[Polpolion]

Okay, here we go.

I'm not going to tell you the reason for this so don't ask


Would it be possible to have a backup OS on a separate HD in case you "test" and stuff with your OS? Like if you break one, you can plug in the other HD and it will boot off that? (XP)

I'm pretty sure that BIOS names drives differently than XP does (seperate names) so here is a guide to make it more simple:



C: Operating system       \   partitioned (same physical HD)   Cable one (master)
E: Games                      /
D: Backups           Cable two (?) (usually totally removed.)
G: Spare          Cable two (?)
F: DVD/CD             Cable one (slave)


Here is what I want to know if it works:

1) install XP on C: partition

2) unplug C:

3) install XP on G (keep the same cables)

4) unplug G:

5) plug in C: (same cable as displayed above chart)

6) boot off C:

7)  use until something happens

eight) something happens to degrade performance

9) remove C: drive completely (also E:)

10) move G to the Cable one master spot

11) boot off G (G is now C2)

12) put C into Cable two ? slot (C is now G2)

13) format G2

14) do whatever



I would like to know if this will work before I do it, please

thank you!

[Nuke]

what id do, is get 2 hard drives,exactly the same. dont raid em, raid is good for data, but installing an os will degrade its performance, and it will backup the os degridations as well as files.  rather get a working setup on one drive, properly configured drivers the works. then ghost that drive onto another drive. so youre left with essentially 2 copies of the same drive. when one enevitably fails, swap it with the other. if ther problem is software you can just format the "bad" drive and re-ghost to it, if its a problem with the drive itself, replace it. it should work perfectly without a hitch.

[jr2]

You can boot off of a second drive without moving the cables, etc around... first of all, some BIOSes let you switch boot devices between your IDE channels.  Secondly, (what I use all the time), you can just install XP to a different partition, or a different drive (doesn't matter which), and it will give you options to boot both at startup.  Let me know if you want details.  Using this method, you could theoretically boot the same amount of XP installs as you have partitions.  (You can also do the same with Linux, and even dual - boot multiple Linux / XP installs; eg with a 500 gig hard disk and 10 50 gig partitions, you could have 5 Linux installs, and 5 XP installs, if you wanted.)

Here's and idea: Keep one 5-10 gig partition just for a failsafe XP boot.  Don't put anything on it except for what you would want to use in the event of a failure of one or more of your other installs.  Keep another partition for your main OS, and another for your backup.  Make another for Games, and others as you see fit.