Boot into multiple OS setup.. how ?

[vhelp]

Hi guys.

I' looking for the best method/approach to

* Booting into different OS setups.

What I have in mind, is to make several different Windows 98 scenarios,
like the following setups for C:\ drive @ 1gig w/ ms windows
in each choice in the menu below. I'll have the C:\ drive as my multi-setup
OS windows, and my D:\ drive as my software apps (ie MS Office, etc)
and my E:\ drive as my "capture and/or encode to MPEG only" drive.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Choise an OS setup for given project:

* A - Windows 98 - Main PC setup (Office/Internet, other activities)
* B - Windows 98 - Capture w/ Pinnacle DC10+ capture card
* C - Windows 98 - Capture w/ Ospray-210 capture card
* D - Windows 98 - Capture w/ ADVC-100 dv device
* more...
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Note, if I don't hit any keys, I'd like for the boot, to go into my main pc
setup, ..which would be menu item A (after a certain amount of time
laps w/out key input from user)

I plan on trying this scenario out on a clean and brand new 40g Hard Drive
I have laying around, screaming to be used, after 1 1/2 years of never being
opened

Question:
* Can I do this with my current Windows 98 Gold, otherwise
* Using a Third-pary sofware (Freeware, or Store Bought, but no shareware
...because they offer too many glitches)

I have no plans for anything fancy, so switching to other OS (ie, W2K/XP)
is out of the question

Thanks for any suggestions,
-vhelp 2591

[racer-x]

Yes you can. I dual-boot 98se and XP Pro. You'll need a seperate partition for each OS, so if you want 4 instances of 98, you'll need 4 partitions for your OS's alone. They also have to be primary partitions.

You can do it with freware S/W. I use Partition Manager by Ranish to make the partions and setup a boot loader. It works great and is completely free. You can do a search for it on google.

[vhelp]

@ racer-x,

Thanks for the quick response.

Yeah. But, I plan on just using win98 only. I don't plan on any setups for
other completely different OS 's, like w2k or xp. Just Windows 98 Gold.

This is going to be used primarily for diffenent:

* Capture Card, and/or
* Graphics card setups and things.

One of my other reasons for win98 only setups (among other things, like that
I have more experience / tweaking with it) is because win98 is much smaller
and easier and quicker to re-install (should I have to go this route for any of
my menu choices (or partitions))

Thanks again,
-vhelp

[d_unbeliever]

use partition magic
http://www.soft32.com/download_151.html

[sterno]

I think you'll have some problems because 98 still wanted to be installed on C: only. I think you might have to use something like System Commander to get more than one 98 install on there.

[racer-x]

You want 4 differently configured 98, don't you? Then do what I said. You'll need each version of 98 on it's own partition that you can boot to.

The easiest way I can think of would be to. Make the 4 primary partitions. Install 98 on the first along with all drivers. Use Norton Ghost to copy that partition to the other ones, so that you have 4 bootable 98 OS's. Use the program I told you about to setup the boot manager. You can have it time out at 6 sec or whatever to your main OS if you don't select another one. Basicaly it will let you choose from Partition 1 - 4 to boot-up to.

[vhelp]

Yes you can. I dual-boot 98se and XP Pro. You'll need a seperate partition for each OS, so if you want 4 instances of 98, you'll need 4 partitions for your OS's alone. They also have to be primary partitions.

You can do it with freware S/W. I use Partition Manager by Ranish to make the partions and setup a boot loader. It works great and is completely free. You can do a search for it on google.

@ racer-x

Thanks again.., and others too

I just D/L'ed this app, and it's 136kb in size. hmm...
..haven't messed with it any yet, though.


Partition Manager Download - 2.43
Partition Manager by Ranish

DOWNLOADS:
* http://uk1.ranish.com/ranish/part/part244.zip
* http://ev1.ranish.com/~mranish/part/part244.zip

Thanks again.
- vhelp

[racer-x]

The best way to use it, is to create a boot disk (3 1/4 floppy) and copy the Part.exe file into it. Boot-up with it, then type part.exe and hit enter. It will let you delete and/or create partittions, it will also let you resize partitions. You can create up to 99 primary partitions, wich will enable you to boot up to 99 OS's. It also lets you hide and unhide partitons. This is great when you want to install different OS's, where each one want's to be the top dog and only want's to be installed on C:\ drive.

It was written by a Russian and is a little funky to learn, but it is very powerfull. I use it all the time, especially when I get a new drive.

[vhelp]

@ raser-x

I took a look at the app, and its a bit confusing to use. It's a DOS app.

I think my scenario is like this:

... 1 - I first create a partition (using what app ie, fdisk ?? ..or other ??)
... 2 - I setup and tweak my tuned w98gold setup, and then I
... 3 - Make a boot 3 1/4" diskette and copy Part.exe**(1)
... 4 - Then I boot into DOS from startup (not from windows) and then
... 5 - I Ghost this partition as an image, and burn to CD-R disk
... 6 - Next, I boot up w/ this 3 1/4" diskette and start Part.exe**(1)

Assuming I've done all the rest, I feel I'm missing something. After I create
my tuned w98gold setup, how do I create multiple ones ( ie, say 5 of these, and
then without having to create a D: E: F: G: ) ??
.
What I want to do is have a C: drive (always) and boot from any one of those
five partitions as a C: drive, and have another HardDrive as my separate D: drive
for all my Apps and things. I'm thinking about either getting a:

..to send my captures to..

* A - Firewire harddrive, or
* B - USB 2.0 harddrive, or
* C - USB type enclosure (to put a 40gig harddrive into and use as an external)
... for my captures

I realize that the above last line (C) may not be effeciant, but I'm not too
sure about this. Only a test will tell. Wal-Mart has an enclosure kit for $58
But I'm not sure I will get USB 2.0 speed under w98gold, for my captures.
.
The bottom line is, I want my capture drive to be an external one, instead of
an internal one, but under w98gold. If I have to get w98SE I will, but I can't
seem to find any stores carrying w98SE, and it's driving me mad. Mind you, I
do have XP, but I haven't even taken it out of the shrink-box. I want to keep
my Windows 98. XP I can use for another pc setup and things 8)

Can you give a bit more instructions on how to use it, if I'm missing a few
things ??

**(1) there are 3 apps. (part244.exe; part244sim.exe; part240.exe)
...... which one do I use ??

Thanks for all your help,
-vhelp 2601

[Capmaster]

You can run a single Windows 98 installation with several different hardware configurations, which you select from the menu each time Windows starts. No need for redundant OS'es.

[gmatov]

Vhelp,

What is "Semi Neutered"?

Back to your ? Do you know how to use fdisk? Win 98 Bootdisk, type fdisk when you get an A:/ prompt, fdisk and format from there.

Ranish and PMagic are for nondestructive re-partitioning. You are using a brand new, empty drive, so fdisk will work well. (Don't get me wrong, you guys, I have PM8 and love it for RE-partitioning) Re-sizing, etc.)

You will need a boot disk to install on the new drive, if 98 is already installed on the present C, as, I think, when you run the CD from Windows, it assumes you want to re-install to C and does not give you any other option.

Been a month or so since the last install, but don't think I had any other option. Install from DOS, and it says will install to C, you can cancel that, and choose X if you want and have X, and give you a nag screen that Win might not work properly. Ignore, and select the next Part, D, E, F, whatever. When done with everything, you will have to start from DOS and bootdisk to install to the next in line, then the next, etc.

One thing I am not sure of is the order that they will come up in. I have 98 and 2 copies of 2k on this machine, will boot into either 2k setup, how it will show all 98, should depend on the order of install, C, D, E, F, etc

A boot manager is included with Windows, else no one would ever have gotten dual boot machines running in the first place. MS might be some greedy MoFos, as we constantly hear, but they DID include a ton of stuff in their "bloatware"

Hey, you can DL a Linux distro on one floppy, or get one that is 8 CDs full. MS is 1 CD mostly filled. Not too bad.

Cheers,

George

Gonna go try this on my 98 machine, see if I am right or wrong.
BTW, I would go maybe 3 gigs per partition, 1 ain't gonna hack it.