[JP]

I don't really want to buy another pc. I use my pc for 3 main things: my work, htpc, and my fiance's work. I was just rewarded by IBM a 61.5 gig hard drive because my 45 gig got bad sectors. I also have a Western Digital 9 gig drive.


Is there such a thing as a tri-boot setup? I really want to have my own space where I can tinker with different apps and yet I don't want my fiance's apps interfering with the registry or loading in the background, etc.. Of course a must is a stable setup for just htpc.


Could someone offer a suggestion of how this might be done? I could run three separate hard drives and make the changes in the BIOS so that only one would be active each time. However, I am sure you can see the danger of letting my fiance do this each time


Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[big_tim]

I don't know how much help this might be, but if you are running different Operating Systems then you might try a program like system commander.
http://www.v-com.com/product/sc2_ind.html

 

[Aslan]

I've used Boot Magic for years to multiboot multiple OS's. I think it's about $39 these days (comes as a part of Partition Magic). Includes numerous helpful utilities.


Good Luck,


Aslan...

 

[Mark Hunter]

Just to try the other angle...


It really is *very* handy to have >1 PC. When one has a problem, you can always use the other one to find the solution!

 

[Brett]

I need to have several just to be able to use one - the one which is working at a given time. PLUS it is a godsend to have that second unit to assist you in troubleshooting (ie accessing the hardware supplier's internet site) and in fixing it (hooking the other machine's hard drive up to it as a slave)...


Microsoft made sure of one thing in my case: make it unstable and unpredictable enough that nobody is going to be comfortable with one computer.

 

[gergg]

You can look into this hard drive switch if you want to go the hardware route
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...p?sku=R75-1000


-Gergg

 

[dubmaster]

My trick:


Only working with WinME (2K has boot manager)


Install two winME the first on drive C , the second on drive D (clean install, boot from CD)


Creat a folder on C:\\ with the name 'Safe', within that folder create two subfolder with names: Boot_C and Boot_D


Edit your msdos.sys to reflect the drive you want and create a copy for each subfolder accordingly.


When you want WinME on D copy to C:\\ the msdos.sys containing the d:\\windows address.


If you want you can create a batch that copys the file and reboots.


I think it could work also on three partitions


bye

 

[Figgie]

One pc.. no way.. I have 4. One server win2k. A linux firewall, my game pc and my HTPC. As much as i mess with my game pc i NEED more than one.

 

[nutcase_1uk]

I've got 1 PC, but then that's because I sell older bits to help pay for new ones. One OS too. They ain't cheap either I use it for DVD playback and occasional TV (nothing worth watching these days ); Gaming, Music and nosing round forums.

 

[dcheesi]

Just start tinkering with your HTPC setup; by the time I was through, I was able to make a whole second PC just from the spare parts!


Seriously though, if you're supporting two different people with two different jobs, you probably should have at least two computers. Not only is it safer, but it also prevents usage conflicts.

 

[burns1968]

You could buy removable drive caddies for each drive. Some caddies have fans and support the newer faster drives. They are available from newegg.com and mwave.com as well as other mail order places. Shutdown machine stick appropriate drive in bay and reboot.