second harddrive

[nooyawkah]

I'm adding a 2nd hdd to add a Linux system. I'll set it up as slave to the 1st hdd. What happens when I boot up for the first time? The new hdd will not yet have an OS. Will the first hdd just boot into windows?

[sarah31]

if i understand you correctly yes when you boot it will boot right to the first drive. The bios should detect the drive but until you actually set up the drive for linux or whatever you wont be able to use it. From what i remember anyway.

[2damncommon]

Make sure and set your jumpers correctly.
Your Linux install should see that there is a free drive and offer to partition and format it for you. Make sure you are formatting the correct drive.
Make sure to make a boot floppy for your Linux install when prompted. You then have the choice of installing a boot loader (LILO or GRUB) or not (maybe later). That would mean your Windows drive would stay and boot exactly the same. Linux would boot from your floppy.