multiple OS on multiple hard drives

[Maxheadroom]

if i install win7 on another hardrive when i boot up will i get the option of which operating system to choose?
and what if i add XP to another harddive again will i get multiple OS choice at boot up or is there something more i need to do?
thanks

 

[PooMan UK]

Nope you wont get the option to boot to multiple OS that way. The way you set your bios up will determine which HDD your pc boots from first. But some pc's have the option to hit a "F" key which then gives you the option from which drive to boot from.

 

[Maxheadroom]

yeh looking at it F* in my ASUS mobo will give me an option to boot from a selected HDD,
handy
thanks for the reply PooMan UK

 

[gregrocker]

If you want to boot via the BIOS rather than have a Windows-managed dual boot, then unplug any other OS's during install or Win7 will configure the Windows dual boot.

It is indeed cleaner to boot via BIOS, setting preferred OS HD as first HD to boot (after optical drive) and then triggering the other lesser-preferred OS HD by using the F-key.

 

[willhosier]

Hardware Option

A more reliable solution is to go with a hardware switch to choose a different drive to boot to. Indus Technologies -- Indus Technologies — Welcome -- has the best product available. We use them all over our campus in most labs and classroom. They can switch SATA, IDE, or both.

We tried some other options, but these are the only ones to never fail and work out of the box every time.