Help with BIOS-Managed dual boot

[pare]

Hello there,
I would like to have 2 separate hard drives completely independent from each other. Since I read about it in this forum I came to like the idea.
I believe you guys call it BIOS-Managed dual boot. Right now I am trying to do it but I have some questions.
Here is what I did: I removed my first drive with Windows 7 home premium installed on it working verry smoothly (not yet activated) completely from the SATA 0 connection on the mobo and I connected the second drive that I want to format and install Windows XP pro on it to the SATA 1 connection on the mobo.
I changed the boot menu in the BIOS to boot from CD-Rom and press F10 to save and exit. I hit enter at the press any key to boot from CD message and the installation started.
When it is done I will connect my first drive with Windows 7 home premium to the SATA 0 connection and the second drive with Windows XP pro will stay at the SATA 1 connection. I suppose that by changing the boot menu in the BIOS to boot from HDD and restart the computer my drive with Windows 7 home premium will boot by default and the drive with the other OS (Windows XP pro)will boot whenever I tap the F12 key?
That's the way I want it.
This XP pro OS I wan't for my data and some other stuff.
Some other things I have to take in consideration?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Night Hawk]

Bios Managed dual booting is someone's own term they applied for bringing up the boot device menu option when the first post screen arrives and the lights(if any) blink on the keyboard when first powering up or when seeing a full system restart and opting to boot into the OS on a different drive.

With the first 7 drive unplugged from Sata port #1 on the board or when simply unplugged at the drive end you don't have to switch ports to see any Windows installation go onto a second drive since that will automatically become the new first drive the Windows installer sees.

It's when not wanting any boot files placed on the present first drive you isolate that by simply unplugging it when going to install on the next in line.

That's simplify things a bit since sometimes you may not plug the board end back in fully or it may lift up and suddenly no drive seen!

With both drives now seeing a stand alone installation you can also opt to see the XP Pro installation as a new boot option leaving the 7 drive set as the default boot device without the need to "be quick" at pressing the F12 button in time before the bios posts move on and 7 starts loading since that would be an option seen in the 7 boot loader.

To see that done easy enough review the guide for setting up a working dual boot. Note any entry added into the 7 BCD store can also be removed even faster then entered. How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

Method Two is what you will want to look over in the guide there. You won't have the worry of repairing the 7 mbr information however having already isolated the 7 drive from the XP install.

Now to add XP in as a boot option now you will need to copy the XP boot files over to the root of the 7 primary and edit the copy of there of the boot.ini file in NotePad unchecking the read only box in the properties and saving as "all files" not the usual .txt seen once you make one change.

The default "rdisk(0)partition 1" part of the operating system listings will need to see "rdisk(1)partition 1) pointing to the second drive on the system. Once that is done you can add the new boot enty in for XP once you have the drive letter for the XP drive set in the 7 Disk Management tool.

This is often the preferred option to avoid the hit the reset button when not pressing the F key fast enough.

 

[gregrocker]

Hi pare -

Yes you have it exactly right.

If after dual booting via BIOS you decide you'd like to have the Windows-managed Dual Boot, just install EasyBCD 2.0 to Win7, Add XP, accept boot files, Save, Restart.

 

[Night Hawk]

The main advantage found with the boot menu is not having to make repeat trips into the bios>boot order section in order to change which drive will be set as default. Want to see if your second drive is bootable? Select it from the menu of option rather then the need to go into the bios to set it, exit and restart, boot into the second OS, restart, enter the bios the second time, reset the default drive, exit and restart and then finally back in the default OS!

When going to install Windows for example things are even easier since you simply bring up the boot device menu and select the optical drive to boot from the 7 dvd and once the setup files are all copied onto the destination drive/partition and sees the system restart the installation goes ahead and finishes without that extra step added into the process!

How about a live cd or live usb flash drive? Same thing! Simply select the drive or drive type from the menu.

 

[gregrocker]

Use the BIOS one-time Boot Menu key to boot the other OS not set as first HD to boot in BIOS setup. Every computer has one:

Asus - F8
HP/Compaq - Esc
Sony - F2
Acer - F2
Gateway - F10
eMachnes - F10
Toshiba - F12
Dell - F12
IBM/Lenovo - the blue Thinkvantage button

It takes no more time than using the Windows Boot Menu which interlocks the HD's.

 

[Night Hawk]

That all depends on how much time you have set to make the selection.

The default screen is 30 seconds which for many simply "takes too long"! Here I lowered down to 3 seconds and simply hit one of the arrow keys even when reaching over if away.

The boot device menu however always comes in handy even if you prefer a boot options screen coming up. Plus you can also opt to set which will be the default OS even if the other is on the default boot drive.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hi pare -

Yes you have it exactly right.

If after dual booting via BIOS you decide you'd like to have the Windows-managed Dual Boot, just install EasyBCD 2.0 to Win7, Add XP, accept boot files, Save, Restart.

Good advice.

 

[pare]

Now to add XP in as a boot option now you will need to copy the XP boot files over to the root of the 7 primary and edit the copy of there of the boot.ini file in NotePad unchecking the read only box in the properties and saving as "all files" not the usual .txt seen once you make one change.

The default "rdisk(0)partition 1" part of the operating system listings will need to see "rdisk(1)partition 1) pointing to the second drive on the system. Once that is done you can add the new boot enty in for XP once you have the drive letter for the XP drive set in the 7 Disk Management tool.

This is often the preferred option to avoid the hit the reset button when not pressing the F key fast enough.

If I choose to do this will I still keep my drives with OS's absolutely separate?
From what I have read in this forum, a few of you guys are against this dual booting because of the many problems that can occur. As I mentioned before this XP drive is only to store my pictures, music maybe backups?
Btw, the BIOS-managed dual boot turned out just perfect. I did put AVG antivirus on it already.
On the XP to be specific.
One question (hope it is not a dumb one) Will I have to activate first in order to put an anti virus?
Oh, and thanks for all the reply I got.

 

[gregrocker]

Why would you do any of that if you have already set up the simple BIOS-managed dual boot to your liking?

No you don't need to activate before installing your AV. Have you considered MS Security Essentials which is highly recommended around here, along with Avast.

 

[Night Hawk]

As far as adding a second version of Windows on most will elect to see how things go before the allowed time runs out for activating that copy of Windows. If you happen into a bad install of Windows the first time you can still wipe that and install a new copy that works and see that activated.

AVG doesn't require Windows to be activated while MS will before seeing the Windows Installer 3.1 or 4.0 version go on first in order to download and install the updates. 3rd party apps like AVG and your other programs including device drivers and apps for hardwares shouldn't see any requirement.

With a second drive set up as a stand alone bootable drive you can see a new entry added into the boot loader on the first without worry. You can still press the F12 or other F key and select the second drive and see the OS on it load. For adding a new entry in on the host/boot set as default however when that drive was isolated you would still need to copy the boot files over to it before you could add the new entry in.

 

[pare]

Indeed I did consider MS Security Essentials. Along with Avast, does this mean the both of them?
Will it make any difference which one goes first? Aren't they both an antivirus? Can you have more then one on a O.S.

 

[gregrocker]

I would use one AV or the other, not both. MSE is more invisible and just as effective, with the Win7 firewall.

Download and install also Malwarebytes to do on-demand monthly scan for malware. You've got great coverage then.

 

[Night Hawk]

On a previous setup with the host drive's present av the Vista install saw the SE, ThreatFire, and Spyware Terminator along the Clam av toolbar option. No clashes found with that mix and they caught more with the multiple layers since one would catch what the others missed!

 

[pare]

Hi Gregrocker and Night Hawk,
I did try to install Microsoft Security Essentials but it asked me to validate Windows. I could also read that you will have to activate first, then validate. Well, one day I will have to activate and I believe I have only 18 days left. But all of a sudden my sound is gone. Do you recommend me to fix this sound issue before doing the validation. I went to the sound part of this forum and I could read that several members got this sound issue after installing a new HDD. Well that's what happened to me. I did install the Motherboard drivers from the CD that came with the mobo and I can see that Realtek AC'97 Audio is installed by going to control panel-programs and features but still there is no sound. Pardon me if I have to start a new thread in the sound part of this forum. Thanks guys and good night.

 

[gregrocker]

No you don't need to activate before MSE will validate.

I would try reinstalling the sound driver downloaded separately from Realtek. If you uninstall it then it should also soon be delivered as an optional Windows Updates. Sound has nothing to do with activation.

 

[Night Hawk]

Try going into the Control Panel>Sound sound tab and running the configuration wizard to set the default playback device as well as checking to see if the onboard is enabled. If you have a headset plugged in for live chat that may be set by Windows as the default.

Another thing to mention is a look in the "Device Manager>Sound, video, and game controllers" to see if anything there has a yellow mark indicating only a partial install was seen and not seeing the drivers made active by Windows.

In the meantime you can refer to the guide for extending the trial period until you have everything set. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/875-activation-trial-period-extend-up-120-days.html

 

[pare]

Hi Guys,
My husband who could not wait, did put a videocard on the mobo and install the Turtle Beach Riviera software that came with it on the drive with XP. The drive with XP has sound now but the one with Windows 7 does not. By going to Device Manager >other devices there is a question mark at Multimedia Audio Controller. I quess, if I install the software on Windows 7 I will have sound on Windows 7 but then again I will never know what seems to have been the problem. I might follow Night Hawk's advice and extend the acivation with 120 days in order to sort out the problem with my sound. Gregrocker, will I have to download a driver for my sound, in this case will it have to be the chipset driver? The part of uninstalling the Realtek driver and waiting for optional Windows Update is not verry clear to me. I am sorry. Another Question, if I resolve the matter with my sound, should I remove the video card from the mobo?
Thank you guys.

 

[gregrocker]

I don't understand your questions about activation. It has nothing to do with whether sound or anything else works correctly or not. Are you waiting to see if everything works before committing to an OEM version which locks itself to your mobo? Because retail Win7 can be activated as many times as you want on whatever hardware you want as long as only one copy is running at a time.

Go into XP Device Manager and write down the exact Sound device you have by Make and Model, then google it for Win7 drivers. Or go to the maker's website Support Downloads webpage to get the latest Win7 drivers.

If you installed the chipset and Sound did not load, then either it isn't included or it needs a newer driver for Win7. Browse to the place (normally in the C: root) where the chipset unzipped before installing and see if there is a Sound component included in one of the files or folders. If so, you can also try browsing to it from the missing Sound device in Device Manager to pick up the driver from that file. Sometimes a chipset doesn't even install, but just unzips for you to go get the drivers from Device Manager.

 

[pare]

I think I might have installed drivers with the wrong CD to my mobo. I might have by mistake use the gigabyte CD from my husband's computer to the Intel's mobo on my computer. Have a look at the screenshot of Device Manager. I don't remember seeing two different Icons at sound-video and game controllers.

 

[gregrocker]

I don't think that's a worry. Those drivers wouldn't install or would be in a problem state if they were incorrect.

What I would do is uninstall both of them on their Driver tab then let them reinstall by restarting. Save the software.

If you know for sure that Realtek is your audio device, then uninstall the software for Intel during driver uninstall. You can always install it again later from disk.

The proper way to sort this is to find out via Specs exactly what audio device you have, then go to the computer or device manufacturer's Support Downloads webpage for your computer model or that device model to download and install the software. Either run the Installer .exe file as Admin, or browse to the unzipped driver file from Device Manager driver Update tab to pick up the driver.

If you have sound on your mobo chipset, then you may have an old XP drivers disk. You'll need to go to the mobo maker's Support webpage to look for the chipset download for Win7 or Vista. Sometimes if only Vista or XP drivers are available they need to be installed in compatibility mode when running their .exe as Admin: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html