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I have 2 SATA hard drives that I want to use in my system. One has Windows 8, and the other I want to install Linux.

Can I install Linux on the second drive without disturbing my Windows 8 installation?

Would I need both drives plugged in at all times? I would like to have some mobility with these hard drives (i.e. remove (linux) one to take to work, and have the computer running Windows).

Do I need to configure slave/master settings?

Preferably, I would like to simply choose my OS through the boot options in the BIOS.

Thanks!

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The short answer: yes. Boot up your linux install media, tell it to install on the non-Windows drive, and you're done.

To answer the little questions you had:

  • You won't need both drives plugged in at all times.

  • You can't really move those drives between different computers to use them (because of different system configurations). With Linux, it's a maybe (Windows is almost a definite no), but you should use a thumb drive or something with a portable install if you want to move your OS between computers.

  • You don't need to configure any master/slave settings, since you're using SATA.

  • If each drive has its own bootloader, you'll be able to choose through the BIOS each time.

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Use a usb thumb drive for mobility, install linux on the portable drive ( or use a 2.5 ssd for more space and speed if needed) . Then use UNetbootin or Yumi to install the linux os on the drive, it's simple and safe. Yumi allows multiple linux installs on the same drive.

If you want to use the SATA HD, then get a USB External Case and put the SATA hd inside it.

In bios you change the boot order so the usb device is above the Win8 hd. Though some systems have a Boot Menu hot key to choice boot device. But this depends on your computer model.

No need to mess with slave/master settings if you use USB/SATA. (As long as its not IDE)

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You have two SATA HDDs.

  • Disconnect one and load windows 8 on it. And then disconnect windows 8 HDD,connect the another and load linux on it.
  • Connect both the HDDs and note on which SATA port which OS is loaded.
  • Then go to BIOS boot options and select linux HDD as primary boot option. If it doesn't show the linux HDD on boot priority list (it will then load windows always bcz windows bootloader doesn't give facility of chainloading), then select the HDD boot option and select the linux HDD.
  • after selecting Linux HDD, login into linux machine. We need to edit its loader (grub) configuration file which is in grub folder of root. Edit it using root user mode. Write the following lines without quotes below similar looking lines. " title windows8 root(hd1,0) makeactive chainloader +1 " You can give whatever title you want to give. hd1-- the SATA port on which windows HDD is connected. Check that from motherboard.
  • Save the conf file and shutdown the pc. Now when you will start the computer you will see the extra boot option to boot from on load screen.
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