Dual boot XP-XP problems, kind of

[dseaver]

I have a dual boot set up of a full XP environment (C) and a second XP environment (E) with just Acronis TrueImage Workstation installed. I used the second partition to back up and restore the first using vbscripts. I have test this out and had it working on another HDD. When recreating the environment, my backup solution broke because when I am in the second environment, it views the first as a system drive. Is there a way to have the E partition NOT view C as a system partition?

 

[vacunita]

Yes, not have it as a Dual Boot scenario. In Other words install Your Second Windows, while the first hard drive is not present. So it becomes C. Then its juts a matter of changing the boot order in your BIOS when you want to boot into your second drive to perform backup operations. This way the other drive is scene as storage, and not a system drive.

----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[lonelyboy]

Hello All!

Im new here and i have a big problem about my PC XP
yesterday i re install xp OS to add more capacity of my drive C,my existing drive are c,d/e(CD/DVD),G,E,F,when im finish installing the XP in drive C,my drive G,E,F Files are missing or deleted,how can i recover them,because thats my important files especialy my pictures!any help from the expertise i appreciate very very muchhh,,

Thanks and best regards,
Lonelyboy

 

[dseaver]

I have to have a dual boot, since there can only be one HDD in this computer for several reasons.

 

[wolluf]

I think you need to have independent XP installations. I'm guessing you just partitioned the drive, installed XP1 to partition 1 then XP 2 to partition 2, leaving XP to create its dual boot menu. If so, then all the system files are on the first partition - so both installations see it as system partition (second XP won't boot if first partition gets corrupted/wiped, but first will boot if second is corrupted/wiped).

To create independent installations you need:-

a third party boot manager (not strictly true, but good idea) - eg,

http://www.boot-us.com.

the 2 partitions to be both primary partitions
to hide the first partition when installing XP to the second. Boot-us has a utility to do this (it has 2 options, hide and 'true hide' - as XP can actually see hidden partitions - though it doesn't use them).

Create partition 1 and install XP1. In XP1, create second primary partition for XP2. Install boot-us, and use it to hide partition 1 (will take effect after restart). Restart and install XP2 to partition 2. This should install all its system files (basically boot sector) to second partition. In XP2, install boot-us, unhide the first partition and create boot menu - I usually create boot menu on floppy or CD. Alternatively you could edit the boot.ini file on partition 1 to include entry for XP2. You should now have 2 independent installations - each on its own 'system drive'

 

[linney]

lonelyboy,

Welcome,

How did you increase the size of C:, was it at the expense of G,E,F drives?

Data recovery.
PC Inspector

http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm

http://www.restorer2000.com

http://www.runtime.org/hints.htm

Plenty of other recovery software listed here.

http://dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Disk_Management/Error_Checking_and_Repair/

You might be better off starting a thread that just applies to your topic, rather than piggy-backing on to this thread, it will make it easier for you to communicate and track your replies too.

 

[vacunita]

Linney, I think you posted in the Wrong thread, probbaly meant to Post here: thread779-1434034

----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[dseaver]

Yea you guys! Stop hijacking my thread!!



[/joke]