Had Win98 and tried to setup dual boot with Win Xp

[PhilFairlane]

Is there a way I can edit the boot.ini file so that I can select the OS that I want to run?

So I am on holiday at my Mom and Dads......

I thought I could install WinXP into a different directory so that I could install a DVD writer, back up the data and then wipe the whole thing and start from fresh. I was unable to create a new partition so I just kinda went for it.

XP has installed and is working fine. Still running FAT32 and have all the windows 98 files still in the windows folder. However i am unable to get winxp to recognise that there was a win98 OS on the machine.

Is there a way I can edit the boot.ini file so that I can select the OS that I want to run?

 

[wolluf]

Sounds like you've done an upgrade, not a parallel install (which folder did you install XP into - remember both 98 & XP default to \Windows, so unless you changed XP's default, your 98 installation has basically been overwritten (the files will still be there - unless replaced by XP ones with the same name). If you did install into a different folder, then the XP install process should have created a boot menu entry for the 98 installation. But it also has to create a copy of 98's boot sector - called bootsect.dos.

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_9x.htm

has details of how to produce that file. If its in the root of C: then an entry like C:\="Windows 98" in boot.ini will boot 98, if the installation is still there.

 

[GTS2006]

Alternatively consider if you really need to use the 98 any more? Your general security when connected to the net will be much better with XP.

If you want to really run with dual boot though then your gonna need to add the partitions to the drive in an ideal world.

I'd recomment getting hold of a copy of Knoppix (

http://www.knoppix.org)

for this. It has a great partitioning tool called QPart.

Make sure that you have hibernation and virtual memory disabled and then defrag the drive from XP. Once its nice and tidy (No fragments at the end of the drive, just one tight file stack). Boot into knoppix and load QPart.

It will allow you to resize the drive to the last file fragment. Remember to leave some extra space for XP. Then once rezised, create a new partition where you can put 98.

Then you can repair the installation and have it multiboot.



Irrationality is a very infectious disease, as we see from the United States. - gts2006@hotmail.co.uk