win2k dual boot

[Guest]

well, I've given up on the promise ata100 controller with win2k, so I've decided to just go with a dual OS until SP2 is released for win2k to fully support the promise controller. I am trying to install windows 98 with win2k. I've already re-installed win2k and am now running it on the FAT32 file system (as opposed to NTFS). Apparently I need to make a seperate partition to install windows 98 on. When I ran the install it created its own partition but only freed up 3mb on my primary drive (C and moved the win2k partition/drive to D: It won't let me install it, because obviously 3mb isn't enough space for 98. I've tried downloading some utilities to redistribute or resize partitions but I can't seem to get any to actually work how I want them to. I got the Partition Resizer program (shareware) but it said I can't run the program if the partition I'm using is gonna be involved in the resizing process. I obviously need to be using this partition to redistribute the space from this partition (D: which has 27.3gb of free disk space) to the other partition that windows 98 created (C: which only has 3mb of free disk space).

I hope you guys were able to understand/follow that. To simplify, I have two drives/partitions.
1) D: w/27.3gb free (win2k is on this drive/partition)
2) C: w/3mb free

and I want to increase the size of my c: partition so that I could install windows 98 on it. Can anybody help me out with this? how can I resize my partitions and run a dual boot OS with win2k and windows 98?

Thanks in advance.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Rider on 01/26/01 05:35 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

Hi there
I recently had a similar problem unfortuantly it was quite time consuming. I tried using Partition Magic V4 as Win2k already existed on D: I wanted to increase C:. Afterward Win2k was unbootable. I undid my changes and things were fine. What I ended up doing is back up all my Mp3, data etc. on another physical hdd. Oh BTW Partition Magic only runs under Win 9X. Also with Partition Magic you can resize the partition that the app is running on. Just make sure you backup

Format your hdd and create 2 partitions both Fat32 Example of my layout 15GB Fat32 & 30GB Fat32. Think hard about how big each size should be as you don't want to ever redo this. First install Win98 as I had problems with Win98 being installed second I suspect Win98 doesn't know how to handle the booting if Win2k installed due to being released earlier. After, install Win2k and when it asks where to install choose the second Fat32 partition it will also ask if it should convert to NTFS this is entirely up to you (I would recommend it as it is much more stable especially if you PC crashes.) You could also look at linux's partition resizer which runs in dos, I haven't tried it though with Win2k installed.

Hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

Dual booting is very easy if you start from scratch. You must have at least 2 partitons or 2 hard drives. Install windows98/me first on a partiton you have created or the secondary hard drive. Install win2k on the primary active partiton (c:\)or hard drive.I am dual booting and have a promise 100 controller and have had no problems with the newest drivers. Both OS recognize the drive and boot properly. It looks as if you have put win2k on a secondary partition assuming you have one hard drive. Use the fdisk command in dos resize your partitions, make one active, reboot, format the partitions. Install win98 on d: im assuming, and win2k last on c: Once again im assuming you will only create 2 partitons and that c: is active and d: is not.
Good luck hope this helps

 

[doczenith1]

I had a problem installing win2k with a via 686b southbridge (ata100 support) and a wd ata100 hd. It finally installed but was running in pio mode which was very slow. I used wd's utility to set the drive to ata66 and win2k installed is running fast as hell with my 1 gig tbird. Soyo has released a bios update that says it "improves ide performance", so maybe ata100 would work now, although I haven't tried as ata66 is still faster than any ide hard drive out there. As far as your other questions, do as the others said, think hard and partition your drive, then install the os's. Don't let win2k make any changes to your partitions. You should be fine.

 

[doczenith1]

How is ntfs more stable? I know it is more secure but I've never heard anything about stability.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the responses all. The problem I'm having though is that I don't know how to resize the partitions. I am currently running on win2k so Partition Magic wouldn't work (since you said it will only run on win9x). Am I gonna have to uninstall win2k and start from scratch? I don't have any important files or whatnot since I just had to reload it yesterday, so I don't have a problem with this.

If I choose this method, how would I resize my partitions (C: and D)? currently win2k is running on D: which has 27 gigs free, while C: only has 3mb. I have no idea how that happened. How would I get into DOS to run FDISK with no OS? and how do I use FDISK? is it pretty self explanatory? Also, should I format my HDD before or after resizing the partitions? the win98 set up cd allows for HDD formatting so I guess that is the best way to format it?

I think after I can figure those question out I should be ready to go. I apologize for asking so many and probably obvious questions, but I want to make sure I get it right the first time and not have to ask you guys more questions after I do something stupid.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Guest]

1st things first what all do you have, software wise.
Eg Win98,Win2k, bootup disks are your CD's bootable? You can check but putting them in your CDROM and going to your bios settings and changing the bootup sequence to CDROM. In terms of bootup disks for which OS 98,95 or 2k? We'll get to the procedure afterwards.

 

[doczenith1]

I pretty sure that win98 has to be on drive c: (primary patition) and win2k can be on drive d: (or any extended partition). Here's the procedure. Boot with a win98 startup disk. Run fdisk and delete all partitions. Create a primary partition with whatever size you need for win98, then create and extened partition for win2k with the remaining room. Assign all the space in the extended partition to logical drive d:. Use fat32 for all partitions. After partitioning you exit fdisk and format the drives. Now, boot from the win98 cd and install win98. After you get win98 up and running run the setup file for win2k. Intstall it on drive d:. My vocabulary of fdisk terms might be a little off but should be close. Its been a while(-:

PS. I would recommend leaving space for a third logical drive e: and leave enough room there to back up data files for future reformats in reinstalls. Drive e: is your data safe-haven when you need to reinstall an os.

 

[seanmcne]

#1 you can't install windows98 after you have installed win2k. it can't be done at least that is what MS says, so if they say it dosen't work i wouldn't try it. You need to have windows installed on the C: and trick it to think that it is the only operating system. Then install a clean copy of win2k on another partition, win2k will figure out that it is the 2nd operating system and you work from there, if you ever want to dump win2k all you need to do is boot into dos from 98 and type in "sys c:" and delete the win2k files.

good luck!

-=-Sean-=-
I hate picking fights... but it's so fun

 

[chris_cope]

This can be done with Partition Magic and Bootmagic or with System Commander 2000. If you look on Deja, there are many people who have done this. And Partition Magic 6.0 will work on Win2K.

And don't believe everything M$ tells you.

 

[seanmcne]

As an employee I dont believe everything they tell me but all I did was say what was advised, for a simple reason: ease. It is easiest to put 98 or ME on first. The fact remains that you need to "trick" the operating system that it is in command.



-=-Sean-=-
I hate picking fights... but it's so fun

 

[Guest]

I believe I read some where that versions of Partion Magici before 6.0 cause problems with win20000. Also win98 has to be on c:\.

 

[chris_cope]

Sean,
That is true. It is much easier to put Win2k on second.

Maddog, I don't think Part Magic before 6.0 will even run on Win2k, but was too scared to try, so I don't know.

 

[Guest]

There is no way man, you have to back up your data and repartition your HD. But here's a trick which will make it easier for you to do it. Instead of choosing what to back up go the document and setting folder, double click and you will see the administrator folder along with the users that logged to the computer. From there back up the folder of the user name you used when you installed your programs and so on. After you reinstall Win2k just create another user name with the same name of the folder you backed up before and copy the folder with its subfolders inside the new user folders you just created with the new instalation.
This way you dont have to reinstall all of your programs It will be the way it was before with a fresh instalation