Dual boot upgrade: 1 question!

[thecat]

I use a dual boot system: win98se & win2kpro.
When i will go to upgrade to winME (starting from a formatted hdd) and i will want to preserve the dual boot, which files i must save before the installation and what operations i will do for obtein the dual boot system winME and win2kpro?
Sorry for my english!
thanks.

 

[SufferinSuccotash]

My guess is that Win ME is intelligent enough to know that Win2K Pro is installed and to act accordingly to make dual-boot. As far as I know, Win 95 and 98 knew how to set it up. so I'd think ME would be able to, as well.

 

[Hyperchronismos]

The files that were placed during the Win2K installation on C: and are needed in oreder to dual boot are boot.ini, ntdetect.com, ntldr.sys and bootsect.dos.I don't think that the installation of WinME will detect Win2K and arrange the dual boot thing.So if you want to format C: make a backup of the files mentioned and then put the back.I suppose this will work.But why formating in order to make a clean install.First make a startup disk in Win98 (I suppose you know how to do it).Then boot with it delete the C:\Windows directory and then start the installation of WinMe.I have tried both a clean install and an upgrade to WinMe and I didn't find any difference.Also if you upgrade to WinMe there is an option to go back to Win98 if you don't like WinMe (many didn't).So I would propose first to upgrade, try them for a while and if you like them make a clean install.

 

[Technonut]

I tried to put these files back When I reinstalled Win98SE (boot.ini, ntdetect.com, ntldr.sys and bootsect.dos), and it did not work. I had to boot from the 2000 CD, and run the repair console. I think the command was "fixboot" That worked great.

 

[rocmonster]

I've done it and it works. I have Win98 on c:\ and Win2000 on d:\. WinMe will upgrade without touching Win2000 or the dual boot screen in this configuration (and updates the dual boot screen to "Windows Millennium Edition" in place of "Windows&quot.

I also removed WinME (had some unrelated problems) and the c:\ partition restored to Win98 without any problems to 98, 2k, or the dual boot set up.

 

[Shudder]

I've done it as well and it works fine. It defaults ME to the first OS though, so you'll have to change that if you want.

Also, an installation of Linux overwrote the boot menu I had so I fdsik /mbr 'd it and it actually went back to the windows 2000/ME one. My guess is the boot.ini file is what's really important.

 

[SUOrangeman]

With ME, I *think* you can get away with just running setup. With previous versions of Win9x, you had to run 'setup /ntldr'

Be careful! If you are installing a new drive, pay close attention to what primary, extended, and logical partitions will do to your drive lettering scheme in both Win2K and ME. If the new drive only had an extended partition with logical one inside, the letters will start after your first drive is completely lettered. But, if your new drive has a primary partition, it will probably get "D:" (or the next letter available after the first drive's primary partitions are lettered). Make sense? Hehe, probably not.

-SUO,

 

[Hyperchronismos]

Shudder,

Linux overwrote your boot menu because you have chosen to install lilo on master boot record instead of the first sector of the Linux partition.It is also easy to configure the NT/2000 loader to boot Linux (there is an appropriate HOWTO).