Question How can I set up computer to switch between two boot drives?

[shawnlau]

I have an MSI 490-a pro mother board. I have an OS installed on one SSD. I recently purchased an M.2 drive with the intention of installing a separate OS. I thought I would be able to select which drive to boot from in the BIOS, but that doesn't seem to be the case. After installing the new OS on the M.2 drive, the SSD drive no longer shows up in the bios as a boot device. It does show up as being a SATA drive, but it doesn't show up as a boot device- no way to select it. The only way to get it back is to either remove the M.2 drive or erase the M.2 drive. Same thing happens in reverse. If I install the new OS on the M.2 drive and then remove it, My SSD with the old OS shows up as a boot hard drive. If I then reinstall the M.2 drive, it shows up as SATA connected but it doesn't show as a boot drive and there is no way to select it. Two questions. What causes this - is it a specific BIOS eccentricity or something with all BIOS? To switch between 2 boot drives, is a hardware drive switcher needed?

To save time, I do know about dual boot systems. I don't want that. I want 2 boot drives and the ability to choose which one boots the computer.

 

[jay32267]

"After installing the new OS on the M.2 drive, the SSD drive no longer shows up in the bios as a boot device. '

When you installed the second OS how many drives were connected?

You want only one drive connected when install each OS.

 

[shawnlau]

"After installing the new OS on the M.2 drive, the SSD drive no longer shows up in the bios as a boot device. '

When you installed the second OS how many drives were connected?

You want only one drive connected when install each OS.

When I installed the new OS on the M.2 drive, it was the only drive connected. I do that as a safeguard when I install any OS to prevent any mistakes. And it booted fine. I then removed it and hooked the SSD back up, and the SSD booted fine. Then I hooked the M.2 back up and it doesn't show up as a boot device only that its connect as a paraphernalia.

Now if I leave only the M.2 connected, it shows up as a boot drive. Then if I connect the SSD, the SSD doesn't show as a boot device - only sata connected. To be clearer, only the drive that is first connected alone shows up as a boot drive. The next drive connected doesn't show as a boot drive.

 

[shawnlau]

Hmm. Well I guess I'll have to install the other OS as portable on an external SSD. It just seems so odd that its quite easy to choose a USB boot device and it impossible to choose an internal boot device in the BIOS. Something is wrong there. Either the BIOS are FUBAR or I am completely missing something.

 

[shawnlau]

I found the problem. In the BIOS, under the boot options, you have to scroll down to the bottom and there is option for hard drive priority. I need to set that to the hard drive I want to boot from. My mistake!