XP MULTIBOOT - Two x XP's?

[Tony]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Hi all,

Are there any "watchout fors" with running two XP OS's on a single PC?

I currently run XP.
And also 98SE that is barebones for games and sims. NO AV, minimal startup.

I wnat to run a Games/Sims XP which is also minmal other processes, services
,etc.

However, when I peek at optimisation sites for hints and tips, look at The
Ultimate Troubleshooter to decide what to stop/disbale, etc, and also try
FSAutostart (FlightSim based proggie that allows processes./servuces to be
stoped or stopped and restarted afterwards,)it all seems to hard.

Not too hard to do, but to hard to manage options as I install new software,
etc.

I'd prefer a lean XP for sims and games, and also recording from T Out to my
DVD Recorder.

How Do I go about installing a 2nd XP?

Cheers and thanks to all who read and add their input.

Tony

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

"Tony" <tdale@xtra.co.nz> wrote in message
newsjDPe.6107$iM2.596943@news.xtra.co.nz...
> Hi all,
>
> Are there any "watchout fors" with running two XP OS's on a single PC?
>
> I currently run XP.
> And also 98SE that is barebones for games and sims. NO AV, minimal
> startup.
>
> I wnat to run a Games/Sims XP which is also minmal other processes,
> services ,etc.
>
> However, when I peek at optimisation sites for hints and tips, look at The
> Ultimate Troubleshooter to decide what to stop/disbale, etc, and also try
> FSAutostart (FlightSim based proggie that allows processes./servuces to be
> stoped or stopped and restarted afterwards,)it all seems to hard.
>
> Not too hard to do, but to hard to manage options as I install new
> software, etc.
>
> I'd prefer a lean XP for sims and games, and also recording from T Out to
> my DVD Recorder.
>
> How Do I go about installing a 2nd XP?
>
> Cheers and thanks to all who read and add their input.
>
> Tony
>

You'll need to install the new version on a separate partition, or a
separate drives. Hard drives being as cheap as they are, a second drive is a
good idea, IMO.

Then, just install Windows as normal. It should recognize there is an
existing OS, and recognize the empty space. Just make sure you install it
where you want it, and if all goes well, it will also install a boot menu
where you can choose which OS to boot to, the default OS, etc. Then, if it
makes better sense to you, you can rename things in the boot menu so the
choice is obvious. So, instead of calling them both Windows XP, you can name
one "Games" and the other "Business" or whatever makes most sense to you.

As far as licensing, some folks will tell you that having the same OS
installed twice on the same computer is "illegal" while others will argue
that it's a backup OS and acceptable. I don't get involved in that argument;
I own more licenses than I do computers or installs, but it's not my job to
peek in your window to see what you're doing. Technically, however, because
the hardware hash is essentially the same the activation will proceed as
though you just formatted your original drive and reinstalled.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

"Tony" <tdale@xtra.co.nz> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>Are there any "watchout fors" with running two XP OS's on a single PC?
>
>I currently run XP.
>And also 98SE that is barebones for games and sims. NO AV, minimal startup.
>
>I wnat to run a Games/Sims XP which is also minmal other processes, services
>,etc.
>
>However, when I peek at optimisation sites for hints and tips, look at The
>Ultimate Troubleshooter to decide what to stop/disbale, etc, and also try
>FSAutostart (FlightSim based proggie that allows processes./servuces to be
>stoped or stopped and restarted afterwards,)it all seems to hard.
>
>Not too hard to do, but to hard to manage options as I install new software,
>etc.
>
>I'd prefer a lean XP for sims and games, and also recording from T Out to my
>DVD Recorder.
>
>How Do I go about installing a 2nd XP?
>
>Cheers and thanks to all who read and add their input.
>
>Tony
>

For successful multibooting you should:
1. Have a separate hard drive partition for each operating system.
2. Use a third party boot manager program so that you can hide the
non-booting operating systems so as to prevent cross-contamination.
(e.g. copying files intended for Windows 98 into D:\Windows instead of
C:\Windows)

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

"Ron Martell" wrote:
> For successful multibooting you should:
> 1. Have a separate hard drive partition for each operating system.
> 2. Use a third party boot manager program so that you can hide the
> non-booting operating systems so as to prevent cross-contamination.
> (e.g. copying files intended for Windows 98 into D:\Windows instead of
> C:\Windows)


I agree, and there is no reason that I can think of to put
2 OSes in the same partition (unless you're really hard up
for primary partitions). But in the boot.ini file, "\WINDOWS"
refers to the folder into which the OS system files are put,
and that is the default folder name that the Windows installer
makes for the folder. And I believe that the option is given
during the installation procedure to give the system folder
some other name, such as "WINDOWS-Games", and the
installer will make a folder with that name and put the system
files there. So, under C: there can be two folders, perhaps
given names such as WINDOWS-SeriousStuff and
WINDOS-Games, and those names can appear in two
different entries in the boot.ini file - giving the capability to
boot the OS residing in either folder. Admittedly, there will
be only one folder in the partition called "Documents and Settings"
and "Program Files", etc., and it would be less confusing to
have the OSes in separate partitions so each could have its
own instances of such folders which reside just beneath the
root C: .

*TimDaniels*