[thoyler]

Hi All:

I want to load two Linux OS's (dual boot, ubuntu flavors) on a 2nd HDD without disturbing the C: drive. My BIOS allows booting from any drive (No USB, Bummer) via the keyboard (F8).

I have done a dual boot setup with ubuntu (2nd HDD) and Win XP Pro (C: drive) before with no problems, however when the 2nd HDD crashed I had to reload the XP MBR which was inconvenient. The 2nd HDD is in a removable bay and is some times swapped out.

I have partitioned the 2nd HDD with three partitions (25 G, 25 G, 230 G, respectively). I want to load to the two 25G partitions.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
thoyler

[saikee]

Section A of the "Install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched " link in my signature refers

[itsjusme]

saikee
Your tutorial on "using Linux live to clone XP" is great, have you tried Clonezilla? If so, would you consider doing a tutorial on disk/partition imaging and cloning with it? I have been using Clonezilla for a while now, and although it`s not as pretty as Acronis, i think i like it better. I however am not good at writing tutorials.

[jrbuergel]

I think that only works with the external hard drive connected by eSATA and not by USB. And you install the Linux grub boot loader onto that external drive MBR, and then use your boot order menu key to select that drive to boot to. So which connection are you using ? Then set your BIOS so that your internal drive is first hard drive, so that if you do nothing during the boot up, or have that 2nd drive not connected, then your internal windows boots.

[thoyler]

Thanks; I'll give it a try.

thoyler

[saikee]

itsjusme,

I often use a standard Linux as dd is one of the oldest command of Bash at the console.

Clonezilla is an improvement in that it tries to avoid cloning the blank space. For the typr of work I do relying on just any Linux is easier. Also for knowing the principle behind it is better to go with Bash.

[saikee]

Foe eSata connection the external hdd is treated as an internall hdd by the Bios and by all operating systems. This means the MS Windows can be booted from an external hdd.

If a hdd is in a removable bay then it is likely an internal bay for an internal hdd.