How can I add another machine in the boot.ini (URGENT HELP NEEDED)

[Gomce]

what should I add in the boot.ini for windows98 on the other HDD to start ?

Currently I have WinXP on master HDD on IDE0 as boot disk
I have installed WIn98 SE on the master HDD on IDE1

my boot.ini file is like this:


[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

 

[n0cmonkey]

You've been FAQed!

I think the end there is something that will help you the most.

 

[Gomce]

I did a search on the FAQs but I didn't find solution to my problem,
anyone ?!

 

[SUOrangeman]

The reason the FAQ didn't work for you is because you will have to reinstall something in order to dual-boot the NT Loader (boot.ini).

If you do not want to reinstall either of the OSes, you'll need a third-party boot manager like System Commander, BootMagic, or XOSL ... or you could just disable the XP hard drive in BIOS manually every time you want to switch OSes.

If reinstalling is an option, I *HIGHLY* recommend installing Win98 (should probably go on the first HD) and XP next. Personally, I put all of my OSes on one drive and then personal files (like MP3s, downloads, etc.) on the other.

-SUO

 

[Gomce]

thanks for all your inputs guys,
I installed Powerquest BootMagic, I didn't want to mess around with the boot.ini anymore
now the BootMAGIC uses some kind of Advanced partition Hiding, and although the XP is on FAT32 it is unseen by Win98

 

[n0cmonkey]

<< The reason the FAQ didn't work for you is because you will have to reinstall something in order to dual-boot the NT Loader (boot.ini). >>



Im not a Windows guru, so my suggestion may not have worked. But the part of the FAQ I was recommending was With BootPart from www.winimage.com, you can safely and easily add any bootable partition as an option to the NT loader. With the bootpart program would he still need to reinstall everything?

 

[SUOrangeman]

n0c,

Not in this case. All Windows OSes like to use drive C:. In this case, there were essentially drive C: on each of the hard drives. So, when both drives were connected, which drive C: wins? Well, that depends on which HD is the primary. And if the Windows you want to run expects a drive C:, but not the drive C: that's on the primary HD, then you are summarily screwed.

Therefore, I have and will always recommend that you:

1. Connect ALL drives before installing ANY OS, if possible.
2. Make a small (1GB or less) FAT32 drive C: that all versions of Windows can recognize, BUT DON"T INSTALL WINDOWS ON C: !
3. Give each OS its own partition for system and program files (what is the point of multi-booting if you are going to use the same apps within each OS?).

Here is my current partition layout of my systems main 40GB drive (from memory, so the numbers may be off):

PRIMARY 3.0GB FreeBSD
PRIMARY 2.0GB QNX
PRIMARY 1.0GB FAT32 WIN/DOS
LOGICAL 2.0GB BeOS
LOGICAL 4.0GB NTFS-WinXP
LOGICAL 4.0GB NTFS-Win2K
LOGICAL 2.0GB NTFS-Personal Files
LOGICAL 2.0GB FAT32-WinME
LOGICAL xxGB FAT32 Games
LOGICAL 50MB Linux ext2 (/boot)
LOGICAL 4.0GB Linux reiserFS (/)
LOGICAL 0.5GB Linux reiserFS (/home)
LOGICAL 100MB Linux swap

Aside from BeOS not cooperating (haven't tried new ATA-100 IDE driver yet), the other 6 OSes are happliy booting with NT Loader.

AndyHui is waiting to publish the FAQ in which I document how I went about this setup. I'll actually write it up ... one day.

-SUO

 

[n0cmonkey]

Ahh much easier to just sit back with 1 OS per machine

Unfortunately every one of my machines has a different OS

 

[SUOrangeman]

Well, n0c, some of us only have 1BR apartments that are already costing us $1K a month. :/ No luxury of a lab setup.

-SUO

 

[n0cmonkey]

<< Well, n0c, some of us only have 1BR apartments that are already costing us $1K a month. :/ No luxury of a lab setup.

-SUO >>



Trust me, I understand. Ive got 2 loud computers in my bedroom right now :/