Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: Les Walt on April 17, 2012, 09:37:33 AM

Title: 2 hard drives on my Dell pc one has XP whilst other has W7 To switch from one
Post by: Les Walt on April 17, 2012, 09:37:33 AM
OS to the other I have to close down then reboot,wait til screen fills with usual 'blurb'qickly press F12 key choose one of 2 identical nos.press 'enter' and the desired OS opens. Can anyone suggest a quicker method to change from one OS to the other,please?
Title: Re: 2 hard drives on my Dell pc one has XP whilst other has W7 To switch from one
Post by: jason2074 on April 17, 2012, 09:50:04 AM
Use EasyBCD (http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/) and to follow instructions by scrolling to steps 7, 8 of this link (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html).
Title: Re: 2 hard drives on my Dell pc one has XP whilst other has W7 To switch from one
Post by: patio on April 17, 2012, 12:08:34 PM
Running the Topic title into the post is confusing at best...
EasyBCD may suit your needs but unless you state how exactly these two OS's we won't know if it's a workable fix or not...

Let us know.
Title: Re: 2 hard drives on my Dell pc one has XP whilst other has W7 To switch from one
Post by: Geek-9pm on April 17, 2012, 01:46:38 PM
Quote
qickly press F12 key choose one of 2 identical nos.press 'enter' and the desired OS opens.
He has two drives, each with an OS.
Title: Re: 2 hard drives on my Dell pc one has XP whilst other has W7 To switch from one
Post by: Salmon Trout on April 17, 2012, 01:56:15 PM
When 2 operating systems are installed in this way, each individual OS needs to have total control of the machine, either booting from cold or resuming, so you can't switch instantly. You have to shut down one OS and restart the computer. However, if you have a legal copy of Windows 7 Professional or above, you can download XP Mode, which, in a nutshell, is Microsoft Virtual PC plus an install of XP Professional. This way you can have both running at once, and just go from one to the other with the click of a mouse. If you don't have W7 Pro you may be able to download the free VMWare Player and if you have an XP install disk you can create a virtual machine and get the same result.
Title: Re: 2 hard drives on my Dell pc one has XP whilst other has W7 To switch from one
Post by: patio on April 17, 2012, 02:11:46 PM
Quote from: Geek-9pm on April 17, 2012, 01:46:38 PM
He has two drives, each with an OS.
Doesn't matter if it's 2 physical HDD's or not...it's the installation procedure i asked about.
Because whether you may know it or not it makes a difference.
Title: Re: 2 hard drives on my Dell pc one has XP whilst other has W7 To switch from one
Post by: Geek-9pm on April 17, 2012, 02:46:56 PM
Quote from: patio on April 17, 2012, 02:11:46 PM
Doesn't matter if it's 2 physical HDD's or not...it's the installation procedure i asked about.
Because whether you may know it or not it makes a difference.
I understand diffident stuff, Patio.
His post indicates that it is working and there is not conflict. He just wants it to be faster.
He mentions the F12 key. That is a BIOS selection. That means both drives were installed exasperatedly and each has the full install of at least one OS. If it had been installed otherwise, with only none drive active, the F12 key would not successfully boot either drive. The BIOS never selects partitions, only devices, and does not boot drives not set as active.
But yes, it would really hav helped a lot if the OP would have spelled out the details and we would not have to go into the back and forth chatter.
After all is said... Reply #4 by Salmon Trout is the best and maybe only answer for what the OP wants.
Title: Re: 2 hard drives on my Dell pc one has XP whilst other has W7 To switch from one
Post by: patio on April 17, 2012, 08:10:14 PM
You managed to miss my whole point.