creating dual boot: Windows and DOS

[aprocfu]

Hi, I have two partitions, one for windows XP (NTFS) and the other DOS (FAT 32) I want to be able to choose which operating system to boot (Windows or DOS). I use the DOS partion to run a recovery system. My question is how to to get the to options to choose the one I want. do I need a utility or do I need to configure Windows or DOS to do that

 

[edfair]

Under the conditions you state you would probably be happier using a partition manager.

Windows 98 would install and use FAT32 without a problem and XP would install and use NTFS with the boot options for either one at startup and command prompt would be one of the 98 choices, thus meeting your requirements. But the DOS stuff would be available to XP with the attendant risks of deleting something.

In similar circumstances I use partition magic. But there are others.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[BadBigBen]

You can do it with the built in Boot Loader of XP, the Boot.ini file would look then something like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="MS-DOS"

Dos has to be installed to the primary partition of the first hard drive and that partition needs to be set to active.

or take a look at the GAG Bootloader and the instructions on How To:

GAG Bootloader:

http://gag.sourceforge.net/

The Instructions:

http://www.k1ea.com/hints/fdinst095.pdf

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[linney]

How To Create a Multiple-Boot System in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306559&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Other alternatives.

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Registry Backup and Restore for Windows NT/2000/2003/XP

http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/