Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

I just installed a slave HD a couple days ago, and instead of doing a fresh
OS install (Win XP Pro) I cloned the master to the slave with software from
the new HD manufacturer (WD).

I wanted to be able to choose on startup whether the computer should boot to
the master or the slave HD.

This is my original boot.ini file:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

I asked for some help with changing this program, and here is what somebody
said would work:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP="XP Pro" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINXP="XP Pro Slave" /fastdetect

Two questions:

1) Is this new boot.ini file going to work?
2) boot.ini is located in the C dir. I made a copy of the file, named it
original boot ini.txt, and put it in the same C dir. If I make the
change in the boot.ini file and the computer won't boot, what DOS commands
do I give to overwrite the new boot.ini file with the original boot ini.txt
file to restore it to its original condition?

P.S. - I assume since this is all mirrored to my slave HD, I need to make
the identical changes on the D dir to boot.ini (and my backup, original
boot ini.txt).

Please help. I should sit and learn some DOS from the internet, but I don't
want to spend several hours flipping through web pages when I have other
work to catch up on.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Jeff said this...

> Please help. I should sit and learn some DOS from the internet, but I
> don't want to spend several hours flipping through web pages when I have
> other work to catch up on.

Hmm. I think whether or not the boot.ini will work is probably irrelevant.
The clone copy of your OS on the slave (D:?) will still contain a mass of
references to C: in the registry so it is MOST unlikely to work predictably
IMHO.
You really need to do a fresh install on the new slave drive. This will
create the boot.ini as part of the process.

--
º~ dªv¡d ~º

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

=|[ Jeff's ]|= wrote:

> I just installed a slave HD a couple days ago, and instead of doing a fresh
> OS install (Win XP Pro) I cloned the master to the slave with software from
> the new HD manufacturer (WD).
>
> I wanted to be able to choose on startup whether the computer should boot to
> the master or the slave HD.
>
> This is my original boot.ini file:
>
> [boot loader]
> timeout=30
> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP
> [operating systems]
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
>
> I asked for some help with changing this program, and here is what somebody
> said would work:
>
> [boot loader]
> timeout=30
> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP
> [operating systems]
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP="XP Pro" /fastdetect
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINXP="XP Pro Slave" /fastdetect
>
> Two questions:
>
> 1) Is this new boot.ini file going to work?

You'll have two startup choices, "XP Pro" and "XP Pro Slave"

Only this line has been added,
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINXP="XP Pro Slave" /fastdetect

Which is a menu choice to look for OS in partition 2 of the *same drive*

you should probably change it to:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINXP="XP Pro Slave" /fastdetect

> 2) boot.ini is located in the C dir. I made a copy of the file, named it
> original boot ini.txt, and put it in the same C dir. If I make the
> change in the boot.ini file and the computer won't boot, what DOS commands
> do I give to overwrite the new boot.ini file with the original boot ini.txt
> file to restore it to its original condition?

Not easy to do in Dos you need the pro version of NTFS driver.

If the "XPro Slave" menu choice wont boot properly, just reset and choose
"XP Pro" menu option and youll probably boot the old primary installation
as normal.

>
> P.S. - I assume since this is all mirrored to my slave HD, I need to make
> the identical changes on the D dir to boot.ini (and my backup, original
> boot ini.txt).
>
I dont think you will actualy, the first time this duplicated install
attempts to boot, windows will likely recreate some defaults. I suspect
there might be problems with XP licence stuff, but as long as you havent
altered the origional install on drive C:\ - I think you *might* 66% be ok
if you want to get back to it on the unaltered drive.

Problem you might get is that the clone install changes the drive letters,
then effecting the origional install. *it could get messy*

> Please help. I should sit and learn some DOS from the internet, but I don't
> want to spend several hours flipping through web pages when I have other
> work to catch up on.

Well, its a fiddly and hazardous operation, Ive moved and fixed installs
like this myself before but its always taken me hours and hours - perhaps
because I didnt revise the details before either.

http://www.google.com/search?q=nt+ [...] l+boot.ini

good luck,
--
' gathering moss,
android

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

"Jeff" <jeff@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:vB0uc.12147$js4.5189@attbi_s51...
> I just installed a slave HD a couple days ago, and instead of doing a
fresh
> OS install (Win XP Pro) I cloned the master to the slave with software
from
> the new HD manufacturer (WD).
>
> I wanted to be able to choose on startup whether the computer should boot
to
> the master or the slave HD.
>


You could put a switch on the drive jumper to select the drive you want at
bootup. Then the boot drive would always be C:.

Can't remember the details of how it works. Think it involves Cable Select.
It was on TechTV.