Dual Booting Help

Ok, I have a 38.3GB partition. 3GB for my backup. so, the free space of the XP partition is 15. I want a 7-10GB partition for my Windows 98/ME. However, can someone please post a tutorial for me? Some says I should first install Windows 98 before XP. But I don't want to reinstall everything. Somesays, PartitionMagic pro will do and Bootmagic. I have PartitionMagic 7 and BootMagic 8.

Please teach me how to dual boot this case.

P.S. - f***ing Lindows! It destroys my MBR when I resize the partition. Thank God there is fixmbr in the WIndows XP installation cd.

#62712

As far as i know it does not matter which OS you install first, however if you use NTFS instead of fat32 on your winxp partition when booting into win9x(me) you will not be able to see it. Sooooo if you used NTFS when formating that partition I'd start over

#62782

It doenst matter what you install first in order, but I think it kinda matter in the disk, if the windows 98 partition is first or 2nd. Anyway use Partition Magic, and select install OS, from the menu, it should guide you to install it.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO INSTALL PARTITION MAGIC AGAIN ON WINDOWS 98/ME SO IT CAN GIVE YOU ACCESS TO PQBOOT AND CHOOSE WITH WHICH OS YOU WANT TO BOOT.

And yes, you will need to reinstall everything you need on windows 98/Me.

After you run the wizard for isntalling an OS in partitiona magic, it will ask you that if you want to install the OS now, if you say yes it will reboot and try to load the new partition of Windows 98/Me, but since it doesnt have an OS it will say error, so you will need to grab a bootable CD of windows 98/me or get a bootdisk for loading the Windows 98/ME CD and isntall it on the new partition, after that, install partition magic on windows 98/me and run PQBoot to choose which partition you want to boot next time, this utility will allow you to choose which OS you want to load next time it reboots.

If you install windows 98/me you better make sure that your File System of your backup disk is in FAT or FAT32 if you want to access it from windows 98/me, because they cant read NTFS file systems.

Maybe it is too complex, make sure to understand everything before you try, if you have any doubt ask again.

Good Luck

#62796

here's a tutorial for dual booting XP and 9x

http://www.bootstrike.com/WinXP/dualboot.html

hope it helps...

#62797

I wouldn't bother with an external partitioning app.

Just clean format, run fdisk to make your 2 partitions (C: and D:) install Win98 first (what Microsoft says you should do) on C: then install XP on the D: partition.

It's what I have running, uncheck "Show list at startup", and you'll never even notice you have the Win 98 partition at boot, it'll just fire up XP immediately (no delay), that is unless you demand a choice in which case you hit F8 at boot.

#62873

Im kinda confused.......

So, I should reformat my C:\ Partition and put the WIndows 98 there. Then install partition and boot magic on it then create a partition for xp. Pop the XP CD and install on D partition, and my Problem is OVER?

Howdy, thats not easy!

#63056

Originally posted by Three Drives@Oct 7 2003, 09:28 PM

Just clean format, run fdisk to make your 2 partitions (C: and D:) install Win98 first (what Microsoft says you should do) on C: then install XP on the D: partition.

I agree with 3Drives. Here's my two pennies:

Basically... (Forgive the irony, but you asked for a tutorial so here you go)

1) Have Win9X and WinXP Boot CD handy before starting

2) Create a logical partition (inside an extended partition) using PartitionMagic at the end of the Drive (readjusting the other drive sizes to accomodate the new drive if required)

3) Copy all your 'stuff' that you want to keep into that drive - work/pictures/modding etc...

4) Once you've created and copied all the stuff you want to keep into a logical partition at the end of your HDD, insert win9X Bootcd and boot from CD.

5) Run FDISK and delete the existing primary partitions i.e. in your case the WinXP Bootable partition.

6) Create a primary partition for your win98 - sized 7-10GB as you wanted

7) Now you should have a logical partition within an extended partition at the end and a 7-10GB primary partition at the beginning of your hard drive and nothing else.

8) Exit out of FDISK and install Win98 onto the new Primary partition. Once installed you should be able to see all of your 'stuff' in the end partition.

9) When you're happy, reboot from your winXP Bootable CD. Sorry, but I've forgotten exactly where, but somewhere there is an option of choosing which PARTITION as well as which Directory to install your new XP installation.

10) When you find this option, create a new partition of a size to your liking and format the partition using NTFS and continue with the install.

11) Finally, once XP has been installed on your NEW NTFS partition your dual boot should be complete. When you reboot you should see the boot menu which allows you to choose which OS you wish to boot.

As a bit of final advice (as if this can possibly get any longer ) I'd install Norton Ghost and create images of both XP and 9x partitions in your 'Stuff' partition - that way you NEVER HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN!!!! you only have to retrieve a fresh new installation from your image file

and I think that is it, let me know if I've missed anything out

By the way I multi boot between XP, 2000 Pro and 98se

#63061