Installing multiple OS's....

[ttechf]

Hi, I know you can dual boot, and have multiple operating systems on the same hard drive on the same computer. I see people do it all the time but don't know why I am having such a difficult time with it. I know what to do, how to partition for example, 20 gigs off to the side for the new OS to be on and such but am having problems actually getting my computer to install the secondary OS.

I called Microsoft and was told because I am running windows 8, I cannot do that since Windows has what they call a "hierarchy" and apparently from what they told me and the reason I get all kinds of errors is the windows boot loader is not reverse compatible that is on windows 8 than all the other windows versions. Meaning you HAVE to install the oldest operating system first - XP for example and THEN Windows 8 AFTERWARDS. BUT then I find articles like this - http://lifehacker.com/5126781/how-to-dual-boot-windows-7-with-xp-or-vista

And people are doing it anyway? Maybe not with Windows 8 but people were doing it with XP/7.

Can anyone shed some light here because I've tried everything and I think I just have to accept the fact that the only way I am going to dual boot or tri-boot with Windows 8 is if I completely wipe my hard drive. Insert my windows XP disc in FIRST and get that system on FIRST, then partition off 100GB for example, AND THEN install windows 8 on that SECOND.


Thank you.

 

[Dahak]

Yes pretty much the easiest way is to install the oldest first then to the newest.

So in this case I would use either xp or win8 or even gparted to partition your drive first.
Then install XP on the first partition
Then install Win8 on the 2nd partition

The reasoning for this is becase the older boot loaders(XP) do not know the new ones (win8) and its just easier to allow window8 to see the xp and add it to the menu automatically.

Now with that being said, you can install xp after the fact but they you would have to either do a Startup Repair for win8 to rebuild win8 boot files/menu or re-created it manually

 

[Berryracer]

but in case of dual booting Windows 8 with another OS you miss out on the UEFI boot which is super fast compared to the traditional BIOS boot so there's no benefit of 8 here, better off installing 7 only

I install Windows 8 because I like how my laptop boots up to the desktop in 12 seconds from a cold start, thank to UEFI / Secure boot / CMS disabled

 

[ttechf]

Yes pretty much the easiest way is to install the oldest first then to the newest.

So in this case I would use either xp or win8 or even gparted to partition your drive first.
Then install XP on the first partition
Then install Win8 on the 2nd partition

The reasoning for this is becase the older boot loaders(XP) do not know the new ones (win8) and its just easier to allow window8 to see the xp and add it to the menu automatically.

Now with that being said, you can install xp after the fact but they you would have to either do a Startup Repair for win8 to rebuild win8 boot files/menu or re-created it manually

Ah I see. Well, if I want to install Linux Mint. I was told by microsoft this shouldn't be a problem or cause any errors.

Also, I work with PCs and customers a lot and I have a spare computer and I would like to have

Windows 98
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Windows 8


All installed on it. To be able to boot into anyone. Probably setting off 25GB for each. Do I have to do that in order? Install 98 first, then go on and so forth?


Also, what do you mean by "start up repair"? You mean go into my Windows 8 advanced options and "trick" the system that I actually need to repair but I really don't have have my Windows XP CD in the drive and let it boot from that and so forth and so on? or no?

And also, since I am using windows 8, it's a pain in the butt to make this OS read from a USB bootable pen drive. I got it once, but I dont remember how and in my BIOS the only things I can see are my main hard drive and my CD/DVD player for boot order. I am create a new boot source and I have something called "PMAP". Im not sure what it is. Its listed as the 3rd boot device. I tried creating a boot device and put -A: /- for the directory of my pen drive and it worked but then when I did it again today, it didnt. So I would just like to know a SURE way of making my BIOS know to boot from my USB drive when it shows apparently I don't even have it.


Thank you.

 

[jkauff]

If I were you and using that many versions of Windows, I'd buy an eSATA drive dock and physically swap drives. You could multi-boot 98, 2000, and XP on one drive since they're all boot-compatible, Vista and 7 on another (also boot-compatible), and 8 on its own drive. That way it wouldn't matter what order you installed them.

 

[ttechf]

If I were you and using that many versions of Windows, I'd buy an eSATA drive dock and physically swap drives. You could multi-boot 98, 2000, and XP on one drive since they're all boot-compatible, Vista and 7 on another (also boot-compatible), and 8 on its own drive. That way it wouldn't matter what order you installed them.

Sounds expensive.... : /

 

[Dahak]

Throwing Linux into this adds another layer of complication

I have to ask, why do you want to install all of these oses?
I have been doing consumer PC repair for over 10 years and I have not seen anything older the XP now,and if it is Win2k or Win98 chances are while the os may still be working any software support has long since been dead/unsupported

I had done something similar up to vista just to see, but you end up with different partitions, and boot menus.
One, you need a fat32 partition for win98
Two, you will go through at least 3 boot menus to get to 98 from win8

So what that means is after you install all the oses, you will get a boot menu that will show Win8,Win7, Vista, and Previous Versions
That Previous Versions, will lead you to XP and 2K, and another previous versions which will lead to Win98


You would need a fat32 partition for win98. then you would have to install them in the order you mentioned.

Windows 98
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Windows 8

The only other issue that would be happening is for Win8,7,Vista you would see it in the boot list, then there would be a Previous Version in that list and then you would hit that to see XP and 2000, and again another previous version and it will boot 98

Now the question is Why do you need all of them at all?

Now if you really want all of them, and your motherboard is fairly new I would use 3 drives.

1) for Win98
2) for Win2k and XP
3) for Vista,7,8

I would hook up only the ONE drive that i am installing the oses too and then once all is done hook up all 3 and then use the motherboard boot menu to select the drive to boot from(then you can use the motherboards boot menu (usually F8 or F11/F12)) and select the drive and then you can select the os

Now to easily make a bootable usb/pen drive i would use the Windows 7 USB/DVD
This will take either the .iso or DVD of Win7 or newer(I have not tried Vista but it could work) and formats and created the bootable usb/pen drive

 

[Dahak]

*Double Post*