multiple OS using, booting always from C:\ - can't make what I want?

Discussion in 'Acronis Disk Director Suite' started by SuperFreak, Aug 22, 2006.

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  1. SuperFreak

    SuperFreak Registered Member

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    I want to boot any of the 2 OSes as always C:\, just like before...

    I've spent tons of hours, days reading the DiskDirectorSuite10.0_ug.en.pdf and all the posts here about how to use Acronis booting multi OSes always as C:\, but still have questions and queries with the methodes I have read, moreover I can't do that.

    1st HDD SATA 150 - C:\ "XP_Work"
    2nd HDD SATA 150 - D:\ "XP_Game"
    3rd HDD SATA 150 - backup, programs
    4th HDD SATA 300 - new purchase

    I've installed XP_Work and XP_Game "in a common way" before Acronis DDS was installed.

    1.)
    My previous mobo was an MSI K8T Neo-FIS2R, supplied with 2x2 SATA controller ( VIA VT8237 & Promise 20378 ). It results that I was able to boot always as C:\ whether XP was installed on the 1st HDD or on the 2nd. I have 4 HDDs connected to the mobo, and on HDD one there is XP for work, on HDD two there is XP for game. I hadn't need any added software to boot any of the 2 OSes, 'cause the mobo's BIOS had the solution to hit F11 and choose which of the 2 HDDs I want to boot from - always as C:\!

    I've upgraded to new mobo (ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe) with CPU plus a 320GB SATA300 and now - since it has (6) SATA connectors from the same vendor - I can't use my good old technic. I installed XP on the 1st HDD and after that to the 2nd - as for gaming, usual. Now my XP_Work is on C:\, but XP_Game is on D:\, which I'm not satisfied with.

    If I'm gonna take Batfink's advice, and install OSS to its own 100MB partition, and XP_Work onto a different HDD, plus XP_Game to a third one (I have 4 HDDs), I must hide one OS from the other, which seems that one will always unvisible and I can't use the antivirus software insatlled on XP_Work for example to scan that HDD (XP_Game) which is hidden.
    Think that my 2nd OS is only for gaming, which means that I don't want to install any additional software on it, just pure OS and games, so security programs and others always run from/under XP_Work, not XP_Game.


    2.)
    The other question is how to copy my XP_Game from 2nd HDD, to the new purchased HDD - 4th one (the reason is the new one is faster). Since XP_Work on 1st HDD is the "base" OS and XP_Game on 2nd HDD is just an "added" OS, every attempt I made till now was unsuccesful: the new HDD (HDD 4th) is still unbootable (tried DDS and OSS "copy"-method).


    3.)
    Where will the copied XP OS will take its place on one of my 4 HDDs, when I give COPY order from OSS?? I've tried this long-lasting manouver, but still have no clue where OSS did copy my XP_Game, so I deleted the result.

    Please help. Thanx in advance.
     
  2. Batfink

    Batfink Registered Member

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    I too have a games partition... which is bare os, and games.... I only connect to the net on this os to update some games i.e., HL2, and windows updates.. etc.. so I choose to use free, very low resource av software.....

    Fortunately, my router is my main defence as a firewall, and I use my motherboards nforce4 built in hardware firewall... but to be honest, as I am behind a router, all my ports are stealthed even with the fw disabled!!!

    This OS is very low risk of infection, as my network is disabled all of the time, except during updating... so I dont have resource hungry av/fw taking up valuable cpu and mem.... Mos updates can be downloaded anyway, so I can do this on my general OS, copy them to a shared location, then install them ont he games OS...

    This is my drive layout.... for info...

    These partitions could be on any drive, as long as the boot.ini is referenced as to their location...

    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=823983#post823983
     
  3. SuperFreak

    SuperFreak Registered Member

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    Thanks for your reply.

    I still have question about what do you mean, when you say "C drive, is where the boot files are installed, and OS selector resides (installed after OS setup)". What are these boot files exactly? How can I copy and from where?
     
  4. Batfink

    Batfink Registered Member

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    When you first install your OS, at the blue screen stage, it copies certain files to your active partition... to see them, you will need to show hidden files, as they are system files, and generally hidden from vuew... they include the boot.ini, ntdetect, ntldr.. amongst others...

    After I have installed my first OS, and cloned it to the other partitions... I then install OS Selector to the C drive so this works regardless of which OS i want to boot into.... the C drive is always visible as it is the boot partition, so its a good place to have it....
     
  5. SuperFreak

    SuperFreak Registered Member

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    Thanx mate... I've just finished installing the first copy of Windows on D:, and OSS on C:, following your advice.
    Now I need some help in how to copy this Windows from D: to the next partition, using DDS... just simple copying D: and modifying boot.ini is enough?
     
  6. Batfink

    Batfink Registered Member

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    Not quite... once you have editted the bot.ini, OSS should now be aware of the existanc eof the other OS.. now for the tricky part!!!

    I suggest you read my longish post in this thread

    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=824531&postcount=5

    You need to edit the properties of each OS, to hide/unhide the respective partitions, and remove the folders from the list to prevent OSS from copying/moving the OS folders - this is a feature of OSS to protect the OS, but is not needed for this config, infact Ive not really seen the benefit of it myself, but then Im sure it does serve a purpose depending upon your setup...

    It took me many attempts to figure out what was going on, and get around it, but is now easy for me to setup.. and works flawlessly for me...

    Also remember when editing the boot.ini.. to make sure there is no return, or spaces at the end of the last line of code, make sure the cursor finishes at the end of the last line... this can cause probs for some reason...

    Ive also found it necessary to disable system restore before I have copied the OS over, but it can re-enabled afterwards if you need it.... other than that, everything else should go smoothly...

    GOOD LUCK!!
     
  7. SuperFreak

    SuperFreak Registered Member

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    Really appreciate your continuous assistance and thanx for your quick reply. :thumb:

    All seems clear (I always off the System Restore, etc.), except I copied Windows to an unallocated but not hidden partition (just thought will be hidden later), so I'll try to redo the job, this time to a hidden one.

    One more issue seems differ to me, it's the boot.ini: mine is ending with " /usepmtimer" not fastdetect. May I delete this word from the end of the line... ?

    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer

    Thanx!
     
  8. Batfink

    Batfink Registered Member

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