Dual Boot with Win98SE and Win2000 Pro

[Guest]

Hi all. I already have Win98SE installed, but I would like to also install Win2000 for the added stability when I'm not playing games. I have Partition Magic 6.0, so I was going to set up a seperate bootable partition for Win2000. My question is should I make the partition Primary or Logical? I'd like Win2000 to be able to access all of the files and programs I've installed under Win98. All of the programs and stuff themselves are housed in seperate partitions as well. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[jc14all]

Well,there are some questions I need to know, but maybe I will answer your first. Will you be installing W2k onto a second HDD? If this is the case, which I would say is a wise choice, but not the only option. If your single HDD is large enough then, yes you would install W2k in a separate primary, active partition, but it will be your choice of what file system to use.

First of all create a Extended-Logical FAT or FAT32 partition for your Data Files. This will be a sharing bucket for both Win98SE and W2k. W2k can be installed in a Primary FAT/FAT32/NTFS partitions. If you install W2k in a FAT32 partiton you will not have the best security but you will be able to have access to all partitions with either Win98SE or W2k.

If you use a NTFS partition (recommended) you will have access to all FAT type partitions including where your Data Files are located while booted into W2k. However, while booted into Win98SE you will only have access to your Data Files and any other FAT partitions, but no access to NTFS partition. NTFS partition will be hidden from all other partitions.

If you want the added security that W2k offers, you will first have to create a primary logical partition (2GB limitation)with Partition Magic and make sure that it is ACTIVE. This is where W2k will be installed (Do this only when you are ready to install W2k). During the setup of W2k it will ask you what type of files system to use. For the best security choose the "Convert to NTFS" option. Later you can use Partition Magic to resize this NTFS partition, but make sure you stay within the bootable size limitation of NTFS partiton (8GB limitation).

This will help you decide on the best option for you, but when all else fails we can always read the instruction manuals (smile). I hope this answer your question. Good luck my friend, if I can duel boot so can you. Cheers!



JC-------<*){{{>{~~~~~
Fisher of men

 

[NickM]

With your Windows 98 already installed I think <A HREF="http://www.zdnet.com/community/stories/main/0,9057,2662085,00.html" target="_new">this <font color=red>(click here)</font color=red></A> should help you also.

I have something to add on your<font color=green><i>"...I have Partition Magic 6.0, so I was going to set up a seperate bootable partition for Win2000. My question is should I make the partition Primary or Logical? ..." </i></font color=green>

If you already have Win98SE on the C: primary active partition,
you can install Win2000 on extended partition, logical drive D: with either FAT32 or NTFS
(you will be able to convert FAT32 to NTFS any time).
And as mentioned previously, create also a logical drive E: with FAT32 on extended partition
(for storage and share data for both operating systems).