Win 2K Pro and Win XP Pro dual boot set-up procedure

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bob Schmidt
  • Start date Start date
B

Bob Schmidt

Had a question: I currently have Win2k Pro installed. I have a 120GB SATA
hd, dvd-rom, dvd-rw, floppy and zip drive. When I installed Win2k Pro I left
about 55GB unpartitioned so I would have room to install XP. I took the
advice of an experienced computer builder and initially only installed the
drives necessary for the OS install--HD, floppy and dvd-rom. All went well
with the installation and I subsequently installed the dvd-rw and, after
installing the iomega software, the zip drive.

Drives are a follows on Win2K Pro:

A: Floppy
C: local disk
D: local disk
E: local disk
F: DVD-ROM
G: DVD-RW
H: Zip 250

It made sense to me to possibly repeat the minimal drive process when
installing XP, i.e.,unhook the DVD-RW and Zip drives, install the OS and
then hook them back up.

Would XP then order the drives similarly to Win2K after they were
re-connected?

Or would it be better to only unhook the ZIP, then install the Iomega
software, then the drive (as per Iomega instructions)?

I'm anticipating that upon installing XP in the remaining un-partitioned
space, (I don't plan to divide it up, just leave it at 55GB) that BIOS will
assign the drive letter F: to the XP partition and re-letter UP the
remaining drives.

I'm worried that by pulling drives out prior to the XP install that I will
screw up the drive order between XP and 2K and have different drive letters
for each drive depending on which OS I am booted up in.

Does that make sense or will the BIOS rename them exactly the same in both?

Or am I asking for trouble by unhooking any drives at all, just should leave
them all in place and install XP in the un-partitioned space?

Thanks very much for any insight as this is my first dual boot with loads of
drives on-board!


Bob
 
Leave the drives in place. XP will leave them alone and install itself
after the present ones, leaving all your 2K associations alone.
You could disconnect the Zip if you don't care about its letter changing.
 
Had a question: I currently have Win2k Pro installed. I have a 120GB SATA
hd, dvd-rom, dvd-rw, floppy and zip drive. When I installed Win2k Pro I left
about 55GB unpartitioned so I would have room to install XP. I took the
advice of an experienced computer builder and initially only installed the
drives necessary for the OS install--HD, floppy and dvd-rom. All went well
with the installation and I subsequently installed the dvd-rw and, after
installing the iomega software, the zip drive.

Drives are a follows on Win2K Pro:

A: Floppy
C: local disk
D: local disk
E: local disk
F: DVD-ROM
G: DVD-RW
H: Zip 250

It made sense to me to possibly repeat the minimal drive process when
installing XP, i.e.,unhook the DVD-RW and Zip drives, install the OS and
then hook them back up.

Would XP then order the drives similarly to Win2K after they were
re-connected?

Or would it be better to only unhook the ZIP, then install the Iomega
software, then the drive (as per Iomega instructions)?

I'm anticipating that upon installing XP in the remaining un-partitioned
space, (I don't plan to divide it up, just leave it at 55GB) that BIOS will
assign the drive letter F: to the XP partition and re-letter UP the
remaining drives.
Click to expand...

==> The BIOS has no role in assigning drive letters to the operating
==> system. What you want to do is pay attention to this screen:

Windows XP Professional Setup

The following list shows the existing partitions and
unpartitioned space on this computer.

Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to select an item in the list.

 To set up Windows XP on the selected item, press ENTER.

 To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.

 To delete the selected partition, press D.

³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ C: Partition1 [NTFS] 2055 MB ( 2043 MB free)
³ Unpartitioned space 2040 MB
³
³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 1 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ Unpartitioned space 4095 MB

==> When you create a new partition the setup program assigns the next
==> free drive letter to it. The CD-ROM is drive D:.

³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ C: Partition1 [NTFS] 2055 MB ( 2043 MB
free)
³ E: Partition2 [New (Raw)] 2032 MB ( 2031 MB
free)
³ Unpartitioned space 8 MB
³
³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 1 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ Unpartitioned space 4095 MB

==> In your case the new partition would be I:. Now quit the setup
==> program by hitting F3 twice and restart the installation program.

³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ C: Partition1 [NTFS] 2055 MB ( 2043 MB free)
³ D: Partition2 [Unknown] 2032 MB ( 2031 MB free)
³ Unpartitioned space 8 MB
³
³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 1 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ Unpartitioned space 4095 MB
³

==> The XP setup program reassigns the drive letters. If you
==> install Windows XP on Partition 2, the operating system
==> will be on drive D: after installation is complete.
==> Now create a new partition on the second drive. It is
==> assigned letter F:.

³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ C: Partition1 [NTFS] 2055 MB ( 2043 MB free)
³ D: Partition2 [Unknown] 2032 MB ( 2031 MB free)
³ Unpartitioned space 8 MB
³
³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 1 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ F: Partition1 [New (Raw)] 2047 MB ( 2047 MB free)
³ Unpartitioned space 2047 MB

==> After restarting the setup program Partition 1 on the second
==> drive becomes D: because it is a primary partition..

³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ C: Partition1 [NTFS] 2055 MB ( 2043 MB free)
³ E: Partition2 [Unknown] 2032 MB ( 2031 MB free)
³ Unpartitioned space 8 MB
³
³4095 MB Disk 0 at Id 1 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
³
³ D: Partition1 [Unknown] 2047 MB ( 2047 MB free)
³ Unpartitioned space 2047 MB
 
Back
Top