Dual XP boot on same drive: both C:, can EasyBCD do this?

andrewhhh

New Member
I have installed XP Pro in two separate partitions on the same hard drive. (There is a reason - long story.) By default I'm using the MS boot loader of the first XP and have added an entry to its boot.ini file to boot the second XP. I can boot either one successfully that way but with one quirk: the second XP sets the main drive to D: not C: (it sees the 1st XP as the C: ). I really want both XPs to use C: as their main drive.

It seems that the 2nd XP sees the 1st XP partition as the "system" partition because that's where it booted from - and maybe that's why it assigns the C: drive letter to it?

I have never used EasyBCD. If I install it, will it prevent the 2nd XP from seeing the 1st XP partition as a system drive (since it won't boot from there anymore) and therefore not assign C: to that 1st partition? I would prefer to find this out before I invest the time trying out EasyBCD.

Thank you!
 
No EasyBCD cant do this cause it is not compatible to work with the boot.ini files. The name of the program says it all. EasyBCD. The BCD is the boot loader for Windows Vista and beyond. EasyBCD can only manipulate this type of boot loader. Since XP doesnt use the BCD, EasyBCD cant work for you.
 
The secret to making both systems "C", is not letting them interact during installation.
Set partition one active and install the first XP on there. It will be C.
(at this stage if you install another, letting it see the pre-existing C drive, it will become D)
Instead, set the second partition active, boot the XP CD and install the second XP on the active empty partition.
It will also be C and will single-boot with no reference to, or knowledge of the other.
Now set partition one active, and it will single-boot, with no knowledge of the second XP.
Add a line to boot.ini on partition one describing your second XP, and voila ! your dual boot of two XPs, both "C"
 
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