Switch directly from one OS to another without rebooting and using OSS?

I have 2 OS installations, and use OSS to select which OS I want at boot time. To switch to the other OS, I restart and select the required OS in OSS.

This is a bit long winded, so I am wondering if there is a way to switch directly to the other OS from within the current OS? So that it restart and boot directly into the other OS without having to go through OSS.

 

For Windows (XP and Vista) you can install the OSS program. When you start the program you'll get the same menu as when you boot. You can select a different OS, edit settings, etc. When you select to boot another OS, a message will be displayed telling you that a reboot is needed. When the computer boots up, it will skip the OSS menu and boot directly to the selected OS.

There is no "inside" selection program for Linux.

 

So I can install OSS in XP without it affecting the OSS boot menu?

 

Yes. That's how I have it on my computer. Just make sure that each OS has the same build of OSS installed. If you have two Windows setups installed and are currently using build 2,160 of OSS, make sure that if you install OSS into one Windows and then later install it into the other that both are 2,160.

Previously, I've run into problems with OSS corrupting the BOOTWIZ.OSS file every time I booted OSS directly from one of my XP installs. I later found out that I still had the older build (2,117) installed on that system. I updated it to 2,160 and the problem went away.

If a newer build of OSS comes out, all of the installed builds should either be left at their current build or all should be updated so that they are using the same version.

If you want to be cautious about it, you can create a backup image of your drive (with TI, for example) before you install OSS into Windows. That way you can start over quickly if necessary.

 

When I try to install DD, I get the following screen for OSS:

http://i29.tinypic.com/2h2pqn9.jpg

I don't have DD installed on any of the 2 partitions/OS installations. I installed OSS from the Acronis Boot disc into a partition of it's own.

So where do I go from here?

 

The Repair/Update option is the one you want.

 

Thank you, it works. The DD manual (PDF) doesn't appear to cover this. Judging by the screenshots used in that, it appears to be for an older version?

One last question. Is it possible to manually create a shortcut to the OS in the OSS menu? Instead of having to select the OSS shortcut on the desktop, then select the OS one wants to boot into, it would save time if a direct shortcut to the OS could be created, saving having to go through the OSS menu itself. One can create a shortcut to the OS in the OSS menu itself, but there doesn't appear to be a way of placing that on the desktop.

 

Don't think I made myself very clear.

There is an OSS shortcut on my desktop. If I run that, OSS starts and displays the installed OS's.

What I'm wondering is if it is possible to have a shortcut to one of the OS's on the desktop itself, and therefore bypassing the OSS GUI screen. One click instead of two, to restart and boot directly into the required OS.

 

You were clear.

As far as I know, the OSS program doesn't support command line parameters. All attempts just start the program.

You might be able to record a Macro that would run OSS, select the OS you wanted and then click the Reboot button. A Macro Recorder/Player program would be required.

Modifying the boot configuration files manually using a custom program may be possible, but it might also take a lot of work to even find out if it would work.