# How to install Multiple Operating Systems on one hard drive



## bmwm3gtr (Dec 2, 2008)

I do alot of downloading and trying out different software. My antivirus has recently expired and now my computer is acting weird, slow, and i have alot of unwanted stuff on my computer. So I reformatted my entire harddrive and installed a fresh copy XP. What I would like to do is install two operating systems on one hard. Reason why is because I don't wanna spend 80 bucks for another antivirus. Anyhoo... My plan is to have two operating systems, one for downloading music, videos, movies, installing not so credible software... expendable and one for personal use primarilly for school work, banking, and purchasing online. This way, when the expendable operating system craps out i can just delete and reinstall a fresh copy without affecting the other OS. So to sum it up... how do i install multiple copies of xp on one harddrive? i tried reading up on it, something about partitions, but i'm still not sure how to do this.


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## belfasteddie (Aug 4, 2007)

Windows, what ever version, MUST I repeat MUST always be the 1st OS on the 1st Partition.( Reason, if you load any other OS windows will take over the MBR and you won't see the other OS). If you want two versions of Windows i.e. W2k and XP, then the oldest version must be installed 1st.
If you install Windows then Linux , Linux will offer to partition the drive,( it's usually ok to accept the default setting) and will install a Boot manager.
With two versions of Windows , the last installed version will install the Boot Manager. You will also need to create two Partitions prior to installing the 1st version of Windows. 
I have never installed two versions of Xp, so I don't know what will happen although I think you might have probs with the Register.


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## belfasteddie (Aug 4, 2007)

An easier option would be to have two hard drives. A Sata and an Ide. Install Xp on both and use the Bios as a boot manager .


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## bmwm3gtr (Dec 2, 2008)

fortunately my laptop comes with two hard drives and i uses the other hard drive for storage. how do i setup the bios?


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## bmwm3gtr (Dec 2, 2008)

do i just i need to reformatt and install windows xp on the other harddrive?


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## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

You do understand that there is free antivirus software right? AVG free for one, google it.

With what you want to do I think you would be better off using imaging software, you get your OS set up the way you like it then image the drive and store the image on your second drive. Then if you have to you restore the image and you boot drive is back to the way it was when you created the image.

Acronis is good for this, you have to pay for it but there is a 15 day trial period to experiment with it.


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## redoak (Mar 19, 2008)

Here is a list of alternate imaging/cloning programs:

Free Drive Cloners/Imagers:

SystemRescueCD
****** Disk Copy (Copies disks or partitions)
XXClone
CloneZilla GParted LiveCD (Complete partitioning and drive imaging/restoration tools)
CloneZilla
Partition Saving
PCI CloneMaxx
Drive Image XML
HDClone
DriveClonerXP
Self-Image
copyr.dma (Copies disk with bad sectors for recovery)

Commercial Apps:

O&O DiskImage
Acronis True Image Home
Farstone Drive Clone (Drive image, snapshots, file/folder backups.)
EAZ-FIX Professional and Easy Image
Drive Snapshot
Keriver Image
Avanquest Copy Commander
Paragon Drive Backup
NovaBackup
R-Drive Image
Norton Ghost
HDClone Pro or Enterprise
Terabyte Image for Windows
Terabyte Image for DOS (can directly access FAT, FAT32, and NTFS partitions)
Spotmau Disk Clone & Backup

{redoak}


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