How to list hard disks to choose one to boot from at the startup

Question

I don't know if it is possible or not but want to clarify posting here and don't want to miss it unnecessarily if it could be accomplished.

I have 3 hard disks installed with 3 different operating systems(xp, vista and ubuntu-linux) one on each HD. When ever I want to boot from any HD, I should enter the BIOS setup(pressing F2 or DEL) and select the HD to boot from. I'm wondering if I would get the option listing hard disks to select one to boot from when I start the computer like listing operating system boot menu.

Answer 1

Install something like grub on the active HD. Grub can then take care of booting into different operating systems on different physical hard disks. Grub will offer you a menu if so-configured.

I imagine you can set this up easisest after booting into your Ubuntu installation.

Docs for Grub are here http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html

A tutorial is here http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/grub.html#mozTocId288068

Answer 2

Well, that is possible. It is a bios function. RTFM - sorry. Read the manual for your computer bios. F12 could be it - often - but then this varies and you dont even say what your motherboard is.

Or install a boot manager, so you always boot from one disc which then remaps the discs and boots the real boot sector.

Answer 3

Your best option is to multiboot using the boot loader. Grub is one of the easier ways when one or more include *nix.

I suggest setting up all your Windows systems first, from the oldest OS version to the newest OS version. Then install your *nix system. Check out these two links.

www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot

Also keep in mind for the Windows systems... You need to install your programs in different unique paths from each other. Say XP is on C: and Vista is on D:. Install your XP apps into c:\program files\ and the Vista apss into d:\program files\

you may want to consider Xen or VMWare etc... that way you can run all three at the same time without rebooting.

Enjoy ps sorry about the first link. Since I'm new here they won't let me post more then one link.