Dual boot 2008 R2

[Chuckster]

I am trying to install 2008 R2 twice on a single HD with two separate partitions so that it can be dual-booted. I want the one partition to be able to run Hyper-V and the other VMware Workstation. (IT Co-ordinator's request, and you can't run 2 hypervisors together).

So far I have not been successful. Any ideas?

[nephilim]

you want them both to boot at the same time from the same machine? Physically impossible.

You would be best off buying a second Server, 1 running VM Ware and 1 Running Hyper V.

[andydis]

looked into esxi ?

[Arthur]

you can't run 2 hypervisors together.

Technically you can because VMware Workstation, Virtual PC and VirtualBox are all type 2 hypervisors. These can all be run simultaneously within an existing OS.

[tmcd35]

Is this a boot loader question and not a 'which VM platform' or 'booting two OS's at once' question? I am surprised, if you manually partition the hard drive during the first OS install, you can not just install a second copy of Windows to a second partition? I was under the impression that Windows includes it's own boot loader especially for these senarios and that Windows 2008 used a boot partition to ensure the OS can boot without worring about where on the drive the partition starts.

Unfortuantly I've not installed two copies of windows to 1 drive in meny a year, and it was XP last time I did it, so I can't be of more help but I am reasonably sure Windows will sort it self out if you partition the drive correctly during the first OS install.

[Chuckster]

Yep, this is a boot loader question and not a question of which VM platform or about booting two OS'es at once.

I want it so that when the machine boots up.. the ICT-Coordinator can choose between the same OS but each OS (total of 2) has one with VM Workstation on it and the other Hyper-V.

I tried installing VMware workstation where Hyper-v was installed but VMware doesn't permit having 2 different hypervisors running at the same time, so it's a case of one or the other.
So my workaround was to install 2008 R2 again but on another partition on the same physical HD, but I've not had any luck with it.

Booted up the CD and installed it on the partition of my choice but it still loads up the one OS.

[somabc]

I would rather create a VHD and boot from that than create a 2nd Partition.

Boot From VHD - Windows Server 2008 R2 Demo Screencast 2 of 4

[tmcd35]

Have you edited the Boot.ini file in the first OS install? Also, when you created the partitions did you allow for a boot partition as I think bios can't boot beyond a certain sector on the hard drive (1024 from memory?).

[Arthur]

Isn't it simply a case of setting the option below so that Windows displays its boot menu?