So I'm very excited about the 2 HD option in the 8790, because it seems to me like it could be used to set up two entirely separate systems using the same chasis.

What I'd like to do is have 1 hard drive for my work "computer" and 1 drive for my home "computer" - by enabling a particular drive, I'll be able to work with computer as that system and keep everything entirely separate. It will be as if I have two entirely separate computers, except that I won't be able to use them both at the same time, and I won't have to lug around 1 computer's worth of weight.

So here's the question - is there any way to specifically disable either drive in the BIOS so that I can work this way? Has anyone tried it?

Thanks!

--Tim

I must not be understanding what you mean. Why can't you just leave both harddrives and their options like they are and just store all your work stuff on one, and your personal stuff on the other? Disabling one in your BIOS seems unnecessary...
Take out the 2nd hard drive when you leave home, and use the computer's primary hard drive for work, and when you get back home, slap in the 2nd hard drive and use it for home. You don't even need two hard drives to do that ...

There's actually programmes taht allow immediate changing between different systems, u'll probably like using that. U can sway the system quickly and with the 8970 , i don't think it will be slow or anything. Sorry but i don't remember the name of the program, long time havn't used it but it's great to deal with.

The point was to have two entirely separate systems running on the computer - two installs of windows, etc etc. I want to be able to keep my home data and programs entirely separate from my work stuff. The idea was that each hard drive would serve as a totally unique system, and if I ever had to return the laptop to work I could easily pop out my personal hard drive and not worry about having to loose anything on there or any complicated backups...

--Tim

Google "windows dual boot"

Sushifiend3000 is right, except that each Windows setup will still detect both hard drives. So, after you get Windows installed on 1 hdd, you may want to disable the other hdd from within that particular setup. This way, there's no chance of screwing around with work from home setup and vice versa.

"Dual boot" is not what I'm looking for - I have no need to run windows and linux or windows 98 and windows XP, etc. I'm looking to set up 2 entirely separate and unique systems by alternating between hard drives...

So I'll simplify and put it this way:

How easy is it to disable either hard drive from BIOS?

Thanks!

You can have 2 independent windows installations within a dual boot configuration. This is the best solution to your requirement. On each "sytem" you could then disable the opposited drive in device manager so depending on which boot partition you choose, the other drive will be invisible, without ever having to muck about in BIOS.