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Author Topic: Need help with dual booting 2 hard drives  (Read 3320 times)

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Infector

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Need help with dual booting 2 hard drives
« on: August 31, 2006, 03:21:42 PM »
I have two hard drives which i am trying to get it so i have the option of which drive i want to use.

Computer specs as follows:
Intel 350MHz CPU
Nvidia Vanta 8mb Graphics Card

I'll have to get more specs when i get home, i'm at school right now.

The primary master is a 20gig HD with Windows 2000 installed on it
The Secondary Master (i think this has to be slave but my Bios doesnt have an option to change it) is a 6 gig with Windows 98 Installed.


What i have so far is i have edited my boot.ini file on the 2000 drive and now have the option of which Hard Drive to boot at start up, which is this:

[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="Windows 2000 on primary drive" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows 98 on Backup Drive" /fastdetect



The problem i am having here is that when i try to boot the 98 HardDrive it says there is a certain .exe file missing which is used on windows 2000 (i will have to get the exact name when i get home)

So the trouble here is i think the computer is recognising the hard drive as the windows 2000 one but trying to boot from 98, i need it so it just boots as 98

Another problem is that the 6gig hard drive has labled itself D and has uninstalled my cd drive which is a little frustrating.

And last but not least, when i booted the 2000 hard drive the 6 gig showed up in my computer as D drive, which is fine, but when i reset the computer it no longer showed up as anything and my cd drive also stopped showing up as well, which means i cant use cd's.

Yeah, i know this all sounds a little confusing, it does to me too. But it you have any possible fixes can you please list them here and it you need anymore info about my computer just ask.

soybean



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Re: Need help with dual booting 2 hard drives
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2006, 03:26:57 PM »
Well, I don't know how to fix it other than to format your drives and start over.  But, I do know that Win 98 needs to be drive C.  So, that's part of your problem.  This is why Win 9x should be installed first in a dual boot configuration.

Infector

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Re: Need help with dual booting 2 hard drives
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2006, 03:33:12 PM »
Quote
Well, I don't know how to fix it other than to format your drives and start over.  But, I do know that Win 98 needs to be drive C.  So, that's part of your problem.  This is why Win 9x should be installed first in a dual boot configuration.


What do you mean first?  And how would i get the windows 98 HD to be drive C and the 2000 disk like E or something

Plus Windows 98 doesnt have a boot.ini  file (well i couldnt find it)

soybean



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Re: Need help with dual booting 2 hard drives
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2006, 03:49:01 PM »
If you were starting a fresh dual boot installation and installing Win 98 first (first means before Win 2k, ok?), Win 98 will automatically be installed on C.  Then, when the installation of Win 2K is started, you would designate another drive/partition for it.  It you only have two drives/partitions, I don't know whether you can elect to make the Win 2K drive/partition E or whether it must be D.  If it must be D, what the big deal?  Just let your CD drive be E.

Here's a Microsoft reference: Description of Supported Dual-Boot Configurations Between Windows 2000 and Other Windows-Based Operating Systems.

Infector

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Re: Need help with dual booting 2 hard drives
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2006, 03:57:13 PM »
Quote
If you were starting a fresh dual boot installation and installing Win 98 first (first means before Win 2k, ok?), Win 98 will automatically be installed on C.  Then, when the installation of Win 2K is started, you would designate another drive/partition for it.  It you only have two drives/partitions, I don't know whether you can elect to make the Win 2K drive/partition E or whether it must be D.  If it must be D, what the big deal?  Just let your CD drive be E.

Here's a Microsoft reference: Description of Supported Dual-Boot Configurations Between Windows 2000 and Other Windows-Based Operating Systems.


Okay thanks for the help, i can't do anything right now but i will try something along the lines when i get home and i'll get back to you or anyone else.

patio

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Re: Need help with dual booting 2 hard drives
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2006, 07:24:20 PM »
Did this ever actually work in this configuration or is this something you are experimenting with ? ?
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