Dual boot screen?

[Kernel Kev]

Ok, the new pc parts are arriving today and as its my parents PC, i want to keep them happy and leave XP on it.

I would like Vista and Ubuntu on there, and if the parents like it then it stays or if i hate it then it goes, but ubuntu is a must for me.

What i want to know is, is there a program that controls the dual booting where it automatically boots XP without any buttons needed to be pressed. Then if i hold a button whislt turning the pc on it will go to the dual boot screen and i can choose Vista/ubuntu from there.

So basically its purpose will be to install more than 1 OS without the parents even knowing.

I believe their are programs out there for mac's but i cant find anything for a custom built pc.



Kev

[dirtbikr6288]

You have to overwrite the flux capacitor then reconfigure the expiration module to incorporate both functions of the precambrian period...

Hope that helps...

[Kernel Kev]

Gotcha! Will do that tonight.



Kev

[bamhm182]

To my knowlege, nope, but than again, not 100% sure, all I know is that when you have both Vista and XP installed on a computer, you get this ugly little OS manager no matter what.

[Cabe]

On my MacBook when I start it up it automatically goes into Mac OS X (getting leopard in 9 days btw) if I hold the alt key it goes to a very nice, pretty screen with two options, XP or OS X.

Whenever I've dual booted from a PC I've always got that ugly OS manager. Its very hard to write programs to run before any operating system boots up.

What you could do is buy a small external HD and partition it in two then put the Vista and Ubuntu boot partitions in them and have all the main data stored on a much bigger, internal HD. That way when you want to boot into Vista or Ubuntu you simply plug in the EHD.

I use boot partitions. My main HD is partitioned into a 30Gb boot partition which I try keep any data, games etc off and a 220Gb partition.

If an external HD with an actual power switch you could just mount it beside the case and simply flip a switch to activate it and dual boot vs plugging in a USB cable every time.

[Kernel Kev]

Thats a good idea.

So i cant get that thingy what you got cabe, holding down alt key and stuff. Thats exactly what im looking for.



Kev

[Cabe]

I've never come across anything like it for Windows

[Kernel Kev]

ok, whats the name of the thing you use, so i can do a little google searching to see if i can find something.



Kev

[bamhm182]

I'm guessing it's just the Apple Boot Manager, but I did a search on Apple Boot Manager for Windows and came up empty handed.

EDIT: It's Apple Boot Camp, still came up empty handed when I googled it for the PC though...

[Cabe]

Yup, boot camp.