Another 2 drive Multi-boot question

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chris

I have a new computer with XP and would like to install a
second drive from my old computer which already has
Windows 98 installed on it. I would like to have a
multiple operating system/mulit-boot using the two hard
drives. Is this possible, or do I need to format and
reinstall the operating systems on both drives?

I was thinkiing since I already have this drive with the
second operating system that I want on it, that maybe it
would be possible.

If it is doable, what steps do I need to follow? I was
planning on changing the video driver to a basic one, in
the old machine, before pulling the drive out and popping
it into the new machine. Then setting it as the slave
drive. Would XP automatically detect another operating
system and bring up the boot manager? If it worked, I
planned to then install windows 98 drivers for the video
card, CD and sound card.

I have already done a dual-boot XP/Wn 95 on a single drive
in another machine for a friend, where I formatted,
partitioned, installed Windows 98, then installed XP into
the second partition. Xp automatically detected Windows 98
and installed itself onto the second partition.

Anyway, I was hoping to save some time with my new
machine, since I already have everthing set up on the old
machine's drive the way I want the Windows 98 operating
sytem to be, and on the new machine XP is the way that I
like it as well. BTW both drives are FAT 32.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Chris
 
chris said:
I have a new computer with XP and would like to install a
second drive from my old computer which already has
Windows 98 installed on it. I would like to have a
multiple operating system/mulit-boot using the two hard
drives. Is this possible, or do I need to format and
reinstall the operating systems on both drives?

..(snipped)..

Anyway, I was hoping to save some time with my new
machine, since I already have everthing set up on the old
machine's drive the way I want the Windows 98 operating
sytem to be, and on the new machine XP is the way that I
like it as well. BTW both drives are FAT 32.
Click to expand...

Yes, use a third-party boot manager.

To setup a dualboot, you have two basic choices: the Microsoft way or
everyone else's way. The two methods use incompatible concepts and cannot
simply be substituted for each other. (Depending on your technical level,
you may find my information at www.goodells.net/multiboot helpful -- see my
sections on the boot process and the Microsoft boot loader).

The way most third-party boot managers work keeps OS's totally independent
and truly boots separate partitions. OS's can be kept hidden from each
other, so when you boot 98 it will be designated C: and the XP partition
will be hidden, and when you boot XP it will be C: and the 98 partition is
hidden. Since the OS's are hidden from each other, there is no chance of
one messing up the other. Since the OS's are independent, it is much easier
to upgrade or eliminate either one later.

The Microsoft way intertwines the two OS's by always booting through the
same partition and then forking to either the old or new operating system.
When you boot, both partitions will be visible and will both get drive
letters. In order to get the intertwining right, you're supposed to install
oldest OS first, and setting up the dualboot at the time of installation.
You can't do the intertwining after the fact (after both OS's have been
installed as standalone systems).

Since each of your OS's is already installed as a standalone OS, you need to
use a third-party boot manager. Take a look at XOSL (www.xosl.org), GAG
(www.sourceforge.net), or BootIt NG (www.bootitng.com). The first two are
freeware and are very versatile. The third is shareware, but includes a
partitioning utility (ala, PartitionMagic) and an imaging utility (ala,
DriveImage or Ghost). If you don't already have partitioning and imaging
software, you'll find this very useful and the price is a bargain. (I would
recommend installing the boot manager in its own partition so as not to
interfere with either OS partition, but that means you'll need a
partitioning tool like PartitionMagic or BootIt NG to carve out a small bit
of disk space for the boot manager's partition.)
 
This is what I do. I use the bios to activate or
deactivate one of the hard drives. One hard drive has
Win98 and the other WinXP. This way the two OS's remain
independent. I just enter the bios at boot up and select
which hard drive to use.
 
Interesting approach...the thought had occurred to me,
but it seemed too simple to actually work, but since you
are already practicing this method, with success I might
add, perhaps I'll try it.

Thanks for the info!
Chris
 
Dan,
Thanks for the great info! I'll look into the 3rd party
bootmanagers that you mentioned.

It's good to know that I have some options.
Chris
-----Original Message-----



Yes, use a third-party boot manager.

To setup a dualboot, you have two basic choices: the Microsoft way or
everyone else's way. The two methods use incompatible concepts and cannot
simply be substituted for each other. (Depending on your technical level,
you may find my information at
Click to expand...
www.goodells.net/multiboot helpful -- see my
 
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