How to stop Windows writing to 2nd hard drive

[Platypus]

I do this also but do not seem to get a problem.
I am using Windows XP and clone C: to D: using Acronis True Copy.
I do however unplug the internal disk cable after the copy and checking that the system boots off the new image. Then plug back in C: drive.

You got it in one! Exactly my strategy. Also using Acronis. But I wasn't unplugging the cable, so the D: drive was still visible when Windows reboots. Windows informs me that "your configuration has changed" and asks for another reboot. Then it's happy. I think it's at that point it's written its "signature" to the disk thereby buggering the whole thing up.

New strategy (subject to test) is to use Acronis Backup to drive D: and to periodically clone C: to a drive connected by USB which I can easily unplug.

Can you disable the drive in Windows?

Just looking at Device Manager (in Windows 7 - so YMMV), and I can right click on the different ATA channels and disable them.

(a) Nice idea - I've been looking for a way to tell Windows to ignore the drive
(b) But I don't see that facility
(c) I think it'd be too late, Windows seems pretty eager to write a signature to the drive.

Thanks anyway.