Ssd + hdd dual boot (on separate drives)

[DUNKY]

SSD + HDD DUAL BOOT (ON SEPARATE DRIVES)


Is it possible to set up a system for dual boot function using two separate drives (in the same system) if one is an SSD and the other a HDD ?

 

[smarteyeball]

Certainly is

 

[DUNKY]

I'm rather newbie to this . . .can you point me towards a tutorial that will show me how to do this successfully ?

 

[theveterans]

Yep. I'm not promoting this software, but I've used it as a substitute for the command prompt based bcdedit: it's EasyBCD. If you want your Main OS in SSD, install your windows to your SSD. The boot information (MBR) will be stored in the SSD. Then, install your secondary OS in the HDD. This will store the MBR for your secondary OS in the HDD. If your boot priority in the BIOS is SSD first, you won't be able to boot to your secondary OS without adding the secondary OS MBR from your HDD to your SSD. EasyBCD will allow to do this task without risks.

Just do a google search on how to use EasyBCD and you should be dual booting without issues.

 

[DUNKY]

So is this just a matter of installing the software and the OS on each SSD + HDD ?

it doesnt seem to be as complicated as i first thought but i still have reservations in regards to how to proceed with confidence.

@theveterans@ is there a concise step by step tutorial that you can refer me to?



thanks

 

[theveterans]

I have never performed a dual boot 2 different Operating systems (e.g. Windows 7 + Ubuntu). I have only done Windows 7 and previous versions of windows. But here's the quick tutorial of how to clean install Windows 7: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

BTW, if you're doing an installation of multiple Windows versions, install them in this order: old version first then the most recent.

Here's the tutorial on how to dual boot XP and Windows 7: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

If you doing Linux + Windows dual boot. I suggest to install Ubuntu (use Google to find this out as I have no experience with Linux whatsoever) on the HDD first. Like I said above this creates the boot information for Linux on the HDD. Then install Windows 7 on the SSD by following the clean install tutorial link that I provided. If you set your BIOS to boot to the SSD first, you will only be able to boot to Windows 7. Then install EasyBCD. You can find EasyBCD using Google search.

On the EasyBCD menu, you will see only the Windows 7 entry. (Below is my dual boot setup: Windows 7 pro on the SSD and Windows 7 Home Premium OEM on the HDD)

Now go to the "add new entry" then add the Ubuntu/Linux by selecting the correct drive letter for the HDD.

Finally restart your PC and you should see 2 entries in the boot manager. Hope you get your dual boot set up properly .

 

[Danthevan]

Just done it myself with 2 drives using easybcd. Installed it on both drives, open it in windows and it's fairly self explanatory. Works a treat!
Download link from the website wouldn't work for some reason, but plenty of copies out there on cnet etc

 

[theveterans]

Glad you got your dual boot working.

 

[DUNKY]

Thanks theveterans

I'll give it a shot.