I need help

See...i got 2 HDDs...I installed 1 OS on each one...and whenever I boot UP...The Pc doesn't boot up with the right HDD i want...yaya I know youd say that I should go down to BIOS to change the boot sequence...but its an older version...and I cant change stuff...so Help Please

 

Install a boot loader

 

Which OS's?

Depending on the OS's you have installed, there is probably a boot loader built in. If ya got XP or 2K, Search for boot.ini, it'll prolly look something like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

Add a new line under [operating systems]

multi(0)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(1)\<Boot Dir Here>=" OS # 2 name here"

As you can see, I changed the 'disk(0) to 'disk(1)', and \WINNT to whatever the 2nd OS's boot directory is. This would be if XP/2k is on your primary drive, and the 2nd os is on the secondary drive. Here's an example of having 98se on the secondary drive:

multi(0)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(1)\d:="Windows 98 SE"

you might also have to remove the /fastdetect from the top os entry

Hope this helps

edit: oops, got my 98 & XP mixed up, boot dir for 98 is root of that disk (d: in the example)

 

I know it's probably naive, but couldn't you just swap the disk drive cables over and thus the boot sequence would pick the other drive to boot from?

 

I'd have to agree with this. If both disks have an OS on it and active partitions then this should work. It will simply boot of the first disk it sees with an OS. But if you want to be able to boot from either one you will need a boot loader.

 

Personally, I dual-boot XPpro and 98se, and my case is in a hard to reach location, so swapping cables wasn't an option. If you can easily swap cables, Max and Loco are right, that would be a much simpler fix, just not as fitting for 'MajorGeeks' .