[lwachters]

What should I do to install Windows 98 on a PC that has already Windows XP on it? I have read that it would be necessary to completely clean my harddisk, then first install Windows 98 and then Windows XP, but is this absolutely necessary to get things working OK?

[snakefoot]

I can see 3 solutions :

2 seperate partitions without 3rd party boot-manager :

1. Convert the WinXP partition to NTFS (Will then be hidden for Win98 so drive letters will not be moving around whether using Win98 or WinXP)
2. Create another primary partition
3. Set the new primary partition as active boot partition
4. Boot the machine and install Windows 98 on the new primary partition
5. Change the active partiton to the WinXP partition.
6. Use this utility to add the Win98 to the WinXP bootmanager :

http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm

2 seperate partitions with 3rd party boot-manager :

1. Create another primary partition
2. Set the new primary partition as active boot partition
3. Boot the machine and install Windows 98 on the new primary partition
4. Install the 3rd party bootmanager on the new primary partition
5. Add the WinXP partition to the boot-manager

1 partition :

1. Make sure that WinXP partition is not using NTFS
2. Install Windows 98 (Try to avoid using the same Windows-directory as WinXP)
3. Now when booting it will always boot into Windows 98
4. To fix this boot from the WinXP CD and go to recovery console
5. And execute the command "fixboot" it will activate the WinXP again (And it should put Win98 in the BOOT.INI file)

[CrazyKillerMan]

Quote:

1 partition :

1. Make sure that WinXP partition is not using NTFS
2. Install Windows 98 (Try to avoid using the same Windows-directory as WinXP)
3. Now when booting it will always boot into Windows 98
4. To fix this boot from the WinXP CD and go to recovery console
5. And execute the command "fixboot" it will activate the WinXP again (And it should put Win98 in the BOOT.INI file)

DONT DO THAT
The program files directory will also be affected by having two OS's on the same partition. This will also affect the operating systems as they arrange data differently on the hard drive. Try defragging in XP, then boot to 98 and do it. It will be totally 'fragged.'
Trust me, I made that mistake awhile ago when I was new into dual booting and fortunatly I know a little more then I did then.


The easiest suggestion of course is option 2, but thats only helpful if you have a third party partition manager such as PowerQuest Partition Magic, and unless I have missed anything option 1 sounds great to me.

And just a quick note, with option 1, you can manage your hard drives partitions by right clicking on my computer and going to manage then click on disc management. I dont know if you can make a partition using free space with this. You may want to grab a third party shareware version for this one time affair.

[snakefoot]

Quote:

Try defragging in XP, then boot to 98 and do it. It will be totally 'fragged.'

Just of curiosity what exactly happens in Win98 when done a defrag i WinXP ? (The term fragged is a little vague)

I'm using Win2k and Win98 (On different partitions though) I have only noticed that Win2k don't like that you use Win98 to empty your recycle bins.

[CrazyKillerMan]

Well, it wont be defraged it will be fragmented. And, after awhile this starts to degrade exponentially causing various errors, instability and slow down.

[snakefoot]

Quote:

Well, it wont be defraged it will be fragmented. And, after awhile this starts to degrade exponentially causing various errors, instability and slow down.

I recall WinXP like Win98 keeps tracks of program sceneraios so it tries to order the programs so they startup quicker. Maybe they are just conflicting each other and seeing different scenarios and tries to defrag differently.

About Win98 slowing and becoming weird, that just sounds like the standard Win9x syndrome. Or does it happen after a few days ?

[CrazyKillerMan]

Exactly right

Both OS's become slower, as different programs are installed and run constantly.

[snakefoot]

Well I have seen many who installed Win2k/WinXP on top of their Win98 and then dual booting. Not sure how many problems it causes, besides some fighting about who owns the "Program Files" directory (Iexplore + Outlook). So doing it the other way around should not cause more problems. (If Win2k/WinXP starts acting weird then one can always run SF C)

I have stopped defragging my drives, since I have not been able to notice any before/after difference. Besides the good feeling of knowing that ones bytes is positioned correctly

But I would also at any time recommend having a partition for each OS (Though the single partition solution is many times the easiest for most)

[roffel]

Quote:

2 seperate partitions without 3rd party boot-manager :

1. Convert the WinXP partition to NTFS (Will then be hidden for Win98 so drive letters will not be moving around whether using Win98 or WinXP)
2. Create another primary partition
3. Set the new primary partition as active boot partition
4. Boot the machine and install Windows 98 on the new primary partition
5. Change the active partiton to the WinXP partition.
6. Use this utility to add the Win98 to the WinXP bootmanager :

I've done 1, 2, 3 and 4
How do I do step 5? Can I set the NTFS partition as an active partition with FDISK? Or are there other utilities?

I've been working on it for a pretty long time. Please help me ... I need my XP for school badly and cannot start it up.

[snakefoot]

Quote:

I've done 1, 2, 3 and 4
How do I do step 5? Can I set the NTFS partition as an active partition with FDISK? Or are there other utilities?

If only setting the active partition, then FDISK can do it no matter the primary partitions format (A little guide to help) :

http://www3.sympatico.ca/rhwatson/dos7/u-fdisk-1.html#active

[roffel]

[adamvjackson]

You got it... When dual/multibooting, as someone else said, install the oldest OS first, that way you can take advantage of the newer OS's boot menu. If you ever choose to dual/multiboot with linux and windows, install windows first, too. Let the linux bootloader (grub/lilo) manage the bootup.

[snakefoot]

[roffel]

[Mr.Guvernment]

WHat do u need 98 for again?

[roffel]

For school - there is some fingerscan software that doesn't work on Windows XP ... if you want I can give you the specs, but feel free to visit www.sagem.com

And second of all ... to be able to play Counter-Strike without video bullshit

[snakefoot]

Quote:

Yes I did ...

Guess I should change "two seperate partitions" to "two seperate primary partitions". Since it was intended on people who had WinXP installed alone, then I presumed it was placed on a primary partition.

Actually what you have been doing is the "1 partition" thing, with the twist that you have placed some of WinXP files on a different partition. (Win98 and WinXP is not seperated as the install of Win98 affects your WinXP)

[warcraft212]

Quote:

I can see 3 solutions :

2 seperate partitions without 3rd party boot-manager :

1. Convert the WinXP partition to NTFS (Will then be hidden for Win98 so drive letters will not be moving around whether using Win98 or WinXP)
2. Create another primary partition
3. Set the new primary partition as active boot partition
4. Boot the machine and install Windows 98 on the new primary partition
5. Change the active partiton to the WinXP partition.
6. Use this utility to add the Win98 to the WinXP bootmanager :

http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm

2 seperate partitions with 3rd party boot-manager :

1. Create another primary partition
2. Set the new primary partition as active boot partition
3. Boot the machine and install Windows 98 on the new primary partition
4. Install the 3rd party bootmanager on the new primary partition
5. Add the WinXP partition to the boot-manager

1 partition :

1. Make sure that WinXP partition is not using NTFS
2. Install Windows 98 (Try to avoid using the same Windows-directory as WinXP)
3. Now when booting it will always boot into Windows 98
4. To fix this boot from the WinXP CD and go to recovery console
5. And execute the command "fixboot" it will activate the WinXP again (And it should put Win98 in the BOOT.INI file)

Okay, I'm pretty new to this whole thing so a lot of things need explaining (or directing me to a site that explains dual booting in detail would do fine)

1. What is NTFS? How do I change to/from NTFS?
2. If I have two hard drives, where one is 98 and one is XP, will that work? Will there be any changes in your procedure?
3. Will I be able to access the drive with 98 on it while I'm running XP? Is the only way to get files from the other partition to put them on disk and reboot?
4. How do I "set the new primary partition as active boot partition"?
5. How do I "change the active partiton to the WinXP partition"?

As an unrelated question: Does anyone know if Office 97 will run on Win XP?

Thanks!