Question How to setup dual boot with different hard drives?

[boagz]

I have the dual boot menu screen showing up with my Windows 10 Pro installation when restarting my computer (I ran the command "bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu yes" to get this to work). However, it only lists 1 operating system to select which is obviously my current OS on my current hard drive. I was wondering how I can add my other OS environment (which is also a windows 10 environment) which is stored on a different drive to this boot menu?

 

[kerberos_20]

well that is simple
point bcdboot to your second windows
bcdboot D:\windows
that will create multiboot menu with one main windows at C:\windows and second at D:\windows
change drive letter as needed

once you reboot, you will have two windows 10 selections, you can rename it later on with this command:
bcdedit /set {current} description "Windows 10 (Drive 1)"
that will rename boot entry for that windows you booted, change red text as needed

 

[USAFRet]

The best way is to install each OS with only that one drive connected.
Neither drives' boot partition knows about the other.

Then, at boot time, interrupt the boot process and select which physical drive to boot from.

 

[TerryLaze]

The best way is to install each OS with only that one drive connected.
Neither drives' boot partition knows about the other.

Then, at boot time, interrupt the boot process and select which physical drive to boot from.

The first part they already did, otherwise there would be both OSeses on the boot menu already.
The second part is down to preference but how is having to interrupt the boot process and selecting the boot drive better than pushing one cursor key once?

 

[USAFRet]

The first part they already did, otherwise there would be both OSeses on the boot menu already.
The second part is down to preference but how is having to interrupt the boot process and selecting the boot drive better than pushing one cursor key once?

Less chance of problems.

Sure, its a tiny tiny chance that something will go wrong.
But it is one less thing to worry about.

To each his own, I guess.

 

[boagz]

The first part they already did, otherwise there would be both OSeses on the boot menu already.
The second part is down to preference but how is having to interrupt the boot process and selecting the boot drive better than pushing one cursor key once?

I have set the bcdboot as described and everything seems to be working fine and the boot menu appears whenever I restart either machine. I wanted to ask though if I wanted to say reformat and install a fresh windows installation on one of my drives, would I need to change something with the bcdboot command to reverse what I did? Or should I just do:

"bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu no"

Wasn't sure if there were any specific steps to follow if for some reason I wanted to refresh one of my systems

 

[TerryLaze]

I have set the bcdboot as described and everything seems to be working fine and the boot menu appears whenever I restart either machine. I wanted to ask though if I wanted to say reformat and install a fresh windows installation on one of my drives, would I need to change something with the bcdboot command to reverse what I did? Or should I just do:

"bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu no"

Wasn't sure if there were any specific steps to follow if for some reason I wanted to refresh one of my systems

You don't have to do anything but the menu item will still be there, you would have to edit it to change it to the new OS or delete it if you don't want to look at it.
If it's a windows OS it will add itself to the boot menu and if you want to avoid it adding itself to the "wrong" hdd you should disconnect all drives (from the power so that you don't mix up the sata ports) except for the one you want to install the OS.