Which drive does the system boot from

[maros]

1) In general I know that on a system with one IDE controller, the system will boot from the Primary Master.

2) If you have 2 IDE controllers, which Primary Master will the system boot from?

3) If you have a SCSI and an IDE controller, which controller will the system boot from (or is this configuration dependent)?

4) Is there someplace in system memory (CMOS, etc.) where the hard drive/controller booted from is identified in a standard fashion (that one could decode with an assembler program, perhaps)?

Thanks in advance for any assistance. This might save me lots of time researching.

[bassman]

Hello Maros, and welcome to PC Guide,
Not sure if this a homework question or not, the part about "assembler program" makes me think not.
If you have 2 IDE controllers, one is primary, the other is secondary. Each controller is capable of supporting 2 devices (P-master, P-slave, S-master, S-slave)Your system will boot from P-master.
You set your boot sequence in BIOS. You would normaly want to boot from A drive first, then HDD. If you are using a bootable CD, then you can set it as first boot device. If you have SCSI, that option will also be available here.
Not sure what to say about the "decoding." That is not my area. If you are asking this just to be able to set the boot sequence, it is not necessary.
For more info on SCSI, startHERE (http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/scsi/std/scsi1-c.html)


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If I tell you to think for yourself, then your not doing it.
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This is not directed at those asking questions in order to gain knowledge. That shows you are thinking.

[This message has been edited by bassman (edited 08-22-2001).]

[kaos]

LOL Bassman,
I think you should have went w/ your first gut feeling. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Question #3 definately makes me think so. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/tongue.gif

BTW, can I ask a couple questions that I'm having trouble w/? http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif

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Thankful there's an Edit button!

[bassman]

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/cool.gif
Hi Kaos. Haven't been around much lately so I'm trying to do what I can.
Glad to see some more talent here

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If I tell you to think for yourself, then your not doing it.
.
.
This is not directed at those asking questions in order to gain knowledge. That shows you are thinking.

[Paleo Pete]

If you have two IDE controllers, you still have only one Primary Master. That one will be the boot device.

If you have SCSI and IDE the system will try to boot from IDE first. If you want it to boot from SCSI the best way to go is make the system SCSI all the way and do away with all IDE devices. Otherwise you're in for aheadache trying to get SCSI to boot. IDE will always take priority.

The IDE and SCSI controllers are both identified in CMOS, which normally cannot be edited. You can change settings, but not actually edit the BIOS information. To get the machine to boot in a different manner than the standard options in BIOS allow you would need a boot menu, which for non-NT systems I think is done by adding a boot menu to msdos.sys, and with NT/win2000 systems is done by way of the NTLDR which contains a default boot menu if the NT/2000 installation sees that another OS is installed on the machine.

If any of the above is wrong, I'm sure someone will be along soon to correct me...

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[maros]

Thank you all for your assistance. Not quite what I was looking for, but you've helped me narrow my focus.

[mike31]

2) If you have 2 IDE controllers, which Primary Master will the system boot from?

There should be documentation in your Mobo manual, but on the board you should see IDE0 and IDE1 or in older models IDE1 and IDE2. You can set the boot sequence in the BIOS as others have mentioned. Depending on where you hook your "BOOT" drive is what you want to set as your First Boot Device after Floppy in the BIOS or CMOS. If you hook your Hardrive you wan to Boot to on IDE0 as master, then set in yoru BIOS, Second Boot Device=IDE0

Mike

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My System (http://mbdc.net/mike/index1.html)
Iwill KA266-R | AYHJA(Y) 1.3 @ 140x11=1540 | Vantec FCE 62450D | 1.80v | 512 PC2100 | Geforce 2MX | SB Live | Win98SE | 33 C Idle/36 C Load

[ranchdog]

.... By default the system will boot from the C drive....

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......Indecision may or may not be my problem......
...... Kickin' A Rock....