Definition of single vs dual boot - need clarification
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I describe my machine as dual boot Linux - Windows even though Linux and Windows have their own separate hard drives, but obviously share the same BIOS-UEFI
Is this correct, or would my machine technically be considered 'Single boot' since each OS has their own hard drive?
if you got more then one Operating System on your computer then
one + zero = single boot
one + one = dual boot
one + one + one = tri boot
one + one + one + one = quad boot
It doesn't matter if you have installed separate OS in separate disk with separate boot loader or multiple OSs with single boot-loader, you'll have only one active instance running at any given time.
The concept of single-boot and dual-boot which you read a lot in manuals or websites are actually referring to single boot-loader with one or multiple OSs attached to it (usually in separate partitions).
In your case, as you have different OS in separate disk with separate boot-loaders, you have Single-Boot Configuration.
Last edited by Madhu Desai; 12-10-2016 at 09:52 AM.
My opinion would be the number of bootable OS's on the system from cold boot, not to include choices like pxe/gpxe/ipxe, iscsi/nfs or other networked drives or vm's. May be that one might include usb, sd,cf and other normally removable media.
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I consider dual boot to be more than one operating system to choose from at boot time. Your bios may have a boot manager (F12 for boot menu, or something similar). That should allow you to choose legacy or bios boot options, so you don't need to go into bios setup to change it.
You're correct that part of the purpose of UEFI is to prevent an operating system from being booted "incorrectly," and/or to prevent booting some other system. (Imagine the "bored midnight operator" who is actually a professional industrial spy or saboteur, with a USB-stick in his pocket, waiting for 3:00 AM.)
(Imagine the "bored midnight operator" who is actually a professional industrial spy or saboteur, with a USB-stick in his pocket, waiting for 3:00 AM.)
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good play on words.
