Re: Debian Small CD install "netinst.iso"

[Lisi <lisi.reisz@gmail.com>]

On Saturday 06 October 2012 15:22:52 Wally Lepore wrote:
> > Lisi <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> wrote: (On Sat, Oct 6, 2012 at 6:14 AM),
> >
> > I have in the past set up a system on which I dual-booted by having
> > Windows on one HDD and Linux on another.
> > I then switched between them by changing the boot order in the BIOS.
> > Easier and quicker than moving disks around.
> >
> > I solve the problem now by not having Windows!
> >
> > Lisi
>
> Hi Lisi,
>
> Good point. I am aware of changing the boot order of the drives in
> BIOS but someone brought up a good point awhile back.
> If I have both drives on a single cable
> (Windows drive set to "master" and Debian drive set to "slave"),
> can I change the boot order and make a "slave" drive boot first?
> I was warned that this may not work.
>
> I thought changing the boot order only works when drives (disks)
> are installed on their own separate ribbon cables and each drive
> is set to "master" (obviously).
>
> Thank you Lisi.

Hi, Wally,

It was quite a long time ago, but so far as I remember they were both on the 
same cable.  I think that I had both optical drives on one cable and both IDE 
drives on another.  It may depend on the specific motherboard and BIOS, the 
specific cables and drives, even which way the wind is blowing. ;-)

The fact that it worked for me, doesn't mean that it will work for you.  But 
if your informant only says that it might not work, then there is nothing to 
lose.  Why not try it?  If it works, well and good.  If it doesn't work, too 
bad, and go back to your original plan.

Before doing any playing around, if the stuff you have on your Windows HDD is 
so precious, you really need a good backup, such as done by Clonezilla, 
Norton Ghost,etc.; even dd.  Indeed, you need that good a backup all the time 
in case the HDD dies.  (They do you know.  Usually just when it is most 
inconvenient.)

Lisi