Dual Boot Q

[Mark W 0]

I have a win2k/win98se dual boot config. Can the 2 os share an installation of an application? Let me explain. I have Office 2000 installed in my win98se. Can just I install it in Win2k to the same location or will this mess up my 98 installation? The drive I want to intall to is visible to both installations. TIA

[YuppieScum 0]

It depends on a couple of things - the disk formats, and the applications.

 

1. Win9x can't read NTFS.

2. Some apps require a whole load of registry settings. UT, Q3A, FreeSpace + FreeSpace2 can be shared across OS's as they either don't need reg stuff, and will create on execution if needed. Office2K on the other hand won't.

[Mark W 0]

Let me clarify a bit. I have Win2k on ntfs, win 98 on fat32. Additionally I have another fat32 partition that has most of my win98 programs on it. What I want to do is install, say office or any other program, in win2k to the same location where it already exists. The install procedure will write any reg entries needed, right? I will probably lose any settings that are stored in local ini files or things like templates and such, but in my mind this should work. Has anybody tried anything like this?

[lunner 0]

Sorry man but the new NTFS file structure is not compatable with fat32. Win 2k "can" read fat32 files but since you installed win2k w/ NTFS that might be a problem. You may be able to reinstall Office2k in your fat32 partition under Win2k then restall under Win9x. It may work but I don't think thats a good idea.

[Jerry - 0]

Not compatible meaning what?

lunner's last idea should work. The install should write those registry values to the OS's drive. I have ntfs98 and I've found out that it can read/write to the win2k ntfs drives on my system, and it's the eval.. hmmm.. The only thing is that if I have the second harddrive (Which is fat32) enabled in the bios win98 won't work correctly. Otherwise it works just fine not enabled.

[EddiE314 0]

Yes you can do it because i do it.

Here's what you do. Say you want to install

Adobe Photoshop 5, you have to install it to the same place in both OS's, for example:

Under Win 2000: c:\Adobe\

Under Win98 SE: c:\Adobe\

Install it in Windows98 to whatever location you wish, and when you're done, boot over to Windows2000 and also install it, but remember to install it to the EXACT place you put installed it in Win98.Doing this will overwrite the files but the program will work under both Win98 and Win2K because installing it under both OS's made the registry changes that were needed, it doesn't use double the space because they are both using the same files....get it?

 

OH, your drive has to be FAT32 to do this.

 

My partition is one 8GB hard drive with one partition of FAT32 in whick Windows 2000 and Windows 98 SE reside.

[Mark W 0]

Thanks Eddie, that's what I thought, I just wanted to hear from someone who has done it! Do you do this with all your apps or just some? Have you had any problems with specific apps?

[EddiE314 0]

nope, all the programs work fine as far as i know, you said that you have Win2k on NTFS and Win98 on FAT32, you have to have both Win98 and Wi2k on a Fat 32 partition because Win98 doesn't understand NTFS. Yuppie, I got Office 2k to work using this method

 

[This message has been edited by EddiE314 (edited 06 February 2000).]

[Mark W 0]

Anything that I plan to have available from both platforms, I will install to a FAT32 partition. I don't think it should matter that my Win2k is NTFS if I don't plan on sharing anything on that partition.

 

Thanks for your help.

[k4 0]

Eddie,

 

Will it work if I install programs to W2K first then W98?

 

Thanks!