boot loader

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bokho

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What is a boot loader? and how to get there in order to switch between window XP and window 2K. Please give me direction, Thank you
 
A boot loader reads the OS (OS's...'sss's:)) and boots to it. If it sees more than one, it will give you the option to choose which you boot to. There are several BL's to choose from, so it's all personal preference. I love GRUB personally, but many folks fare just fine with the Windows MBR.

How many Drives do you have? Are they Partitioned? Which was installed first, Win2k or XP?
 
A boot loader is what is used for seeing the OS or operating system load up. There are different forms for different types of OSs. For a dual boot between XP or another version of Windows with an older version the newest is generally installed after the older version detecting that if not replacing it as an upgrade and seeing the option to boot into the older(2000 there) when the newer version is first starting up(XP).

When adding the newer following the older the Windows installer automatically creates the new entries for both in the master boot record(MBR) stored at the beginning of the drive. If installing an older version after the newer is already on then these entries are then manually introduced in both the mbr and the boot loader(boot.ini file for XP).

Since you are new and are not familiar with manual configurations you would likely be advised to install XP fresh following an existing installation of 2000. A good explaination for you would be seen at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306559/en-us
 
First PC have WIN2k and second PC has winXP, but my second pc with XP have problem overheat motherboard (free from friend), then i removed the harddrive out and installed in the first pc with win2k, but it 's only boot win2k when i start the pc, how do i switch to winxp and win2k.Thank you.
 
Before anything, you'll need to do a fresh install of WinXP while the HDD is hooked up to the first PC. After it's loaded, you can edit the MBR.
 
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Like said you need to do a clean install of XP after puting it on another motherboard, after that it should set up the MBR to give you the option of 2000/XP.

You can just go into your Bios and set the XP drive as the boot drive, but chances are its not going to boot since its on a different motherboard. But if it does you will need to uninstall all of the old drivers and install drivers for the new board its on. Then modify your MBR. Unless you want to have to go into your Bios and change your boot order every time you want to boot to the other OS , pain in the ass!
 
When adding any new internal drive in that always shifts the default boot device where that would become the primary boot device. XP will however faulter due to the drastic change of hardwares from system to system and need a totally new hardware profile only seen with a clean copy. The Windows installer would then see the original 2000 installation added into the XP boot options.

The one problem that would need to be addressed here however is the mix if mixing a sata for XP with an ide presently running 2000. The XP installer will automatically place all boot files and mbr entries on the first ide drive detected.

If a sata drive is present then you will likely need a driver disk so the installer will see the sata drive on the 2000 system or choose the S option seen on the next screen for choosing the closest chipset from a list.
 
When adding any new internal drive in that always shifts the default boot device where that would become the primary boot device.

NO NO NO No, it doesnt. Just because you add another internal harddrive, it does not (shift) that new drive to the default boot drive. NO NO NO just NO.

You can post back with a 3 paragraph on and on and twisted on. But its still NO NO NO. My last post in this thread.
 
NO NO NO No, it doesnt. Just because you add another internal harddrive, it does not (shift) that new drive to the default boot drive. NO NO NO just NO.

You can post back with a 3 paragraph on and on and twisted on. But its still NO NO NO. My last post in this thread.

If you add in another drive that will automatically effect the order seen in the bios itself. The current boot drive can be offset as the default changing that to the second drive. Look in the hardware configuration and highlight the hard drives item to bring up the list seen there.

With 2000 on an ide drive likely being an older system the Windows installer will place boot files there whether or not the XP is ide or sata since if ide would be slaved to the first and secondary to ide if sata. Ide overrides sata.

The question now would be for boxho now with are both drives ide, sata, or one of each? If both are ide the one mastered will then become the default as far as the Windows installer is concerned. It depends on whether you intend to see each version on separate drives or split one using the second as a storage device.
 
If you add in another drive that will automatically effect the order seen in the bios itself. The current boot drive can be offset as the default changing that to the second drive. Look in the hardware configuration and highlight the hard drives item to bring up the list seen there.

Fail.

With 2000 on an ide drive likely being an older system the Windows installer will place boot files there whether or not the XP is ide or sata since if ide would be slaved to the first and secondary to ide if sata. Ide overrides sata.

Fail.

Seriously, one of these Super Mods needs to get off their ass and just ban you already.

bokho, you'll come to find out (usually very quickly for newcomers) that PC_eye is full of BS. Sorry this has strayed this far so quickly for you.

Just so there's no back-tracking in case PCTech2...I mean...PC_eye...decides to twist words around and say 'I never said that" or simply deletes his Posts like before:

When adding any new internal drive in that always shifts the default boot device where that would become the primary boot device. XP will however faulter due to the drastic change of hardwares from system to system and need a totally new hardware profile only seen with a clean copy. The Windows installer would then see the original 2000 installation added into the XP boot options.

The one problem that would need to be addressed here however is the mix if mixing a sata for XP with an ide presently running 2000. The XP installer will automatically place all boot files and mbr entries on the first ide drive detected.

If a sata drive is present then you will likely need a driver disk so the installer will see the sata drive on the 2000 system or choose the S option seen on the next screen for choosing the closest chipset from a list.
 
If you add in another drive that will automatically effect the order seen in the bios itself. The current boot drive can be offset as the default changing that to the second drive.

I'm not even going to get into how wrong you always are, but i will use his own post to prove you wrong. If adding a harddrive shifts the boot order drive to the added drive, how come after adding the XP drive to his Windows 2000 machine, it still only boots to his 2000 drive? Why, because adding a drive does not change/shift your boot order. This is in the realm of ( My God I Cant Believe the stuff you say and the crap you spout to back it up) Its like you think everybody is stupid and if you say it over and over it makes it true somehow.

First PC have WIN2k and second PC has winXP, but my second pc with XP have problem overheat motherboard (free from friend), (((then i removed the harddrive out and installed in the first pc with win2k, but it 's only boot win2k))) when i start the pc, how do i switch to winxp and win2k.Thank you.
 
then i removed the harddrive out and installed in the first pc with win2k, but it 's only boot win2k

Technically, that is not a 100% proof that the bios is booting on the 2k-drive.

And technically, you don't install the OS-boot loader in the MBR. But who wants to be technically anyways.
 
You don't install the boot loader into the mbr but new entries pointing to the boot loader have to be seen there. Any boot loader is generally on the host partition for that and other OSs if a dual or multiboot is present.

As far as adding in a drive and seeing the original host drive moved down in the list I've run into that on more then one system having both ide and sata drives alike in for dual/multibooting here. Even adding on the external usb drive saw it then placed at the top where you use one the Numpad arrows keys to move it down in the list while bringing the intended to the top again.

You have to look at the bios for each board to see how that is setup not just the boot order for select hard drive, cd rom, card reader options.
 
You don't install the boot loader into the mbr but new entries pointing to the boot loader have to be seen there. Any boot loader is generally on the host partition for that and other OSs if a dual or multiboot is

The only entry in the MBR, is the new partition you create for your new Windows OS. And maybe, you need to change which partition is active, depending of which partiton you want to store the boot files on.

I must edit: in this case you don't even multi-partition, you have another drive. And then you don't add anything at all to the MBR.
 
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After adding in the second drive and reinstalling XP there the installer itself may see new entries on the 2000 drive being the first ide the installer will look for. Whether both are ide with the XP setup as slave or the second(XP) is sata the boot information will still go on the 2000 ide drive by default despite selecting where XP will be installed to with the custom install.

Another thing boxho will want to be familiar with is how to repair the XP boot loader if 2000 needs to be reinstalled at some point then being the last to go on. http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_2k.htm

Since both versions use the boot.ini file running into the missing or invalid boot.ini files error message is a common occurance when setting up a dual boot. http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_2k.htm
 
Let it go, you failed. You were dragged out back and beaten, yet keep walking back in and claim you're still stronger. Just, let it go... I suppose Strangle was right and you do need to have the absolute last Post.

Well, anyway, I never get tired of watching you make an ass out of yourself, so please, Post a few more links, and maybe copy/paste a wiki article or something
 
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