System Commander 2000 with more OSes than you can shake a stick at

[Pace]

Ok, how do I go about this?

Creating a box with 2 Win9x's on the same HD. It's an empty 30Gb btw.

Paul.

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[Pace]

Can I just install Win98 and then install SC2K? Then is it a simple case of adding an OS through a wizard?

Paul.

[DosFreak]

Make 2 2gb partitions.

Install 9x on one.
Install your boot manager
Install 2nd 9x.

Why do you want 2 9x's?

ME & 98SE are extremely similar. I recommend sticking with 98SE tho because ME is an even bigger pos than 98.

[Pace]

Thanks DosFreak, just wanted to check before I did this.

The reason I want several Win9x OSes is for support purposes, I get a lot of tech support calls for all different version of Windows, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express etc. so I'll probably put Win95 on somewhere, with Win98 (1998) IE/OE4 and WinMe IE/OE5.

I'll only be giving them the bare minimum though - anyone think Win95 will fit in 100Mb? Maybe even Win95 with IE4 and Win98 with IE5 might be a better option...s'pose I'll have to think about this a little more!

Oh, and I'll be using Win2k for serious work of course!

Paul.

[Pace]

btw, why did you say 2 x 2Gb partitions?

[DosFreak]

Oh, I though you were going to actually use them. Hmmm, do this:

C:-500m (for swap/bootfiles)
D:-500m (95)
E:-1g (98) (I assume this is your alternate os????
F:-1.5-2g (NT5) 2000 Pro takes up 650m by itself on default install. Server, AS take up around 120m+ more with everything unchecked.

*The following should work in theory.

When installing install 95 first.
Backup bootfiles on C:
Install 98.
Backup bootfiles on C:
Install NT5.
Now in the NT5 boot menu it'll probably have options for Windows 2000 and 98.
Add an option for 95 in the boot.ini and point it to D:\.
Modify the 98 part and point it to E:\.
Copy the 95 boot files to C: and the 98 boot files to E:


*This should enable you to have 3 OS's using only the NT boot manager. I've never tried it with three 9x's before. Wait around awhile to see if anyone disagrees.


*Of course you can always use a third-party bootmanager but this way would be ALOT simpler.

[thecurse]

if you are only wanting multiboot for that have you considered vmware and running virtual operating systems on top of win2k that match the customers?

[Pace]

Now there's a thought! What functionality does it provide? I take it that dialing up my ISP might be beyond it?

Oh, and does it cost?

Paul.

[Drizzt]

My experience:
If you try to install WinXX to a disk, It will pretend to not have any other partition before. So, if you install a win98 on C:\, then try to install Win98 on D:\, it will wipe out the Win98 on C:\ and install there.
I have lost a lot of time with this.

I've found two way to do what you want to do:

1) Insert the destination disk into a er...well, that kind of thing that allow fast moving of disk between computers.
Move the destination disk to a secondary PC.
Make a little partition (1 gig).
Install the os.
Move the disk to the main PC.
Use ImagePro to record the image onto the main PC hd.
Move the destination disk to the secondary PC.
Install the new os.
Use ImagePro to record the image onto the main PC hd.

Go on, until you have all the OS images you need.
Then, use FDisk to partition the destination disk how you really want it to work.
Use ImagePro to restore all the images into the right places (eventually resizing it to fit).
Install MBM onto the destination disk.
Voila!


Method 2:
Correctly partition the destination disk.
Install the first os onto the destination disk.
Install MBM.
Mask the first OS Partition.
Reboot.
Install the second OS.
Mask the second partition.
Reboot.
Install the third OS.
And so on...
At the end, unmask all the partition.

However, I prefer the first metod. It's a lot more slow than the second. But it's a lot more safe: I've spent a lot of time installing a disk with method 2, and then discovered that the the last Win98 installed had decided it was too beautiful to stay on a disk with other os.
After the reboot...I have found it had wiped out everything without asking...ARGH!!!



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Italian Guy, Bad English

D'ya want an Italian version?

[Pace]

Ok, I'll take the Italian version

[Drizzt]

I write a ugly English?

Well...I think you are right!!!

[Pace]

No, it's ok - I get the meaning now (I've been reading and re-reading it since you posted it )

No, just kidding you.

Don't suppose you are a Milan fan btw?

Paul.

[Pace]

Oh, and I'm getting the trial version of WMWare btw. I'd rather have the performance of Win9x in games though...oh well!

Paul.

[thecurse]

i am glad you found my sugestiona little helpful. i myself have not tried it out (yet) because my main computer i run only has win98se installed on it and i did not want to see how bad it would be on what is currently my best computer running windows 2000 (a dual pentium pro 200 system)

another sugestion i have is depending on if you have a second machine or not is using ghost or other such hard drive imageing products and do an installed and ghost up a self booting cd of each different install.

[Pace]

Cool! You're flowing the good ideas fast!

Any other ideas?

Just that ghosting might cause even more problems - but at least I won't be losing hard drive space!

Paul.