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Thread: Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

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    Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

    Hi all

    I'm wondering about running Windows and Xubuntu dual boot but from 2 hard drives, both using Full Disk Encryption. Here's what I see in my head:

    Big SSD for windows and applications, smaller SSD for xubuntu and applications.

    1. Install windows on the big SSD and set truecrypt to encrypt the whole disk

    2. Insstall xubuntu on the other SSD setting up FDE as I install it

    3. Installing grub customizer in xubuntu and setting up the grub menu to boot from one disk or the other, then putting the encryption password in

    Will that work?

    I'd prefer keeping the operating systems on separate drives to be able to use FDE. I know I can dual boot off one drive with truecrypt, but it seems very faffy and there might be issues.

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    Re: Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

    as long as the boot loader goes on the mbr of the disk your bios is set to boot from, there is no problem with this.
    It is Inevitable.....


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    Re: Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

    Quote Originally Posted by ikonia View Post
    as long as the boot loader goes on the mbr of the disk your bios is set to boot from, there is no problem with this.
    Thanks, that's all I needed to know!

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    Re: Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

    Indeed, make sure that grub etc. are on the MBR, beyond that you can get away with an incredible amount with the miracles of chainloaders (I did have 3 tied together once - it's not recommended practice). I have to chain-load twice to get into one of my OSs due to being stupid when I set the partitions up.
    In my experience things go very smoothly when you use multiple disks and FDE to Truecrypt seems by far the most logical method (not that I encrypt these days).

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    Re: Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

    Quote Originally Posted by Goobley View Post
    Indeed, make sure that grub etc. are on the MBR, beyond that you can get away with an incredible amount with the miracles of chainloaders (I did have 3 tied together once - it's not recommended practice). I have to chain-load twice to get into one of my OSs due to being stupid when I set the partitions up.
    In my experience things go very smoothly when you use multiple disks and FDE to Truecrypt seems by far the most logical method (not that I encrypt these days).
    I can get a 64GB SSD for about £35 and that will be more than enough for my xubuntu install so that week work nicely. Thanks

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    Re: Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

    Install windows first on a single drive then install xubuntu on both. Works like a treat and still allows you to single boot windows should you need to

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    Re: Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

    Had you considered using a hard drive dock? I use a docking thingy inside my machine that allows me to physically change the I boot from. So, insert disk 1 and I get Win7. Insert disk 2 and it's Win8. Put my SSD into a 2.5 to 3.5 sdapter and insert that, and I get Ubuntu.

    I haven't tried your configuration with FDE but I can't see why there would be a problem. There should be no issues because you akways boot from the same sata port, and all that's changing is the drive, and hence the OS, found there.

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    Re: Windows / Linux dual boot from 2 hard drives with FDE?

    Quote Originally Posted by mightymouse View Post
    Install windows first on a single drive then install xubuntu on both. Works like a treat and still allows you to single boot windows should you need to
    I don't get why I'd install Xubuntu on both? FDE would become a pain with 2 OSs on one drive - hence using 2 drives.

    Quote Originally Posted by Saracen View Post
    Had you considered using a hard drive dock? I use a docking thingy inside my machine that allows me to physically change the I boot from. So, insert disk 1 and I get Win7. Insert disk 2 and it's Win8. Put my SSD into a 2.5 to 3.5 sdapter and insert that, and I get Ubuntu.

    I haven't tried your configuration with FDE but I can't see why there would be a problem. There should be no issues because you akways boot from the same sata port, and all that's changing is the drive, and hence the OS, found there.
    I had considered a dock, but want sure if the BIOS would look at the sata port it was connected to our the name of the drive itself

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