Run OS Selector Manually

Discussion in 'Acronis Disk Director Suite' started by dpollock, Jan 23, 2006.

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  1. dpollock

    dpollock Registered Member

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    After reading some of the problems with ADD OS Selector, I am very hesitant about installing. Is it possible to install DD without OSS, and make a boot CD just to change OS's when needed.

    I run 2 primary XP2 partitions and a logical drive
     
  2. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello dpollock,

    Thank you for your interest in Acronis Partition and Disk Managing Software.

    Please be aware that you can install Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 without Acronis OS Selector.
    Please be aware that you will not be able to use Acronis OS Selector to choose what operating system to boot while booting from Acronis Bootable Rescue CD.

    Thank you.
    --
    Kirill Omelchenko
     
  3. dpollock

    dpollock Registered Member

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    That is somewhat of a disadvantage. I am impressed with the capabilities of DD, compared to the product I currently use (PartitionMagic), and would like to move easily between partitions.

    Surely DD could offer a simple automated batch file facility such as Powerquest's PQboot which does the job very well, and requres no additional primary partitions to live in?
     
  4. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello dpollock,

    I'm afraid that Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 Bootable CD does not have such an opportunity, because it does not operate with Master Boot Record of your hard drive.

    If you want to boot both operating systems without Acronis OS Selector installation you can perform it by adding a record fro your second operating system in the boot.ini file.

    Please take a look at this Microsoft Knowledgebase article describing how to edit this boot.ini file.

    Thank you.
    --
    Kirill Omelchenko
     
  5. dpollock

    dpollock Registered Member

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    This may be a good solution. If I modify the boot.ini file as you suggest, will it not only allow selection of the primary partition to boot from, but ALSO hide the one not selected.

    If the non-booted partition remains visible there will be drive problems?
     
  6. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello dpollock,

    Please be aware that this will not hide your partition with the original operating system.

    I do not expect any problems if you use the way that I've suggested above.

    Thank you.
    --
    Kirill Omelchenko
     
  7. dpollock

    dpollock Registered Member

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    The first two partitions on my drive are Primary, both Win XP. As I understand it, whichever of these two I boot into, the other is normally set as 'Primary, Hidden', rather than 'Primary, Active.

    If the boot.ini file method does not hide the inactive partition, it will be visible and available and change all drive letter assignments??
     
  8. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello dpollock,

    Please be aware that only one partition on your hard drive can be active.

    If you add the record for your second operating system into the boot.ini file it will not change the drive letter assignment. When you choose what operating system to boot it will make changes in the MBR of your hard drive. It will set the partition type where the operating system which you want to boot is installed to active.

    Thank you.
    --
    Kirill Omelchenko
     
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