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Windows 7: Two drives, two OSes, only one boot

13 Jan 2012  
Mathius17

Windows 7 Professional x64
5 posts
 
 
Two drives, two OSes, only one boot

Hi, sorry if this has already been talked but I just couldn't find an answer, and sorry if this is not the correct place to ask.

I have a Dell Inspiron 14R (N4010), I bought a Sammsung SSD and installed it. Then I made a fresh install of Windows 7 in it. Then I replaced the Optical Disk Drive with an adaptor with my old HDD in it.

The thing is, I have the two drives with two different OSes, but my BIOS only detects the Samsung SSD to boot from, the Hitachi drive detects it as an ODD and I can't boot from it, is there anything I can to boot from that drive?

My System SpecsSystem Spec

13 Jan 2012  
RobinSchouten

Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
182 posts
Netherlands
 
 

Have you tried looking at your SATA/IDE settings in the BIOS? They should be easy to understand as you are trying to get the same settings as your SSD for the Hitachi drive.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
13 Jan 2012  
Mathius17

Windows 7 Professional x64
5 posts
 
 

Well, I looked but I couldn't find anything like "SATA/IDE settings" in the BIOS as you said
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13 Jan 2012  
whs

Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
17,869 posts
Florida in winter, Black Forest/Germany
 
 

This looks like a laptop. The SSD you should run in AHCI mode. But I am hot sure what that will do to the converted optical drive attachment.

You are probably better off if you put your optical drive back in and run your old HDD from a PCI eSata Express card using an external eSata enclosure.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
13 Jan 2012  
Mathius17

Windows 7 Professional x64
5 posts
 
 

Yes I know, I could just run the old Hitachi HDD from a usb port, but I just don't want to go everywhere with an extra hard drive, that's why I bought the adapter.

But as I said, the problem is that the BIOS won't detect the HDD as a bootable device/drive
My System SpecsSystem Spec
14 Jan 2012  
Klamfyr

Windows Ultimate x64
60 posts
Denmark
 
 

Have you tried unplugging your SSD and only having your HDD connected to see if the problem persist?
My System SpecsSystem Spec
14 Jan 2012  
Mathius17

Windows 7 Professional x64
5 posts
 
 

Nevermind, I solved the problem, it was the boot order.
It only said Hard Drive, USB, CD-ROM, Network..... But I found by accident that I could expand the Hard Drive options, and there were both drives XD

Thanks very much to everyone!
My System SpecsSystem Spec
11 Feb 2012  
krc

Windows 7
2 posts
 
 

I need some help doing this exact conversion. Mathius, can you link me the resources you used? Also, what adaptor did you use? Thanks!
My System SpecsSystem Spec
12 Feb 2012  
krc

Windows 7
2 posts
 
 

Does anyone have any advice or links that would help? I just bought a Crucial M4 that is sitting on my shelf
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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 Two drives, two OSes, only one boot problems?



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