2 windows os on two HDD?

[multijesture]

Is this setup possible? Anyone tried before?

 

[naked123]

can. install grub bootloader to select which windows you wanna boot

 

[limcc]

Of course, works since the first day of PC or any computer that support multiple drives.

Mobo that allow boot device selection, can boot with a press of a button after POST--F8 for Asus, F11 for Asrock, F12 for Gigabytes, eg.

 

[addict951]

Make sure to install the older os first

 

[hg2]

Is this setup possible? Anyone tried before?

Win 10 boot manager supports multiple os, without using any third party boot software. Have been using it to boot two win10 OS on different nvme SSD, for a few yrs... so far so good... it works on laptop and desktop, and easy to install as long as you have physically different harddisks.

Just google, there is a lot of materials on how to do it....

 

[Northernray]

Make sure to install the older os first

What's the logic?

2 O/S on 2 separate HDDs, not on the same drive.

If you want both O/S to be independently bootable, you simply install the O/S one HDD at a time in the system, not connecting both HDDs because the 2nd O/S will not be independently bootable. The installation detect the system already have a boot sector on the other drive, it won't place another boot sector on the 2nd HDD even though you choose the 2nd drive as the destination drive for installation.

 

[hg2]

What's the logic?

2 O/S on 2 separate HDDs, not on the same drive.

If you want both O/S to be independently bootable, you simply install the O/S one HDD at a time in the system, not connecting both HDDs because the 2nd O/S will not be independently bootable. The installation detect the system already have a boot sector on the other drive, it won't place another boot sector on the 2nd HDD even though you choose the 2nd drive as the destination drive for installation.

I think he's meant install win95/7/8 first then win10, but not vice versa... have not tried b4 to verify though...

 

[Northernray]

I think he's meant install win95/7/8 first then win10, but not vice versa... have not tried b4 to verify though...

Which ever version, it doesn't matter if you install the O/S onto 2 separate HDDs as long as the system connected with one drive at a time.

You mean if I have Windows10 in a HDD and I can't install Windows 7/8/8.1 onto another HDD when the HDD with Wndows10 dead or removed?

You don't even need to try, logic tells you it should be the way, nothing to do with which version should be install first as independently bootable. Unless TS want dual boot on single HDD, the older O/S need to be install first follow by newer Windows as upgrade but not using the default %system%windows folder.

 

[yusoffb01]

Is this setup possible? Anyone tried before?

yes possible. install one with the other drive disconnected. then you can choose which one to boot from bios.

if you dont want to disconnect, then the order of os installation matters.

 

[Slowdown]

For many years (in the past) where my company issues me laptop with detachable CD ROM, I would buy a HDD cage that can be fitted to the CD ROM. Then I would install my own OS on the second HDD. Then toggle to see which OS we want to use.

When overseas we need this option so that we don't have to carry two laptops. This method has became less prevalent when tablet was introduced and CD ROM drive became obsolete.

 

[alamakazim]

Well u can just disable by bios... No need disconnect

 

[hg2]

Well u can just disable by bios... No need disconnect

Desktop Bios ok can go by either methods. Most laptop i use, (Lenovo, Asus, Apple) cannot disable by Bios/EFI...
So must be extra careful during installation, and not overwrite existing partitions..... so far so good...

 

[cscs3]

What's the logic?

2 O/S on 2 separate HDDs, not on the same drive.

If you want both O/S to be independently bootable, you simply install the O/S one HDD at a time in the system, not connecting both HDDs because the 2nd O/S will not be independently bootable. The installation detect the system already have a boot sector on the other drive, it won't place another boot sector on the 2nd HDD even though you choose the 2nd drive as the destination drive for installation.

Without boot manager. Boot sequence is control via hardware. In the case BIOS. Off course you can use hardware to control which disk to boot by changing disk boot sequence via BIOS. But this is not always possible if PC is using UEFI plus secure boot.

Using boot manager is the way to go.

 

[Northernray]

Without boot manager. Boot sequence is control via hardware. In the case BIOS. Off course you can use hardware to control which disk to boot by changing disk boot sequence via BIOS. But this is not always possible if PC is using UEFI plus secure boot.

Using boot manager is the way to go.

Windows7 does not support secure boot, you can't even install bootable WIndows7 with secure boot feature enabled in the BIOS.

How is that a problem when you can't even install Windows7 in the first place for dual boot with or without using dual boot manager?

There is no problem with Windows8/8.1/10 with secure boot option enabled for dual boot or independent boot on separate HDDs.

 

[blackestvoid]

100 win os on 100 hdd also can
just plug in the sata cable and power to the hdd to boot