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Dualboot Win2k/Linux Confusion

O

Oops

Member
I am confused on how to install Linux as a dualboot with win2k. I've read a lot of posts and documentation for dualbooting, and I found that the answers are quite inconsistent. I already have win2k installed, and I am going to install Mandrake 8.0 on another partition on the same drive. Here's the problem:

Some are saying to configure LILO to install on the root of the Linux partition, not to the MBR since LILO will not recognize NTFS partitions. Then put the boot sector in the windows boot.ini and let win2k NT Loader to handle the dual boot. This is the way they described it in the following article

http://www.littlewhitedog.com/reviews_other_00011.asp

Others are saying to just install LILO to the MBR, then edit etc/lilo.conf to add the stanza for win2k (or NT). This will let LILO handle the dualbooting. This is described in the Redhad FAQ here:

http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/mini/Linux+WinNT-3.html

So the question is which one is the correct one to install Linux on a drive with win2k? Or they both work? I know the second method works for Win 9x systems, but not sure whether Windows2000 (NT) can also use the same method. Can you guys give me some opinions?
 
I think they will both work. But here is my advice since you sound like a newbie: Use the win2k bootloader trick. That way if you fug something up with linux you can still possibly get into win2k with less hassle.
 
I tried the first method you describe (installing Lilo to / and then using dd to copy the first 512 bytes into a file used by the NT loader) and it worked fine. That was with 98, 2K and Mandrake 7.2 all on the same disk, but the Windows partitions were all FAT32.
 
Thank you all for the replies. I'll go with the NTloader method, cause it will probably be the best way in case I need to reinstall win2k, or linux, it is pretty easy to fix it.
 


<< Thank you all for the replies. I'll go with the NTloader method, cause it will probably be the best way in case I need to reinstall win2k, or linux, it is pretty easy to fix it. >>



Atleast for now 😉
 
Obenton has a great idea. Provided you perform the "expert" install of Mandrake, you do not have to install a boot loader on your hard drive for Linux. Jst be sure to make the boot floppy. 🙂

My method of choice these days is to install LILO on the Linux partition itself (and not on the MBR). Then, the next time I boot Windows, I can fire up BootPart (www.winimage.com -> bootpart) to add Linux as a boot option to my normal menu. BootPart works with ANY bootable partition and the NT Loader.

-SUO
 
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