Configuring a Multi-OS System
Last Updated: 04 May 2004
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*** PLEASE NOTE: Link(s), If Provided, May Be Wrapped ***
If you're going to use the native NT/2000 bootloader,
you'll find that things are far easier if NT/2000/XP is
installed last. This is because the Win9x installation
will overwrite the NT bootloader and you'll have to use
the info in Q136547 to restore the NT bootloader. You
can do it in reverse order, but it will take a bit more
work.
If you're using Linux, you should install it last and
use LILO to call the Microsoft OSes. Frankly, if you're
going to use more than three OSes, you should go with a
third-party boot manager -- less grief, and much more
functionality.
Here's an overview of the procedure for installing a
Multi-OS Configuration:
1. Create multiple partitions or add physical drives
2. Install Win9x/ME to C:
3. Install NT/2000/XP to D:
4. Remember To Leave C: as FAT16 or FAT32
5. Install Linux or BSD as desired on another partition
6. Configure LILO or other BootLoader as necessary
NOTE: If only NT/2000/XP are involved, you don't need to
use FAT/FAT32 partitions (NTFS is more desireable)
For more information about dual-booting using the
built-in Windows NT/2000 Boot Loader, see the following:
NATIVE BOOT LOADER - WINDOWS XP/2000/NT/9x
• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gettingstarted/multiboot.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mltiboot.asp
• http://windows.microsoft.com/windows2000/en/server/help/dual_booting_considerations.htm
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/periodic/period99/multiboot.htm
• http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/winnt/ntwrkstn/Tips/ncccrtdu.asp
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=306559
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=217210
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=184299
NATIVE BOOT LOADER - WINDOWS NT/9x/DOS
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=243896
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=157992
THE HARD WAY -- NT/2000/XP WAS FIRST
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=153762
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=136547
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=104429
• http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBA/TIP0200/rh0224.htm
WINDOWS AND LINUX
• http://world.std.com/~mruelle/multiboot.html
• http://www.enterprisedt.com/publications/dual_boot.html
• http://www.wpi.edu/~naveen/projects/content/d/dualbootlin2000.html
INSTALLATION ISSUES
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=221061
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=172860
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/winresource/dnwin95/S6ED2.HTM
• http://www.winnetmag.com/windowsnt20002003faq/Article/ArticleID/15239/windowsnt20002003faq_15239.html
• http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBA/TIP1900/rh1961.htm
• http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBA/TIP0200/rh0217.htm
UNINSTALL ISSUES & PROCEDURES
• http://www.winnetmag.com/windowsnt20002003faq/Article/ArticleID/14616/windowsnt20002003faq_14616.html
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=149258
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=285480
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=103049
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=253951
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=250456
• http://www.budja.com/w2k/uninstall_w2k.html
TROUBLESHOOTING
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/support/issues/setup-issues.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/winnt/trouble.asp#b
3RD PARTY BOOT LOADER
• http://www.win2000mag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=19916
• http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/win2000/win2kpro/ypages/win2boot.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win2000/win2boot.asp
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=284839
DUAL/MULTI-BOOTING GUIDES
• http://www.dalantech.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=31701&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=all&fpart=1
• http://www.winmag.com/windows/guides/win2000/22.htm
• http://www.arstechnica.com/tweak/win2k/others/multiboot-1.html
• http://www.systemlogic.net/articles/99/9/multipleboot/
• http://www.pcnineoneone.com/howto/multiboot1.html
• http://windows2000.about.com/compute/windows2000/cs/dualboot/
• http://www.win2000mag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=8312
• http://www.itp-journals.com/Windows_2000_dual_boot_page1.htm
• http://www.3dspotlight.com/articles/dualboot/index.shtml
FILE SYSTEM SUPPORT
• http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prba_dwp_eqmn.asp
ALTERNATIVE TO DUAL-BOOTING
Here are a couple of different approaches to solving
the Multi-OS dilemma. One, a virtual OS environment,
is a great way to install multiple OSes in any order
you want, and with less opportunity for them to cause
problems for your primary OS. The other, a hardware
solution, allows you to completely isolate OSes from
one another. Also great for separating users from one
another, if desired.
• Virtual PC ............. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/virtualpc/
• VMWare ................. http://www.vmware.com/
• TRIOS .................. http://www.hwextreme.com/reviews/misc/romtectrios/
• BOCHS .................. http://bochs.sourceforge.net/
• Plex86 ................. http://savannah.nongnu.org/cvs/?group=plex86
It does depend on how heavily you run the various OSes
and what you're trying to accomplish. If you have room,
you should just get two machines and a KVM... :)
I am no longer a huge fan of multi-booting. VMWare is
a much better option, IMO -- even despite the cost and
the higher memory requirement. For one thing, having to
reboot to get into the other OS will tempt to you to do
silly things like installing applications for both
instances. Also, most people will find that they spend
the vast majority of their time in one particular OS
instance, defeating the purpose.
Finally, I tend to keep my workstation up for weeks at
a time, which is a huge disincentive to rebooting.
USING APPS ACROSS MULTIPLE OS INSTALLS
Sometimes, people are tempted to install the same app
across both OSes in their dual-boot config. And, to
save space, they'll install it to the same location.
Example:
OS #1 ............ Windows 2000 on C:
OS #2 ............ Windows XP on D:
Common App ....... MS Office on E:
Now, while this seems like a good idea in theory, it is
a very bad idea in practice. Why, you ask?
Well, for one thing, why have the same apps installed
under each OS? For the most part, a dual-boot should
be used for training purposes, or because you have some
apps which work well ONLY under one OS, which is not
your primary OS.
My biases aside, here's the problem you'll face: You
will have to install the application twice (once from
each OS) if it involves the registry. And, once you've
done that, you'll have one heck of a time updating it.
Because, once you've updated to SR-1 of Office on your
XP install, you'll find it difficult to update to SR-1
from the Windows 2000 install -- if the application is
in the same location for both OSes.
So, if you *must* install the same apps under both
instances, do it to different locations. This whole
issue, btw, is another advantage for the Virtual OS
approach.
3RD PARTY BOOT MANAGERS
As far as traditional boot managers go, there are a number
of 3rd party utilities that will allow you to choose
between multiple installed Operating Systems at boot time,
and are more flexible than NT's native Boot Loader:
FREEWARE
• BootPart ............... http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/gvollant/bootpart.htm
• Graphical Boot Mgr ..... http://gag.sourceforge.net/
• Smart Boot Manager ..... http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/
• XOSL ................... http://www.ranish.com/part/xosl.htm
• zBoot Manager .......... http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22776,00.asp
COMMERCIAL
• BootIt ................. http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/
• BootMagic .............. http://www.symantec.com/partitionmagic/
• BootManager ............ http://www.bootmanager.com/
• BootStar ............... http://www.star-tools.com/english/
• BootWizard Pro ......... http://www.phystechsoft.com/en/BootWizardPro/
• MasterBooter ........... http://www.masterbooter.com/
• MST Boot ............... http://www.mstboot.com/en/
• OS Selector ............ http://www.acronis.com/products/osselector/
• OSL2000 ................ http://www.osloader.com/
• Partition Manager ...... http://www.ranish.com/part/
• Power Boot ............. http://www.blueskyinnovations.com/pboot.html
• PTS-BootManager ........ http://www.paragon.ag/
• System Commander ....... http://www.v-com.com/
WIN32 FILE ARCHIVES & RESOURCES
• FDISK.COM .............. http://www.fdisk.com/fdisk/
• The Partition FAQ ...... http://www.webdev.net/orca/
• Dalantech .............. http://www.dalantech.com/dual-bootting.shtml#Boot%20Managers
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ADDITIONAL SEARCH OPTIONS (MS KB)
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/
• http://www.microsoft.com/
EXACT PHRASE ........... "Multiple Boot"
EXACT PHRASE ........... "Boot Loader"
ALL WORDS .............. "Dual Boot"
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PERSONAL NOTES
• My favorite Boot Manager is BootMagic for PowerQuest.
If you purchase Partition Magic (a cool tool), you
will get the current version of BootMagic.
• For maximum effect, Win9x/ME and NT/2000/XP should be
installed on different partitions, as you really don't
want to have the following folders shared across
multiple instances of Windows:
- Program Files
- Recycler
• When dual-booting NT/2000/XP and Win9x/ME, it is best
to place Win9x/ME on drive C: and to place the other
OS on another drive. It is also best to install
NT/2000/XP last, although (as mentioned above) you
can get a dual boot to work when Win9x/ME has been
installed last -- it's just more work.
• Don't make the mistake of installing the same apps
to the same location under each instance of the OSes
that you are dual/multi booting -- especially
if these applications use the registry. If you must
install the same app under both OSes, do it to
different locations.
• If you are installing multiple instances of the same
OS in your dual-boot configurations, you only need a
single OS license, as Windows is licensed per machine
and not per user.
• Microsoft Virtual PC is the result of the purchase
of Connectix. It will be interesting to see how it
competes with VMWare over the long-term.
RELATED TOPICS (ALSO IN THIS ARCHIVE)
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=BOOTINI.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=BootFix.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=BootRepair.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=MultiOS.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=EasyInstall.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=DiskPart.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=BootDisk.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=FileSys.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=Convert.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=KVM.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=Utils.TXT