W2K & 2003 Server Dual Boot 3

[mwolf00]

I'm mainly a programmer and I haven't done too much work with OS and disk partitioning. I have done a keyword search, but I haven't been able to find exactly what I need...

My boss just updated my laptop to MS Server 2003 (used for development). I used to VPN to my company via a broadband cellular modem. It turns out that the modem software won't run on Win2003. My boss says that I should just set up a dual boot on the PC.

My questions are fairly simple.

Current setup (20G Hard drive w/ @ 18G usable)
1st partition - 9G (for OS)
2nd partition - 9G (for programs and data)

Note: Previous Config Was
1st part - 4G (for OS - ran out of room)
2nd part - 6g (for programs)
3rd part - 8g (for data)

[ol]
[li]What do you suggest for the size of the partitions?[/li]
[li]Will I lose all of the data on the second partition when I create a third?[/li]
[li]Should I use third party software like Casper XP to create the partitions?[/li]
[li]When I install WIN2K Server on the second partion, will I need some dual boot software to make it work? [/li]
[li]Is there software to make all of this easier?[/li]
[/ol]

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build better and bigger idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. - Rick Cook (No, I'm not Rick)

 

[wolluf]

mwolf00 - I told you at the top - if you install 2k with 2k3 already installed you will need to copy back 2k3's boot files, ntldr & ntdetect.com to the root of the boot partition (the one 2k3 is on). They're on the 2k3 install CD. (2k will have overwritten them with its own versions. These files are backward but not forward compatible).

btw - it doesn't matter what drive 2k thinks its on as long as it works (and it hasn't upset 2k3).

 

[jrbarnett]

mwolf00

This is what you get and the box to look for at your local software emporium:

http://www.dabs.com/uk/productView.htm?quicklinx=PQR

As for whether IIS 5 would work with your application rather than 6, unless you are using new features, it should do, but I've not really got into IIS in a big way and don't know much about it.

John

 

[mwolf00]

mwolf00 - I told you at the top - if you install 2k with 2k3 already installed you will need to copy back 2k3's boot files, ntldr & ntdetect.com to the root of the boot partition (the one 2k3 is on). They're on the 2k3 install CD. (2k will have overwritten them with its own versions. These files are backward but not forward compatible).

I'm not really sure where they are supposed to go. When I look at the original config the only copies I could find were on a different disk altogether (D:\i386\- which is now E:\i386\). I've made sure to have a copy of the file on C,D, and E just to be sure... no dice...


Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build better and bigger idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. - Rick Cook (No, I'm not Rick)

 

[wolluf]

Assuming you can boot to your new 2k installation, run diskmgmt.msc. Note which drive letter is assigned to the first partition you can see there (which should be where 2k3 is installed from your previous posts). Then copy ntldr & ntdetect.com from the 2k3 install CD (\i386) to the root of this partition - you shoud get prompt about overwriting (as 2k versions are there). 2k3 versions have a datestamp in 2003 and are larger then 2k equivalents (eg, ntldr 47548 to 34724 bytes). If 2k3 will still not boot after this, run fixboot from 2k3 recovery console.

 

[mwolf00]

Thank You wolluf!

I'm much farther along (but not there yet). Sorry I was not getting this sooner. I couldn't "see" the ntldr and ntdetect.com in the root (even when I viewed "hidden" files and used the search feature.) But you were right, when I moved them to the c:\ directory it allowed me to boot 2003 Server. Now, I get to the logon and as soon as I log on, I get logged back off automatically - any ideas there? Should I start a new thread?

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build better and bigger idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. - Rick Cook (No, I'm not Rick)

 

[wolluf]

2k3 logs you off immediately? If it was 2k doing that, I'd immediately say pagefile (2k does that when its got no pagefile - eg, because the drive letter its defined on no longer exists or is now a CD/DVD drive). XP allows no pagefile and I don't know about 2k3. If the drive letters
(as seen from 2k3) have changed - where was its pagefile?
If it was not on C: - then I'd try booting with CD/DVD drives disconnected.

Also, I'm just wondering if the 2k partition has now become 'C:' drive as far as 2k3 is concerned (which would cause problems for 2k3, as it will have registry entries expecting it to be on C. You could try running recovery console (for 2k3) and see what drive letters are assigned to which partitions.