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From: Al 
Newsgroups: alt.os.linux.ubuntu
Subject: Re: Multiple OS Solution
References:  <87
y8shrgr.fsf@geemail.com>
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Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:57:32 GMT
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In article <87fy8shrgr.fsf@geemail.com>,
 Hadron  wrote:

> Al  writes:
> 
> > I see a bit of traffic on this newsgroup regarding dual boot. I solved 
> > my problem very simply.
> >
> > I have a computer I assembled from bits and pieces I got at flea 
> > markets, the town recycling center and the like. I wanted to use it for 
> > experimenting with various operating systems.
> >
> > The bays are loaded. I have a floppy drive, CD -RW drive, ZIP drive  
> > and....ta dah...three bays with removable HDs. I have mounted HDs on 
> > carts which then plug into the bays. Only the center bay is active, 
> > i.e., connected to the MB and to power. So, if I want to run Ubuntu, I 
> > trade carts and put the Ubuntu one into the active bay. If I want 
> > Windoz, I swap again. And if one of them wants to corrupt the whole HD, 
> > I don't care. 
> 
> OS's dont corrupt whole drives in my experience. Why not just
> repartition one big drive and dual boot? Plugging drives in & out will
> lead to corruption far quicker than the OS corrupting it I reckon. Easy
> to forget power is on etc.

No, not easy to forget power is on. I use a power director which is lit 
up when power goes to the computer. I turn power off, and the computer 
is DEAD. It's a real switch. The monitor sits on the power diector so 
it's right in my face. I have the ethernet extensions next to the 
computer and just unplug/plug them as required.

BTW, on my Mac, all I have to do to turn the ethernet on/off is change a 
software switch in the TCP/IP panel. Takes seconds to do it and no 
reboot required. Is it that easy in Linux? I know you have to reboot 
Windoz to do that.

Dual boot is just two OSs. I use several as I have legacy applications 
that run only on old OSs. Most of which haven't been ported to Linux. I 
even have one app that runs under DOS 3.3.

> 
> > I use one removeable drive for surfing and one for home computing. The 
> 
> You go surfing with your computer? Wow! is it waterproof? What is home
> computing? Does your home computing not include surfing?

Home computing is doing my taxes, balancing my checkbook, doing 
development works using PICs, etc. None of these require connection to 
the internet. So why connect? Keeps the internet kiddies out very easily.

> 
> > data on the twain never meet. I even have a couple of drives in which 
> > internet connection is disabled; no chance of viruses and the like.
> 
> Or downloading anything or .... So you have multi-installed the OS on
> multiple drives? Sounds like a configuration and data sharing nightmare.
> 
> > It works for me. It might for you.
> 
> Sounds complicated and error prone to be honest, but if its what lights
> your fire!
> 
> >
> > Al

I've been doing this for a couple of years and haven't screwed up yet. I 
got the idea from my son who works as a software engineer at a large 
firm. They use PCs for test beds to run the equipment that they are 
developing. Each software engineer has his own disk on a caddy that he 
just plugs into the PC when he needs to use it. He has already set it up 
for his testing/application. There is no way they can screw each others 
projects this way. Jeesh, if firms find this useful, why not somewhat 
savvy consumers?

Oh, and BTW, I'm sober when I use my computers ;-)

Al
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