Dual Boot: Is it as simple as this?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Borrox
  • Start date Start date
B

Borrox

Hi

I bet not. Is it just a case of partitioning my second drive (120Gb),
installing Win 98SE and then at boot up change the boot sequence from drive
C to Win 98 drive? I have XP but I also have a number of games that won't
run on XP and need to have 98SE.

Many thanks for your help

Nig
 
Borrox said:
Hi

I bet not. Is it just a case of partitioning my second drive (120Gb),
installing Win 98SE and then at boot up change the boot sequence from
drive C to Win 98 drive? I have XP but I also have a number of games that
won't run on XP and need to have 98SE.

Many thanks for your help

Nig
Click to expand...
In fact, do I even need to partition the other drive?
 
Borrox said:
In fact, do I even need to partition the other drive?
Click to expand...

Yes. Win98/FAT32 can't support more than a ~65GB partition size. For booting
you can do as you mentioned. My main OS is Win2k, but I have a Win98 drive in
the system right now and boot directly to it via the Bios menu. It could be the
default if you wanted it to be depending upon the options your Bios gives you.
I can boot to any HD in the system that has an OS on it including the external
USB/IDE drive.

Bob
 
Robert Heiling said:
Yes. Win98/FAT32 can't support more than a ~65GB partition size. For
booting
you can do as you mentioned. My main OS is Win2k, but I have a Win98 drive
in
the system right now and boot directly to it via the Bios menu. It could
be the
default if you wanted it to be depending upon the options your Bios gives
you.
I can boot to any HD in the system that has an OS on it including the
external
USB/IDE drive.

Bob
Click to expand...
I really did not expect it to be so simple! What do you recommend to use to
partition the drive. I already have about 30Gb of data on it, but can move
onto C:

Thanks for the quick reply.

Nig
 
Borrox said:
I really did not expect it to be so simple! What do you recommend to use to
partition the drive.
Click to expand...

Just use the utility that comes as part of XP. You might want to consider making
at least one partition NTFS. I did some time ago when I ran into the FAT32
filesize limit and I was creating large Winzip backup archives like 14GB for
example. NTFS doesn't have any practical limits which is one reason I now run
Win2k.
I already have about 30Gb of data on it, but can move
onto C:

Thanks for the quick reply.
Click to expand...

I was sitting right here. Happy to help.

Bob
 
Robert Heiling said:
Just use the utility that comes as part of XP. You might want to consider
making
at least one partition NTFS. I did some time ago when I ran into the FAT32
filesize limit and I was creating large Winzip backup archives like 14GB
for
example. NTFS doesn't have any practical limits which is one reason I now
run
Win2k.


I was sitting right here. Happy to help.

Bob
Click to expand...
OK, so here comes the ignorant questions. How do I do this with XP? I will
only be needing around 10-12Gb + OS disc space for the extra drive. The rest
of the disc will be used for storage as it is now, so the filesize
restrictions won't be a problem.. Can I partition the drive with data still
on it?

Nig
 
Borrox said:
OK, so here comes the ignorant questions. How do I do this with XP?
Click to expand...

If it's like 2K, then click Start-Settings-Control Panel and then Administrative
Tools and then Computer Management. Then click Disk Management. From that view
you can see all your drives and you can Delete & Format partitions. You'll need
to delete what you have now after saving off your data. I don't have any free
space to double-check, but right-clicking on any free space should give
partitioning options as I recall.
I will
only be needing around 10-12Gb + OS disc space for the extra drive.
Click to expand...

That you know needs to be FAT32 for Win98.
The rest
of the disc will be used for storage as it is now, so the filesize
restrictions won't be a problem..
Click to expand...

Ok, but only if you use NTFS with it and not FAT32 for partition size
consideration if nothing else..
Can I partition the drive with data still
on it?
Click to expand...

Don't even think about it.<g> Put it out of harm's way until all partitioning,
formatting, and installation is done.

Bob
 
If it's like 2K, then click Start-Settings-Control Panel and then
Administrative
Tools and then Computer Management. Then click Disk Management. From that
view
you can see all your drives and you can Delete & Format partitions. You'll
need
to delete what you have now after saving off your data. I don't have any
free
space to double-check, but right-clicking on any free space should give
partitioning options as I recall.


That you know needs to be FAT32 for Win98.


Ok, but only if you use NTFS with it and not FAT32 for partition size
consideration if nothing else..


Don't even think about it.<g> Put it out of harm's way until all
partitioning,
formatting, and installation is done.

Bob
Click to expand...
Hi Bob

Can't thank you enough for your help and advice. I will give it a go over
the weekend. As I said I only want to partition about 12-15Gb of drive D:
which is FAT32 so that I can load and play a few games that won't work on
XP.

Once again, thank you.

Nig
 
Yes. Win98/FAT32 can't support more than a ~65GB partition size.
Click to expand...

fdisk, the one that comes with win98 doesn't support drives over 60gigs,
the one that comes with ME does. parting with 98 fdisk and finding that
you can only access a 60 gig drive is annoying, you can get fdisk for ME
online, and win98/xp works fine with it. maybe part it all into fat32
drives, then do a convert to ntfs later.
 
Ok, but only if you use NTFS with it and not FAT32 for partition size
consideration if nothing else..
Click to expand...

The main benefits of NTFS are setting security / permissions
and files over 4GB in size. Win98 always supports up to
120GB in every possible way. Above 120GB, Goggle for
issues.
 
kony said:
yes it can
Click to expand...
So, if my main drive (C) is XP (NTFS) I can still partition drive (D) to
around 20Gig and 100Gig, install Win98 to the 20Gig part, put my games and
bits on that and then at bootup chnage the boot sequence to boot from the
20Gig drive. Sorry but for a novice I feel that I am getting different ways
here. I would like just a straight simple way. what I have mentioned is what
I have in place at the moment and 20 Gig is sufficient to run what I want to
run from 98.

TIA

Nig
 
Borrox said:
So, if my main drive (C) is XP (NTFS) I can still partition drive (D) to
around 20Gig and 100Gig, install Win98 to the 20Gig part, put my games and
bits on that and then at bootup chnage the boot sequence to boot from the
20Gig drive. Sorry but for a novice I feel that I am getting different ways
here. I would like just a straight simple way. what I have mentioned is what
I have in place at the moment and 20 Gig is sufficient to run what I want to
run from 98.
Click to expand...

A side issue was interjected that doesn't really effect you. Just do it the way
you proposed there, but do save any files elsewhere until all is well. Either
create that 20 gig FAT32 partition for Win98 or use it if it's already there,
but make sure you mark it "Active" i.e. Bootable. The state of the other 100
gig, unallocated, fat, ntfs, doesn't matter for these purposes. I can't recall
for certain, but I think that the Win98 install will want that HD as Primary
Master/Single, but you can have it anywhere once the OS is on it if your Bios is
cooperative.

Bob
 
Robert Heiling said:
A side issue was interjected that doesn't really effect you. Just do it
the way
you proposed there, but do save any files elsewhere until all is well.
Either
create that 20 gig FAT32 partition for Win98 or use it if it's already
there,
but make sure you mark it "Active" i.e. Bootable. The state of the other
100
gig, unallocated, fat, ntfs, doesn't matter for these purposes. I can't
recall
for certain, but I think that the Win98 install will want that HD as
Primary
Master/Single, but you can have it anywhere once the OS is on it if your
Bios is
cooperative.

Bob
Click to expand...


Thanks Bob

That is it settled. I was getting well confused! Once again thanks for your
help and advice.

Nig
 
If it's like 2K, then click Start-Settings-Control Panel and then
Administrative
Tools and then Computer Management. Then click Disk Management. From that
view
you can see all your drives and you can Delete & Format partitions. You'll
need
to delete what you have now after saving off your data. I don't have any
free
space to double-check, but right-clicking on any free space should give
partitioning options as I recall.


That you know needs to be FAT32 for Win98.


Ok, but only if you use NTFS with it and not FAT32 for partition size
consideration if nothing else..


Don't even think about it.<g> Put it out of harm's way until all
partitioning,
formatting, and installation is done.

Bob
Click to expand...
Hi Bob
I have tried to partition the disc using the Command Prompt
DISKPART/list disk/select disk/create partition primary
[offset=0] [noerr] the message I then got was that arguments specified for
this command are invalid. No idea what I have done wrong.
So I attempted to delete the primary partition that was on the drive using
the command prompt and again it was unable to do so. I got a message saying
the disk management services could not complete this operation.
Will I need to fdisk the drive? If so can I do this via the command prompt
in XP?

Many thanks

Nig
 
Borrox said:
Hi Bob
I have tried to partition the disc using the Command Prompt
DISKPART/list disk/select disk/create partition primary
[offset=0] [noerr] the message I then got was that arguments specified for
this command are invalid. No idea what I have done wrong.
So I attempted to delete the primary partition that was on the drive using
the command prompt and again it was unable to do so. I got a message saying
the disk management services could not complete this operation.
Will I need to fdisk the drive? If so can I do this via the command prompt
in XP?
Click to expand...


The "size=200000" may be the incorrect argument. Using
XP's Disk Management, the partition size is given in MBytes,
not Bytes, and DISKPART might work the same way. You can
use XP's Disk Management to make a partition on another
drive, so why not just use that? (Rt-clk My Computer, click
Manage, click Disk Management, rt-clk unallocated space on
the graphic representation of Disk 1 (i.e. the 2nd hard drive),
click New Partition, and follow the wizard.

*TimDaniels*
 
Timothy Daniels said:
Borrox said:
Hi Bob
I have tried to partition the disc using the Command Prompt
DISKPART/list disk/select disk/create partition primary
[offset=0] [noerr] the message I then got was that arguments specified
for this command are invalid. No idea what I have done wrong.
So I attempted to delete the primary partition that was on the drive
using the command prompt and again it was unable to do so. I got a
message saying the disk management services could not complete this
operation.
Will I need to fdisk the drive? If so can I do this via the command
prompt in XP?
Click to expand...


The "size=200000" may be the incorrect argument. Using
XP's Disk Management, the partition size is given in MBytes,
not Bytes, and DISKPART might work the same way. You can
use XP's Disk Management to make a partition on another
drive, so why not just use that? (Rt-clk My Computer, click
Manage, click Disk Management, rt-clk unallocated space on
the graphic representation of Disk 1 (i.e. the 2nd hard drive),
click New Partition, and follow the wizard.

*TimDaniels*
Click to expand...

Hi Tim

Just tried it and on the graphic I right clicked. I do not have anything
that says unallocated space. All that is showing is Change drive letter and
paths/ format/delete partition/properties and help. I tried to delete the
partition and got an error message from the Logical Disc Manager - 'the disc
configuration operation did not complete. Check the system event log for
more info, verify the status of your storage devices before trying. If this
does not work then close Disk Manager and reboot the computer.'
I think something/someone somewhere does not want me to play these games I
have :)

Nig
 
"Borrox" sighed:
Timothy Daniels said:
Borrox said:
Hi Bob
I have tried to partition the disc using the Command Prompt
DISKPART/list disk/select disk/create partition primary
[offset=0] [noerr] the message I then got was that arguments specified
for this command are invalid. No idea what I have done wrong.
So I attempted to delete the primary partition that was on the drive
using the command prompt and again it was unable to do so. I got a
message saying the disk management services could not complete this
operation.
Will I need to fdisk the drive? If so can I do this via the command
prompt in XP?
Click to expand...


The "size=200000" may be the incorrect argument. Using
XP's Disk Management, the partition size is given in MBytes,
not Bytes, and DISKPART might work the same way. You can
use XP's Disk Management to make a partition on another
drive, so why not just use that? (Rt-clk My Computer, click
Manage, click Disk Management, rt-clk unallocated space on
the graphic representation of Disk 1 (i.e. the 2nd hard drive),
click New Partition, and follow the wizard.
Click to expand...


Just tried it and on the graphic I right clicked. I do not have anything
that says unallocated space. All that is showing is Change drive letter
and paths/ format/delete partition/properties and help. I tried to delete
the partition and got an error message from the Logical Disc Manager -
'the disc configuration operation did not complete. Check the system
event log for more info, verify the status of your storage devices before
trying. If this does not work then close Disk Manager and reboot the
computer.' I think something/someone somewhere does not want me
to play these games I have :)
Click to expand...



You don't have to rt-clk to show the graphic of disk allocation.
It is portrayed graphically in the GUI. If there are partitions, they
are labeled "Local Disk(x:)", where "x" is an alphabetic character
such as "C" or "D", etc. The space that has not been allocated
to a partition should be labeled "unallocated" along with the size
in GBs of that unallocated area. If no description shows up, the
partition table might be hosed. If you don't get more help in this
NG, try comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage .

*TimDaniels*
 
You don't have to rt-clk to show the graphic of disk allocation.
It is portrayed graphically in the GUI. If there are partitions, they
are labeled "Local Disk(x:)", where "x" is an alphabetic character
such as "C" or "D", etc. The space that has not been allocated
to a partition should be labeled "unallocated" along with the size
in GBs of that unallocated area. If no description shows up, the
partition table might be hosed. If you don't get more help in this
NG, try comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage .

*TimDaniels*
Click to expand...

Hi Timothy

What do you mean by 'hosed'? I will take a gander at the NG you mention and
as you suggest I will ask there if this link dries up.

I am very impressed with many of the replies here though, very helpful.

Cheers mate

Nig
 
Borrox said:
What do you mean by 'hosed'?
Click to expand...


:-) If I knew, I'd be able to answer your question. As I understand
it, the partition information displayed by the Disk Management GUI
resides in the partition table of the hard drive. If the information is not
displayed, it's probably not in the table or it's in a format that Disk Mgt
doesn't understand. IOW, it's screwed up - hosed. The correct
technical term describing recovery is "unhose". Say "I want to unhose
my partition table on the secondary hard drive", and everyone will
know what you mean. < :-) >

BTW, "drive C" and "drive D" don't necessarily have to refer
to separate hard disk drives. "C" and "D", etc., refer to partitions,
both (and all) of which can reside on the same hard drive. In your
particular case, you could have both operating system partitions
resident on the same hard drive, and you could multi-boot to either
using XP's built-in boot manager. But that would require you to
have Win98 installed 1st, and then to install WinXP 2nd so that
WinXP's installer would recognize the presence of an earlier (in
development history) operating system and accomodate it in some
way (my understanding gets vague here). What you would see in
the Disk Management GUI would be a single horizontal band
representing space on the single hard drive, and the band would
be broken into 3 segments - Local Disk(C:), Local Disk(D:), and
unallocated space. But you may have to format both partitions
with the same file format for this to succeed. Your plan to put the
two partitions on separate hard drives and to designate the
drive to boot with the BIOS may be a simpler way to go.

*TimDaniels*
 
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