Multiboot - Win2k, Win98se, Redhat Linux 7

[HolyGrenade]

Can anyone help me add windows 2000 to my redhat 7 startup menu?

I have 3 primary partitions on my 1st hard-drive

1. Linux
2. win2k (ntfs)
3. win98se

win98se is already in the redhat 7 startup menu.






If you cannot help me with this could you please show me how to add linux and win98 to my win2k boot menu?

I already am having difficulty adding win98 to the menu. I made a bootsect.dos file by making a file called read.scr containing the following:

L 100 4 0 1
N C:\BOOTSECT.DOS
R BX
0
R CX
200
W
Q


I ran this through debug as follows:

debug <read.scr

this created a bootsect.dos which is fair enough.

I only hope it worked.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanx

 

[ejsmith2]

Back when I was triple booting, I used system commander to manage everything. There's a way to use one of the two loaders, but I know not how.

 

[Guest]

System Commander or Partition Magic 6.0 or later would be the software of choice to manipulate your needs. If you do not own this software or do not want not want to invest in it, Win98SE wants to be the first thing on the harddrive. After that you can run the install for Win2k and dual boot. You can also run the RH 7.0 install for triple boot after the Windows stuff is installed. Some folks recommend booting the RH lilo from floppy to minimize problems later, but Partition Magic 6.0 works very well. Earlier versions of Partition Magic do not work with Win2k Pro. The best website I have seen on dual booting info is:

http://www.worldowindows.com/dualboot2000.html

Also, if NTFS security is not needed on your Win2K Pro partition, you can install it in FAT32 and then you can swap files between Win98SE and Win2k Pro. If you need the NTFS security, FAT32 cannot see NTFS partitions, but NTFS can see FAT32 partitions.

Recommendation: Use 3 different hdd's. You can get very large hdd's for under $100 each. Also the trays to slide the drives in/out of the case are less than $20 each.

Good luck

 

[Guest]

The solution to your question depends mostly on which bootloader you use. If you're using LILO (which it sounds like), read the LILO HOWTO (in the /etc/doc hierarchy) and the LILO man page in RH7 (man lilo from a terminal prompt); you may also be able to add Win 2k to your lilo by using linuxconf (must be root to use), available under the utilities section of the main RH7 menu (assuming you're using the default GNOME GUI).

If you're using the Win 2k bootloader, you'll need to modify the boot.ini file, most likely found in your C: partition (the Win 98 one). I can't tell you how to do that, but studying the format of that file should give some hints.

Hope this helps.

--AzGatekeep, Stealth Geek

 

[HolyGrenade]

Thanx I'll look up the lilo stuff. and yes, the win98 option is already added to the boot.ini file.


<i><b><font color=red>"2 is not equal to 3, not even for large values of 2"</font color=red></b></i>

 

[doczenith1]

I have an empty partition that is begging to try out linux. Can I install linux and use a bootloader that runs from a floppy so that if I decide I don't want to run linux I can just delete the files and let win2k load itself as it does now? My goal is to try linux and not screw up my win2k setup. Does the software to do this come with RH linux? If not where can I get it...ie. what should I enter for a search term.

 

[ejsmith2]

If you don't want to let one OS act as your boot-loader, you'll probably have to use something else. There's several available, but I use system commander.

 

[Guest]

doczenith1 wrote:
>Can I install linux and use a bootloader that runs from a floppy so that if I decide I don't want to run linux I can just delete the files and let win2k load itself as it does now?

Yes. In fact many folks I know, who know much more than I do, have told me the safest and best way to dual, triple or whatever boot is to use lilo from a boot disk. You create this during the install. I have used Mandrake, SuSE and Win Linux. Win Linux is the easiest to install, since it installs from inside Windows. I don't know if it is compatible with Win2k.

I have also used BeOS. BeOS is the easiest of all. BeOS is not Linux, but it installs from within Windows. Win98 boots out to BeOS, but NT 4.0 and Win2k boot out to a boot up disk. BeOS looks and feels like Linux, but is much easier to install and uninstall. I would recommend it over Linux for ease of use. Also, the networking settings are taken from Windows and my networking went on without a hitch, including Internet via my router without changing any setting or dicking around with Linux compatibility issues and partitions. And by the way, you will have to mess with those issues when using Linux. Most hardcore Linux users love Linux because it is not Microsoft, even though it can be very difficult to setup. A lot of Windows users complain about difficulty of installation, especially the partitioning issue.

I have never used it, but have wanted to and that is Corel Linux. It is based on Debian Linux, and is Plug n Play. It also comes bundled with other stuff, as most Linux does. It is advertised to be a "piece of cake" to setup.

>My goal is to try linux and not screw up my win2k setup.

Good goal to have. That is why I recommend BeOS. Partitioning is one of the hassles. I would use Partition Magic 6.0. It is designed for use with Win2k, and is faily easy to setup. You have to have more than one partition in Linux. Read the Linux documentation carefully to understand the demands of what you do.

>Does the software to do this come with RH linux? If not where can I get it...ie. what should I enter for a search term.

I don't know about RH. Mandrake comes bundled with a limited edition of Partition Magic. Corel installs from within Windows. Win Linux installs from within Windows.

Since harddrives are so cheap, and you can get slide out trays for them for under $15 each, how about getting another hdd and 2 trays. That way you can rest assured not to screw up your Windows installation.

My $.02 worth.
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