msdos.sys (W98)

[coolsights2000]

Are there any programs that will override the msdos.sys and have the computer use the partition of my choosing?

I have three full windows copies running on one drive... I can use a disk in drive A: to pick what partions I want.... But I want a program that will run in the c:\root that will ask me.....

I could right a batch file to copy and paste files but it looks like the computer reads the msdos.sys file first then the config.sys and autoexec.bat..... So that is out

Thanks
Mac!!!

I've heard a saying : about 99% of computer problems sit in front of the monitor

[BertImmenschuh]

Sounds as if something like BootMagic http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22boot+manager%22 (http://www.powerquest.com>www.powerquest.com</a>).

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/search.php3?q=boot+manager&Submit2.x=11&Submit2.y=12>http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/search.php3?q=boot+manager&Submit2.x=11&Submit2.y=12</a>

Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement

[coolsights2000]

I have found sites that talk about multi boot using different operating system... But does that mean I can use the same OS but on different partitions... HUM questions...

Thanks
Mac!!!

I've heard a saying : about 99% of computer problems sit in front of the monitor

[BertImmenschuh]

You probably have to use a boot manager to choose which OS to boot up with the same OS in each partition. I've always been curious as to what can be gained by have 2 or more partitions with the same OS in each.

A frequently mentioned issue in dual-booting is that Win9x/ME can't share registries and have to be installed on the boot/system drive, which is always C:, and the newest OS [2000/XP] goes on last.

As the dual-booting page <a target="_blank" href=http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q306559>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q306559</a> mentions,

Install the operating systems in the following order:
MS-DOS
Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me
Windows NT
Windows 2000
Windows XP

Looks as if the or is the operative word in the second item in the list.

Just in case I've misunderstood something in your question, the Windows OS is not one OS but several individual/different OSes, Win95, Win98, WinME, WinNT4, Win2000, and WinXP. There's 5 full versions of Win95, 2 of Win98, 1 of WinME, at least 3 [5?] of Win2000, and 2 of WinXP. Each OS also has Upgrade versions. I've left out older OSes.




Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement

[POBrien]

Hey Cool,

Here's one technique <font color=green>Patrick (http://www.winguides.com/forums/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=genwin&Number=57810&Search=true&Forum=All_Forums&Words=dual%20boot%209x%20systems&Match=or&Searchpage=0&Limit=20&Old=1year&Main=57810>http://www.winguides.com/forums/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=genwin&Number=57810&Search=true&Forum=All_Forums&Words=dual%20boot%209x%20systems&Match=or&Searchpage=0&Limit=20&Old=1year&Main=57810</a>)</font color=green> /images/forums/icons/smile.gif
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.winguides.com/subscribe/?guide=registry>WinGuides</a>

[coolsights2000]

To BertImmenschuh

Oh yes!

The reasons I want to run more than one windows 98 SE platform on one hard drive is.......

I have grown tired of trying to keep up with the registry entries when running updates and adding software on a puter that is using profiles....Because allot of software is not user profile friendly.... Plus let's say I want to use yahoo player as default then everyone is stuck using it.... I don't like to use a srceen saver but the other users want one..... HUM I have seen a tweak for that one!
For example mcafee's and microsoft office are not profile friendly.....
Plus I like to keep things at the default setting because it prevents allot of conflicts and blue screens.....

Right now I'm running Moble dock drives on my computer... Each person has their own hard drive.. I just do the updates for them...

LOl on my other drive that I have profiles set up I downloaded the microsoft office update and all the other desktops detect that it still needs to be installed......

I bought a 80 gb hard drive to play with and I want to know if I use say a program like partition magic will I be able to put more than one of the same OS on the hard so it will boot up as the c:\ drive on each one.... If it is posisble then I will turn the moble docks into backup image drives for there partition......

I have no intentions of running different types of OS's

LOL the more I learn about the registry the more I refuse to use profiles..... I like to keep it simple.. One user.dat and one system.dat...

To POBrien

I'll check out the link and let you know...

I hate working just as much as profiles.. They are working us ten hour a day... I though the job was going to be eight hours only I guess I got fooled.....

Thanks
Mac!!!

I've heard a saying : about 99% of computer problems sit in front of the monitor

[coolsights2000]

The easy way that I have found to use a different partition is use a bootable floppy in drive A: and point the msdos.sys to the partition you want...
Point the autoexec.bat and the config.sys settings to that partition.... ( Change the drive letters )

at the end of my autoexec.bat I placed this so if some one changes the hard drive line ups it will not boot up using the wrong drive letter As you know allot of the stuff in the registry points using a drive letter,,,,, F:\ doesn't work to good if it is suppose to be E:\

If you plug in another drive it moves the extended dos partition up one letter........

e:
cd \
cd lineup
if exist vernon.txt goto END
:Loop
cls

echo WARNING Vernon
echo ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
echo *************************************
echo **** Inproper hard drive line up ****
echo *************************************
echo ****** Power Down the computer ******
echo **** Remove all extra harddrives ****
echo *************************************
echo * Then Reboot using your logon disk *
echo *************************************
pause
goto loop
:END
cd \
cd windows

LOL the above is what I need to prevent if I ever do decide to install a extra drive..... For those people who have installed a second windows partition on d: &gt;&gt;&gt; D:\ becomes E:\ Whoops..........

unless you know how to prevent the drive letters from changing as far as I know windows names all the drive roots then names the extended partition

Also I have mine set up to boot from the moble dock first.... if the moble is plugged in ...so it becomes c: and my 80 gb root is now d: HUm.......

The vernon partition is no longer e: it has become f:

Thanks
Mac!!!

I've heard a saying : about 99% of computer problems sit in front of the monitor

[coolsights2000]

These are the files that I have on the bootable floppy

Autoexec.bat
Autoexec.dos
Command.com
Config.dos
Config.sys
Dblspace.bin
Drvspace.bin
Io.sys
Msdos.---
Msdos.sys
Videorom.bin

Thanks
Mac!!!

I've heard a saying : about 99% of computer problems sit in front of the monitor

[coolsights2000]

I would have added this to the other post but I was a few seconds slow.....

I left the c:\ drive blank no windows on it nothing it just has c:\sys on it.... and it will only boot to the dos prompt.....

I also leave c:\ blank so if I get a program that install to c:\ only I can move it or change some thing to get it on the right partition.....

When I boot to a partition I use the nodrive in the registry to hide the other windows partitions cause some programs will search every drive when you install something and it cause conflicts......

So when I'm in a partition it only sees c:\ and h:\ ( H:\ is what is common to all as far as updates go...)
H:\ is my drivers and windows install files

when I'm on d: I hide e:\ and f:\
when I'm on e:\ I hide d:\ and f:\
when I'm on f:\ I hide d:\ and e:\

Thanks
Mac!!!

I've heard a saying : about 99% of computer problems sit in front of the monitor

[POBrien]

Hey Vernon,

I sure like your setup. Especially hiding the other drives based on what partition your loading to. The only thing I can think of at the moment is to build a Menu in config.sys and autoexec.bat and boot with it. Then in the menu you can choose which install to boot to (which would then replace the correct msdos.sys for the respective partition) in the c: drive. then remove the floppy and boot normal which would then read the current msdos.sys file and boot to that partition.

Pat

[coolsights2000]

LOL I like the idea of hot swapping the files but booting twice is asking too much.......

With all of the junk that starts up when we do boot up takes up too much time.....

The one thing I hate .. that I have seen complaints post on the net about.... Is the time that is wasted when you have a ATI\PCI and a SCSI\PCI card installed they kill ya at boot up time.....

I run all of drives on a different controller one drive per controller line..... no slaves allowed.... I have noticed that when you put a slave with a master they both spin up when you access one of them...

Plus the zip drive CD\dvd CD burner and all the other drives have different speeds if you put the cd on the same line as the 133 hard drive that hard drive gets downgraded to a 33........

The rest of the programs that starts up are neeeded..... the run keys are stripped of unnesscary junk....



Thanks
Mac!!!

I've heard a saying : about 99% of computer problems sit in front of the monitor

[BertImmenschuh]

The ATA/UDMA speed differences can be a problem. I run hard drives as Master and Slave on the Primary channel and CD-ROM/CD-RW/Zip drives as Master and Slave on the Secondary channel.

Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement