Dual Booting

Greetings --

The simplest way I've found to dual boot between Win9x and WinXP
would be to partition your drive(s) roughly as follows:

C: Primary FAT32 Win9x/Legacy Apps
D: Extended NTFS WinXP/Modern Apps

Adjust the partition sizes according to your actual hard drive(s)
size and the amount of space you'd like to allocate to each OS and its
applications.

Create the partitions using Win9x's FDISK so you can enable large
disk support (FAT32). (No need for 3rd party partitioning
utilities/boot managers and their frequent complications.)

Install Win9x first, being sure to select "C:\Windows" (or
D:\Windows, if you prefer) when asked for the default Windows
directory. When you subsequently install WinXP, be sure to specify
"D:\Winnt" (or "D:\Windows," "C:\Winnt" as referred/applicable) when
asked for the default Windows directory, to place it in the other
partition. The WinXP installation routine will automatically set up a
Multi-boot menu for you. The default settings for this menu can be
readily edited from within WinXP. NOTE: If you elect to place Win98
on the "D:" drive, you'll _have_ to leave the "C:" drive as FAT32.

This method can be adapted to using 2 physical hard drives by
placing the boot partition (C:, which still must be FAT32) and either
of the operating systems on the Primary Master hard drive, and the
second operating system on the second hard drive.

It is also possible to have a 3rd partition for shared
applications, but it would be necessary for such a partition to be
formatted in the common file format (FAT32). The applications would
also have to be installed into each OS (to ensure proper system file
placement and registry updates), one at a time, but the bulk of the
program files could be located on this common partition. I do not,
however, actually recommend doing this as, if you were to uninstall
such an application from one OS, you may not be able to gracefully
uninstall it from the second OS, having already deleted crucial
installation data during the first uninstall action.

Just about everything you need to know (URLs may wrap):

http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q217/2/10.ASP

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p.../multiboot.asp


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Linda Bates" <lbates@nospambtinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:002e01c35f55$801eb1e0$a301280a@phx.gbl...

> Hi,
>
> I need help, and searching hasn't done much good. What I
> am trying to do is setup a dual boot system with my ME (my
> old PC is history, and it had ME on it)and a new retail
> version of XP Pro. I have setup dual boots before, but not
> by making them both on primary partitions, and cannot
> figure out how to do this (someone said this would be a
> better setup), without making the second partition an
> extended/logical.
>
> I want to setup ME on the first partition (6 gigs, and
> FAT32 of course), and XP-pro on 20 gigs (NTFS), and leave
> the remaining 34gig for storage of files a proggies. I
> have an ME boot disk and know the FDISK commands, but
> cannot set the partitions that I make as primary. Anyone
> have a sugesstion, or a link where this can be explained,
> if this is at all possible?
>
> Thanks,
> Linda

Bruce wrote:

<sipped>

Nothing personal, but did you read my question? I ask how
to create two primary partitions, and your links, and your
advice shows how to create a primary/extended logical. Can
you advise or not, please?

Linda

Install two hard drives in your PC.

Joe

"Linda Bates" <lbates@nospambtinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:051a01c35f5c$0d7cab90$a501280a@phx.gbl...

>
> Bruce wrote:
>
> <sipped>
>
> Nothing personal, but did you read my question? I ask how
> to create two primary partitions, and your links, and your
> advice shows how to create a primary/extended logical. Can
> you advise or not, please?
>
> Linda
>
>

Nothing personal, but did you really read Bruce's tip. I guess you cannot
follow good advice.

--
sqr
Overseer: alt.os.windows-xp
--
ftp://sqr.myftp.biz
http://sqr.servebeer.com


"Linda Bates" <lbates@nospambtinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:051a01c35f5c$0d7cab90$a501280a@phx.gbl...

>
> Bruce wrote:
>
> <sipped>
>
> Nothing personal, but did you read my question? I ask how
> to create two primary partitions, and your links, and your
> advice shows how to create a primary/extended logical. Can
> you advise or not, please?
>
> Linda
>
>

use FIPS

? "Linda Bates" <lbates@nospambtinternet.co.uk> ?????? ??? ??????
news:002e01c35f55$801eb1e0$a301280a@phx.gbl...

> Hi,
>
> I need help, and searching hasn't done much good. What I
> am trying to do is setup a dual boot system with my ME (my
> old PC is history, and it had ME on it)and a new retail
> version of XP Pro. I have setup dual boots before, but not
> by making them both on primary partitions, and cannot
> figure out how to do this (someone said this would be a
> better setup), without making the second partition an
> extended/logical.
>
> I want to setup ME on the first partition (6 gigs, and
> FAT32 of course), and XP-pro on 20 gigs (NTFS), and leave
> the remaining 34gig for storage of files a proggies. I
> have an ME boot disk and know the FDISK commands, but
> cannot set the partitions that I make as primary. Anyone
> have a sugesstion, or a link where this can be explained,
> if this is at all possible?
>
> Thanks,
> Linda

Well, why do you want to create two primary partitions? If you want a
dual boot system, follow the advice given, if that is not what you want,
ask a different question.

Regards, hawk

Linda Bates wrote:

> Bruce wrote:
>
> <sipped>
>
> Nothing personal, but did you read my question? I ask how
> to create two primary partitions, and your links, and your
> advice shows how to create a primary/extended logical. Can
> you advise or not, please?
>
> Linda
>
>

Greetings --

If desired, you can create two primary partitions using the same
method. A single hard drive can have up to 4 primary partitions or 3
primary and 1 extended partitions. As always, of course, only one
primary partition can be flagged as "active" (iow, bootable) at any
given time. Of course, there's rarely any point in having multiple
primary partitions, unless you're planning on using a 3rd party boot
manager, but the choice is yours.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Linda Bates" <lbates@nospambtinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:051a01c35f5c$0d7cab90$a501280a@phx.gbl...

>
> Bruce wrote:
>
> <sipped>
>
> Nothing personal, but did you read my question? I ask how
> to create two primary partitions, and your links, and your
> advice shows how to create a primary/extended logical. Can
> you advise or not, please?
>
> Linda
>
>

FDISK will not create multiple Primary partitions. You will need a 3rd party
partitioning utility, or boot from the XP CD to repartition your drive
during Setup.

It is possible to install XP first, then install Me after the fact. Its a
pretty simple process actually.

In your case, boot from the XP CD and remove/create partitions as you
desire, and install XP in the D: partition. To install Me after that see my
web site, www.dougknox.com and go to Win XP Tips

For Win9x/Me: Install 98/Me after XP is Installed.
For Windows 2000: Install Windows 2000 after XP is installed.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Associate Expert
ExpertZone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"Linda Bates" <lbates@nospambtinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:051a01c35f5c$0d7cab90$a501280a@phx.gbl...

>
> Bruce wrote:
>
> <sipped>
>
> Nothing personal, but did you read my question? I ask how
> to create two primary partitions, and your links, and your
> advice shows how to create a primary/extended logical. Can
> you advise or not, please?
>
> Linda
>
>

Linda,

In the scenario I descibed, you would use the XP CD to delete the existing
partition(s) and then re-create the new ones. There is no provision in XP
(during setup or after install) for resizing partitions to make space for
new ones.

As for installing ME after the fact with XP installed first on NTFS, not
with out a 3rd party boot manager.

Each OS should be installed to its own partition, and, without a boot
manager, Me can only be installed on a FAT or FAT32 partition, and the boot
files COMMAND.COM, MSDOS.SYS, IO.SYS and others will be installed on the
first partition (C. So C: has to be FAT or FAT32. Me's boot files have
to be able to read the other files on the drive, and Me doesn't understand
NTFS. Note, this does not prevent you from making the XP (second or other)
partition NTFS. It will work just fine. The only thing is the Me
installation won't be able to see the NTFS partition.

Another option is a 3rd party boot manager like BootIt Next Generation,
www.bootitng.com It has a full blown partition manager, as well as its boot
manager function. It will allow you to resize existing partitions, create
and delete them and etc. You could also have XP already installed on C: as
NTFS, make a new partition for D: to install Me to, and then make the D:
partition "bootable", and install Me without disturbing the XP install. You
can even hide one partition from another, so that they're completely
separate.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Associate Expert
ExpertZone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"Linda bates" <lbates@nospambtinternet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:052d01c3625c$15cbb1d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...

>
> Doug Wrote:
>

> will need a 3rd party

> repartition your drive

> the fact. Its a

> partitions as you

> Me after that see my

> installed.

>
> Thank you Doug, you're the only one that gave pretty much
> the pertinent advice :-).
>
> Anyway, as you stated to use the XP disk to repartition
> the drive, does that mean that XP will create another
> primary partition after I reinstall ME too (using the boot
> disk for ME obviously). I don't want to install ME after
> XP, because I want the filing system for XP to be NTFS.
> Unless there is a way to install XP first (NTFS) primary,
> then ME after that, on a primary partition also?
>
> Bottom line- Do I have to have a partitioning utility like
> BootitNG, PT8, etc to do what I want?
>
> Thanks again,
> Linda

>-----Original Message-----
>Linda,
>
>In the scenario I descibed, you would use the XP CD to

delete the existing

>partition(s) and then re-create the new ones. There is

no provision in XP

>(during setup or after install) for resizing partitions

to make space for

>new ones.
>
>As for installing ME after the fact with XP installed

first on NTFS, not

>with out a 3rd party boot manager.
>
>Each OS should be installed to its own partition, and,

without a boot

>manager, Me can only be installed on a FAT or FAT32

partition, and the boot

>files COMMAND.COM, MSDOS.SYS, IO.SYS and others will be

installed on the

>first partition (C. So C: has to be FAT or FAT32.

Me's boot files have

>to be able to read the other files on the drive, and Me

doesn't understand

>NTFS. Note, this does not prevent you from making the XP

(second or other)

>partition NTFS. It will work just fine. The only thing

is the Me

>installation won't be able to see the NTFS partition.
>
>Another option is a 3rd party boot manager like BootIt

Next Generation,

>www.bootitng.com It has a full blown partition manager,

as well as its boot

>manager function. It will allow you to resize existing

partitions, create

>and delete them and etc. You could also have XP already

installed on C: as

>NTFS, make a new partition for D: to install Me to, and

then make the D:

>partition "bootable", and install Me without disturbing

the XP install. You

>can even hide one partition from another, so that they're

completely

>separate.
>
>--
>Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
>Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
>http://www.dougknox.com
>--------------------------------
>Associate Expert
>ExpertZone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>--------------------------------
>Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
>Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Hi,

I understand what you mean, and I plan on using ME in the
first partition, then XP (NTFS) second. Does the XP CD
have the ability to create two primary partitons, as I am
rerading what you state? Can two primaries in this
scenario, be achieved without a partitioning manager? I
want to do this today (husband taking the kids to their
grandparents in Leeds for a day), and have a good
opportunity to do this.

Please, a simple "Yes (I can do this without a boot
manager)", or "No" will do in what I ask this time :-)

If yes, then please explain, or give me a good link (your
site would be fine if it is detailed).

Thanks again,
Linda