. when ya need them just shutdown and swap the hdd. makes life easier. the kit only costs like 20 aussie bucks....i use a brand called 'laser' and comes with a hdd cooling fan.

imo, it's safer to use this method instead dual booting with 2 hdds..

have fun.

Hmm! Thanx Vien,
I'm going to try atOmics method first because if I run into trouble I still have my original OS. Plus I'm not tech trained and this method seems to make sense. If that fails then you might be plan B.
Thanx all the same.
BTW what's a caddy?


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Richmo on 2003-05-16 08:56 ]</font>

i think he refers to One hd rack/slot and Two hd "cassettes".

btw, i think i read somewhere that having two separate internal hd's with separate Os'es is not very recommended...? i sure hope i'm wrong cos i'm getting an extra hd myself tomorrow and had hoped to be able to dedicate one exclusively to audio. Os and all.
anyone shed some light on this "two internal hd's with separate os"-dilemma?

Let us know if you're successful, or any probs you encounter.
Cheers

Siberiansun, it wouldn't make any sense to install programs and record audio on the same physycal disk. You'll gain performance running it of 2 separate drives!

Yes At0mic, that would be the ultimate solution.
However, i'm on One single hd now (wd 100gb 7200rpm 2mb) and i can only afford one more at this time.
Since i've only got 1 pc in my household and a girlfriend who uses it for documents, internet and gaming i thought it'd be wise to install an XpPro-tweaked-to-the-bone-DAW-only-hd. (wd 80gb 7200 8mb).

what i mean to say is, right now i use one Os on one hd for everything. (photoshop, word, internet, gaming etc).
Surely i'd gain from installing one more hd + winxp and use that one exclusively as my DAW?

I'll also get "Nicklock", a key switch which lets me choose hd before startup.
http://www.nicklock.com
Peace!

hello,
me too i want to dual boot win xp pro.

the reason is: i want to use one os for test and the other... well you know...

i'm trying this operation of the dual boot with the hidden partiton (both C:) from a lot of days unsuccesfully. quite desperating.

the thing is working well with the xp own boot management, but he doesn't hide partition and i have different drive letters, so I can’t route paths to the same folders…
after several trials i can't manage Power Quest bootmagic (version 8.02) properly.
I read in this forum, i read in other forum (nuendo and cubase) here and there articles in the web, and of course manuals of partition magic and boot magic.

I tried partition magic wizard procedure to install another os and in the end always comes up with a missing hal.dll –irreversible error and I can’t boot both systems or one of the two… depending of the installation I did (quite a few…), or a missing ntldr…
I tried to install the first os in a primary and the second on a logical, and both xp on a primary.

ACTUAL DISC Setup:

working on a single maxtor 80 giga drive [after I will put another only for data].

The order of the drive letters you’ll read is quite strange: is the result of these 2 weeks of installing –reinstalling and of my few confidence with conflicts that arise when you assign a letter with partition magic and how xp handles after reboot, fact that made probably to uncorrect partiton table, that was in some cases maybe the reason boot magic didn’t work.

What Pmagic see is, in order:

PRIMARY- G: fat 50 mb - for installing boot magic
PRIMARY- C: ntfs 10 giga - xp 1 (the one should be DAW) - only partiton magic installed
PRIMARY- J: ntfs 10 giga – xp 2 (test) - I will install today sfp, nuendo, plugins.
PRIMARY- EXTENDED
LOGICAL - D (i’ll use these for swap file and presets, commun paths of the aplications, etc.)
LOGICAL - E (i’ll use these for swap file and presets, commun paths of the aplications, etc.)
LOGICAL - F (data)

now in order to avoid other reinstallations I didn’t reinstalled boot magic again.

First question: is tested that boot magic 8.02 can handle 2 xp?
Second : If yes somebody could explain me a step by step procedure in the situation I am now? This would be helpful as you can understand…
Third: should/could I install partition magic and boot magic also in the other operatin system?? This another thing I can’t understand if is helpful or messing up…..
Thank you very much for help

radiantly

ps- I’ll post this also in the other thread I read about the argument…

On 2003-05-14 09:15, Richmo wrote:
Dear Z browsers,
I was just wondering if I could install 2 instances of WinXP each on a separate drive, eg. C & D, and dedicate one to music only, the other to internet, graphics,office etc. And if so how do you set them up and run them individually?
Regards to all.

You can only boot from one physical drive. You can either boot from two different partitions on one drive or don't partition your drive and install two copies of Windows on the single drive and choose which to use at boot.

The advantage of partitions = quicker defragmenting and easier organisation. The disadvantage is that if you disk get corrupted (can happen) all partitions will be lost.

The advantage of different HD = The most common disk to be corrupted by Virus, software fault or any non-physcial problem is the boot disk as this does most of the work. If you have two HDs, HD one can get wiped and HD two will stay intact and fine. Also, if you do not partition your HDs you can use all the space on the drive for whatever you want (rather than being limited to perhaps 5gb for audio from a partition)