How do you use 2 hard drives in one computer?

Answer 1

In a desktop computer, open the case. Connect an IDE cable to the computer, and connect the other end of it to the second hard drive. The connection only works one way. As soon as you turn the computer on, if both hard drives don't sound like they are working, then you make a mistake with the connection, and you basically have to flip the cable end 180 degrees and plug it back in. Now enter your BIOS setup, and it should be able to detect the drive. When you enter Dos/Windows, it will make your new hard drive drive D, if the drive you normally use has only one partition.

Answer 2

To dual boot with two hard drives, just install one OS on one drive, and install the other on the second drive. If you are dual booting Linux and xp, make sure you install xp FIRST, and then let Linux override the mbr.

Answer 3

The previous answer stated that "From what I know, there is no way to do it. Even if there was a way, one OS would be messed up.Try putting them on ONE harddrive." I believe this answer is incorrect. As explained by Miscrosoft: "In earlier versions of the Windows operating system that run on a basic input/output system (BIOS)-based computer, such as Windows XP, the boot process starts with the system BIOS. The BIOS determines the boot device, and then loads the first physical sector. This physical sector is named the master boot record (MBR). The MBR contains the partition table and the necessary boot execution code. This code searches the partition table to find the active partition and passes control to the boot sector on the active partition. Then, the boot sector on the active partition loads the Ntldr program. The Ntldr program parses the Boot.ini file. This file is used to enumerate the operating systems that are installed.

"When Windows Vista starts on a BIOS-based computer, the BIOS loads the MBR and then loads the boot sector. However, boot code loads the new Windows Boot Manager program (Bootmgr). The Windows Boot Manager program parses the BCD Boot.ini file, enumerates the installed operating systems, and then displays the boot menu. If an earlier version of the Windows operating system is installed in a dual-boot configuration with Windows Vista, the Windows Boot Manager program transfers control to the Ntldr program for the earlier version of the Windows operating system. The Windows Boot Manager program does this when you select Windows Vista from the boot menu. "When you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system on a Windows Vista-based computer, Setup overwrites everything from the MBR, the boot sector, and the boot files. Therefore, the earlier version the Windows operating system loses forward compatibility with Windows Vista."

In other words, although it is possible (see http://apcmag.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp), it is a problem to first install Vista and then install an earlier operating system in a dual boot configuration, i.e., on the same hard drive, but not on two different hard drives. Set the hard drive priority in the BIOS to determine which drive to boot or when booting, use the F8 key to pick the hard drive. The BIOS will then load the MBR for the operating system on the priority drive. Stated differently, although Vista and WinXP use different booting methods, the BIOS doesn't care because it loads the MBR of the priority drive. Once loaded, the MBR takes over and proceeds to load the operating system in accordance with its booting code.

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http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919529

To resolve these issues, follow these steps.

Note You can run the commands in the following procedure by using the command prompt. If you run these commands in Windows Vista, run them at a command prompt that has elevated user rights. To do this, click Start, click Accessories, right-click the command-prompt shortcut, and then click Run as Administrator. 1. Use Bootsect.exe to restore the Windows Vista MBR and the boot code that transfers control to the Windows Boot Manager program. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt: Drive:\boot\Bootsect.exe /NT60 All

In this command, Drive is the drive where the Windows Vista installation media is located.

Note The boot folder for this step is on the DVD drive. 2. Use Bcdedit.exe to manually create an entry in the BCD Boot.ini file for the earlier version of the Windows operating system. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt.

Note In these commands, Drive is the drive where Windows Vista is installed. • Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit /create {ntldr} /d "Description for earlier Windows version"

Note In this command, Description for earlier Windows version can be any text that you want. For example, Description for earlier Windows version can be "Windows XP" or "Windows Server 2003". • Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=x:

Note In this command, x: is the drive letter for the active partition. • Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit /set {ntldr} path \ntldr • Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit /displayorder {ntldr} /addlast 3. Restart the computer.

Answer 4

For many people, manual preparation is not necessary, if you have a very large amount of free space, such as 20Gb's or more, and you have done occasional defrags, for example.

However, some will need to prepare a bit with a free 3rd party defragger (don't use Windows' defrag). The idea is to select the 'consolidate free space' option, which should leave you with the largest chunk of free space at the 'end' of the drive, which will soon become a new partition for your 2nd OS.

Note that some defraggers may place a log file at the very end of the drive, and this can foul up the dual boot setup. Look through the defragger options and see if there is an option that allows you to control where the log files are stored to resolve that potential issue.

Once you have consolidated your free space, then you can simply insert your Linux disc (I'm assuming it's Linux) and allow it to automatically handle the rest.

Answer 5

Open the case put the hard drive in. If you have a newer PC and a sata hard disk drive connect it with the mother board. Usually the sata wire, have to be purchased separately, well at least i did.

If its is an older hard drive you will find the IDE connectors inside the PC. I have three Hard disk drives on my PC, and cant add more. There is a certain amount of slots where to plug in the hard drives.

Answer 6

You plug in the second hard disk and make sure it's formatted. Voila, you're using two hard disks. Nothing to it, really.