Running Dual OS: XP & Win98

Hey Guys,
I'm running XP Pro (disk(0)), and yesterday installed Win98SE on another
disk (disk(2)).
To install 98, I had to disable disk(0) in the CMOS setup, otherwise,
it wouldn't allow the installation to continue.

I've modified BOOT.INI
and added the win98 OS.
here is my BOOT.INI:

[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" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(2)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN98SE= "Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition" /w95

Now, i've tried a bunch of variations and switches, and i know i've got the
right location, but when I select 98, it won't boot, and I don't know why.

I've heard that BOOT.INI applies only to 2000 and XP, so how can I boot to
98 without disabling disk(0) in the cmos?

In another words, what do I need to do in order to be able to boot to 98?

 

When you disable the Primary drive, the Secondary thinks it is C: and it works fine, however with the Primary enabled, the Secondary is now D?), and windows 98 thinks it is installed into C:\Windows, when it is actually in D:\Windows, don't think it will work.
What would I do? The easier thing, switch the drives around, and then reinstall XP. You will then have the dual boot setup, along with the correct files to go along with it.

 

That's correct, it won't work unless Win9x is installed on the Primary drive and the active partition, which means the C: partition. XP can be located on any drive or partition of same but Win9x can't. That explains why it boots when you disable the present primary and let the secondary become the primary.

Swapping the drives around and copying the XP Bootloader files, NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM, to the root of the Win9x drive (primary drive) could get you going provided you edit the boot.ini file properly.

My take on the boot.ini file would be:

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(2)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(2)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN98SE= "Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition" /w95


In my opinion, you had it wrong before, even though it wouldn't have worked either way. As I understand it, the multi(n) and disk(n) numbers are strictly for SCSI drives. If you have IDE's, your drive specifies is the rdisk(n) number.

 

If the XP is on a FAT32 file system then "markp62" would defenently be on the correct path for the error, but if the XP hdd is only NTFS then it is a different problem.

One problem is your boot.ini file, win98 does not use the "multi(0)disk(2)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN98SE=" but do not remember what it is for sure (C:\bootini.dos= "win98 ") ?

One option would be to use a third party boot manager, there are some for free.

 

A little more to clarify my previous comments:

More Here.

 

I installed OSL2000 8.80 Platinum Edition and i'm able to select which one i wanna boot.
The only problem is, and obvious too, is that when i boot to 98, i don't have
the original C: (disk(0) which has XP on it and is NTFS) which also contains
bunch of other stuff.

Why I can't see it? Maybe because it's NTFS and 98 does not support it?
If there's another reason and there is an option to enable disk(0) in 98,
please let me know about it...

 

Hello LLDJ,

You're right, 9X OSes can't see the NTFS file system. That's one rationale to use FAT32 with XP.

Regards - Charles

 

Typically, Boot.ini shows the following for Win98 as the last line:
C:\= "Windows 98"

Try changing the C: to D:.

In the previous posts, IF the ARC path was to be used the drives would probably be "disk(0)" for XP and "disk(1)" for 98. If you more than three IDE hard drives you need to modify the "multi(x)" value. However as already noted Win98 does not use this. It needs a drive letter.

You may be able to read the NTFS partition with a utlity that permits this.

DRD

 

is there any kind of utility\program\something that alows recognition of NTFS on 9x Os's?

couldn't find any...

 

None that I know of.

You can change NTFS to FAT32 with Partition Magic.

Regards - Charles

 

LLDJ, Not sure if you're aware of this site or not, but there's tons of good information on Dual Booting that may be of some help to you.

There's been a lot of good help so far from the previous responses given to you, but it seems to me the more one knows the fewer mistakes one makes.

http://thpc.info/dualboot.html

 

Thanks irdreed & all the rest for your help & suggestion !

Made 98(disk(2)) primary master and xp(disk(0)) secondary slave, works perfect!

 

Would you please post the contents of your successful boot.ini file here?

 

LLDJ, Congratulations.
But I second surferdude2's request. I'd like to see the contents of your successful boot.ini file here too.

 

boot.ini

Here's mine for comparison.

Code:

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "XP" /fastdetect /sos
C:\ =  "98 "

 

Ahh, guys?
It worked fine for a few hours...

I don't know what the hell happend, but XP is no longer working.
It starts normally, and then the light blue screen "loading your settings... "
is up, with no text, just XP logo, and a few seconds after that, a dark blue
background appears, no desktop, no taskbar, no controls (keyboard not
responding), only working thing is the mouse.

I'm only able to access C: from the recovery console if i boot from XP cd.
i've tried to run bootcfg and rebuild the list, but I don't think the problem lies
there.

tried to switch the disks back again (98(disk(0) --> disk(2)) and no luck,
still not working...

Why is XP not loading???

 

I suspected that would happen. That's why I asked you to post your successful boot.ini file.

Anyway, here's all you'll ever need to know about dual booting Win98 and XP. It's the best and most comprehensive instructions I have ever come across for this issue:

Dual Boot Procedures

All the answers to your problem are in there. Read it thoroughly and pursue the links for additional insight.

As has been mentioned earlier, your boot.ini file is incorrect since Win98 is DOS based system and does not follow the ARC convention for listing in the boot.ini. It normally gets listed on the last line as simply C:\windows but that's all covered in detail in that link.

 

THought so....BTW have you looked at any information that's on the web site I suggested in my previous post??
http://thpc.info/dualboot.html
There's tons of good information there.

(Sheeesh surferdude2 looks like you were 20 u/sec ahead of me)

 

I was just lying out in the weeds waiting to pounce.

 

Thanks, just got home...

I'll give it a try and let you know what happens...

Thanks again.