HELP please: problems loading OS in multi-OS boot system - DOS 6.2; Win 98SE; Win XP Pro

[ghoti]

I am trying to put together a multi-OS boot system.

I've got DOS loaded in the C: drive/ active partition (47MB). I've used DOS fdisk to create extended partition. I've used DOS fdisk to create logical DOS partition in the extended partition (2GB for files to be shared by DOS and Win 98SE); fdisk has denominated this drive E:. Both those first two drives use FAT 16.

I then used Win 98SE fdisk to create another logical partition in the extended parition. I enabled large disk capability (so as to be able to use FAT 32). Fdisk denominated this drive F:.

Next, I booted off the Win 98SE CD (OEM - not upgrade) and ran setup. At first, all was okay -- then, I started getting repeated messages that Windows could not find files it wanted to copy to the HD. The default choice was NOT the drive where the CD was, but the E: drive.? I could not get the program to locate the necessary files, even when I directed it to look into the CD.

I pressed ahead, continuing setup without those files. I was then able to get the computer to boot up from Win 98SE on the HD (without a lot of drivers and with a bunch of yellow marks in the hardware list).

Then I booted from OEM (not upgrade) Win XP Pro SP1a CD. I added another logical partition, selected NFTS. and continued with Win XP setup. Then, I ran into a similar problem as described above -- the setup program could not locate files it wanted, and all my efforts to get it to find them on the CD were to no avail.

Any help for this lost noob?

😕

 

[moonsite]

Don't understand why you would need Dos if you have Win98. Seems like you are doing a lot of thing. Do you have only one drive and just partition it? If I were you, I would have at least 2 hard drives. Even an old one is okay to put that FAT16 Dos on there.
However, on the installation issue, did you get that message after the reboot or while it is still copying files? It might be the cd-rom drive can't read the disk. It happened a lot that way. You can also copy the whole content of win98 directory to the hard drive and run the setup that way. If you still have the same problem, then it is not the cd rom.

 

[PlatinumGold]

if you are doing all MS OS'es, than MS's Virtual PC will allow you to do that very easily, no multiboot either.

 

[ghoti]

Thanks for the input!

moonsite, I want to run games that will not run on XP (and some will not run on 98SE either -- I've tried the DOS window as well as the DOS boot up option). The idea of copying the CD to the hard drive is interesting -- I think I'll give that a try.

PlatGold, I appreciate the suggestion -- I'll have to look into the capability/ details of that software. Is this what you mean?

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

I had been thinking to avoid extra layers of software if possible (keep things simpler). People on the Anandtech forums had told me XP could handle the multi-OS boot on its own. But . . . I'm sure not finding it easy to get this this lead balloon off the ground.

Anyone else got any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

😕

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: ghoti
Thanks for the input!

moonsite, I want to run games that will not run on XP (and some will not run on 98SE either -- I've tried the DOS window as well as the DOS boot up option). The idea of copying the CD to the hard drive is interesting -- I think I'll give that a try.

PlatGold, I appreciate the suggestion -- I'll have to look into the capability/ details of that software. You got a link? I had been thinking to avoid extra layers of software if possible (keep things simpler). People on the Anandtech forums had told me XP could handle the multi-OS boot on its own. But . . . I'm sure not finding it easy to get this this lead balloon off the ground.

Anyone else got ay suggestions?

😕

http://www.microsoft.com

it's a microsoft product. 🙂