Booting off non C: ?????

Raraku · 11th July 2002, 7:21 PM

Simple quick question!

Is it possible to boot your system using any hard drive apart from C Drive?

At the moment, im trying to ghost all my data from my C drive to my D drive, but it wont let me image the D drive (long story)

So would it be possible for me to ghost another hard drive (for example E

and have it booting from that? or is that not possible?

Cheers

Unregisturd · 11th July 2002, 7:42 PM

The first bootable drive will always be attempted - you will need something in the boot sector that tells your system to boot off your E drive.

You could look into GRUB, or there are a number of free boot loaders out there that could do the job.

ToranaGuy · 12th July 2002, 1:30 AM

Change the boot order in the bios maybe???

ToranaGuy

Fodder · 12th July 2002, 2:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ToranaGuy
Change the boot order in the bios maybe???

You can boot off a different physical drive by changing HDD-0/HDD-1 etc, but what about partitions?

ToranaGuy · 12th July 2002, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fodder
You can boot off a different physical drive by changing HDD-0/HDD-1 etc, but what about partitions?

Use a disc partitioning program to set the active ( bootable ) partition maybe??

Raraku doesn't clearly state weather he is using 1, 2 or 3 hdd's there. Pitty, as it would make comming up with a solution that bit easier.

ToranaGuy

Lord Teaspoon · 12th July 2002, 1:55 PM

If you're dealing with Windows 9x, just reboot in DOS and then use fdisk.

It lets you select the active partition, which will swap your drive letters around to make "C:" the one you chose to have active.

ToranaGuy · 12th July 2002, 2:33 PM

You could also use Partition Magic to do the work for you. IIRC you can only make primary partition's bootable, and you can only set primary partitions to be bootable.

IIRC Partition magic can change a secondary partition into a primary so you can make it bootable if you need to, but don't quote me on that one. I usually just use a DOS CLI program called FIPS for my partitioning.

ToranaGuy

Raraku · 12th July 2002, 2:46 PM

Sorry about the reply time, had a big night trying to get this &*(#(&%^$(@(#*&(@*(#*!@^&(*!#)($@*)# working.

Using 2x hard drives

IDE-0 has 2 partitons
IDE-1 has 1 partiton

I was trying to get my PC to boot off IDE-0 partition 2

Windows XP too

But i fixed it with a format

dantheman65 · 12th July 2002, 8:46 PM

My HDD lets me choose a boot menu by pressing F8 at the same time that I can press DEL to enter BIOS. From there I can choose Floppy, ZIP, Any OPtical or HDD.

11th July 2002, 7:21 PM	#1
Raraku Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 454	Booting off non C: ????? Simple quick question! Is it possible to boot your system using any hard drive apart from C Drive? At the moment, im trying to ghost all my data from my C drive to my D drive, but it wont let me image the D drive (long story) So would it be possible for me to ghost another hard drive (for example E and have it booting from that? or is that not possible? Cheers

12th July 2002, 1:30 AM	#3
ToranaGuy Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: In the Shed Posts: 4,378	Change the boot order in the bios maybe??? ToranaGuy __________________ \| Time for a Sig Update - old one was very old! \|Still folding on, now a 9,000ppw member!\| Currently on ADSL 2+, 5mbit/900kbit speed. Thanks TPG ADSL @+ \| There's no replacement for displacement, but you can always compliment it with BOOST! \|

12th July 2002, 1:55 PM	#6
Lord Teaspoon Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Redfern, Sydney Posts: 32	If you're dealing with Windows 9x, just reboot in DOS and then use fdisk. It lets you select the active partition, which will swap your drive letters around to make "C:" the one you chose to have active. __________________ Everything in the above post is true* *To a certain value of 'true' E-Mail/MSN Messenger: Lord_Teaspoon@hotmail.com

12th July 2002, 2:33 PM	#7
ToranaGuy Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: In the Shed Posts: 4,378	You could also use Partition Magic to do the work for you. IIRC you can only make primary partition's bootable, and you can only set primary partitions to be bootable. IIRC Partition magic can change a secondary partition into a primary so you can make it bootable if you need to, but don't quote me on that one. I usually just use a DOS CLI program called FIPS for my partitioning. ToranaGuy __________________ \| Time for a Sig Update - old one was very old! \|Still folding on, now a 9,000ppw member!\| Currently on ADSL 2+, 5mbit/900kbit speed. Thanks TPG ADSL @+ \| There's no replacement for displacement, but you can always compliment it with BOOST! \|

12th July 2002, 8:46 PM	#9
dantheman65 Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Melbourne. Posts: 3,846	My HDD lets me choose a boot menu by pressing F8 at the same time that I can press DEL to enter BIOS. From there I can choose Floppy, ZIP, Any OPtical or HDD. __________________ Trades List: JeffK, MEX, click_head, joshconno, kimsj0123, mickeylieu, Rickster, Sadant, Scandrew, wazza, ZNIPA-X (x2), krayzeee, Murder1, Maximus666, Parthi, Inquisitor69, kraniX, joey.w, ShadowPeo, mifferz, ASSmatic, muze7, 5days, Bman2, Gumby.One, ccwd, nathantauber,AgentVX, kitwalker, Seeker, dug777, nothing111, eat, renegade_gold, MonoJoker, zoiks, gmturner, TX3, eversuns, SilverTongue, Porky_123, MaximusSmurf, Mr_LeE, Buubox.

11th July 2002, 7:42 PM	#2
Unregisturd Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Sydney Posts: 1,775	The first bootable drive will always be attempted - you will need something in the boot sector that tells your system to boot off your E drive. You could look into GRUB, or there are a number of free boot loaders out there that could do the job.

12th July 2002, 2:46 PM	#8
Raraku Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 454	Sorry about the reply time, had a big night trying to get this &(#(&%^$(@(#&(@(#!@^&(!#)($@)# working. Using 2x hard drives IDE-0 has 2 partitons IDE-1 has 1 partiton I was trying to get my PC to boot off IDE-0 partition 2 Windows XP too But i fixed it with a format