OS's on separate drives

[MikalE]

I'm going to be installing a small 160 GB hard drive in the Ultrabay slot that has Zorin loaded to it. The main drive C has Win 7 Pro.

When I boot the machine, will I be asked which operating system I wish to start?

I want a dual-boot machine, but I don't want both OS's on the same drive. I want to be able to move the small drive with Zorin loaded to my other machines as required.

[Neil]

Should be able to press F12 to bring up boot options menu.

[MikalE]

Thanks. I didn't know if Windows would check the other drive or not for an OS before booting to C.

We'll do it the old fashioned way then.

[Neil]

Probably wise to make the Linux drive the only one installed at the time Linux is installed because while I don't think the Windows boot loader will automatically detect other systems, GRUB certainly will, and will likely overwrite the Windows boot loader. So best if each drive is kept totally independent and use the BIOS switch to choose.

[MikalE]

Why would GRUB automatically overwrite the Windows boot loader on the other drive?

[englishbob]

I have a T420 with a primary SSD with Linux on it and a secondary SSD in the drive bay with Windows 10. I installed W10 with that drive in the internal caddy and then moved that drive to the drive bay. I can choose which one I want at boot time by pressing F12. I could also set the boot order in the BIOS. If I do nothing it boots to Linux. Windows 10 had no issues except a single crash the first time after swapping drive bays. It then sorted itself out.
I can see the Windows drive from Linux but not the other way around (except in Windows disk management)

I'd suggest putting your small drive in the primary, installing your OS, then putting it in the secondary drive bay and then put back your Windows disk.

[MikalE]

The operating system is already installed on the smaller drive.

[Neil]

Then you should be fine. It's only during the initial setup that you may get surprises.

[MikalE]

Thanks. I'll see what happens when the Ultrabay adapter arrives.

[englishbob]

I would still suggest that you remove the windows 7 disk when installing Zorin. The reason is that GRUB may install itself to the Win7 disk instead of the Zorin disk. If you then want to move the Zorin disk to other machines as you stated in your first post, you may find that you are unable to boot Zorin.

Rob

[MikalE]

Zorin is already installed on the drive.

[englishbob]

Fair enough, I'm sure you'll be fine and will figure the rest out for yourself.
No need to shout though.

[MikalE]

Didn't mean to sound that way. I just wanted you to understand the deed is done; the OS has been on the drive for several weeks just waiting for a computer to come along.

Then I though, "why not install it in your new T520 and have a dual boot system but on separate drives?"

Upon startup, using F12 I don't see how one drive could affect the other if the selection for what you want started is correct.

[MikalE]

The new drive with Zorin booted just fine from the F12 boot menu. Went back to Windows 7 without a hitch.

Zorin is incredibly fast on this system, but it doesn't have the functionality I need for some of my programs. It's great for safely surfing the web though.

It's great having two different OS's on separate drives in the same computer.

I'm also giving some thought about a 128GB smartcard SSD so I regain the use of my DVD/CD burner. I wanted to check and make certain that the two OS's in the same computer were going to get along. Now, if I choose to I can spend the money on the smartcard SSD with no worries.

[cadillacmike68]

OK, what's Zorin, A Linux distribution??

[ajkula66]

OK, what's Zorin, A Linux distribution??

Yes.

[MikalE]

I removed the smaller drive and installed the original 500 gb spinner drive in the Ultrabay slot, but this time with Mint.

I used Easy BCD to set up the bootloader.

Now I have Win7 Pro 64 on the 500 gb SSD, and Mint on the spinner.

Working out well.