XP Dual boot question (W98)

[Lenb123]

I have been running 98se and I'd like to add XP as a dual boot. How do I ensure that when I install XP it dosen't wipe out my 98 programs and files? Once before, I reinstalled 98 and ended up losing everything, so I'm a little shy to just insert the disk and go for it.
Thanks,
Len

[BertImmenschuh]

The best way is to have a second partition or hard drive to install WinXP on. When WinXP gives a choice of upgrading Win98 or installing separate, choose separate and point it to the second partition/drive. The reason for 2 drives is the Master Boot Record gets changed by WinXP so it knows about Win98.

Some reading: <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>

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

[Lenb123]

If I set it up to another drive, would I have two master drives on the same IDE cable?
-Len

[BertImmenschuh]

No, you can't have 2 Master drives on the same cable. You will still use the Master and Slave settings for the hard drives and the BIOS will see them.

Then WinXP can install where you direct it. What WinXP does is put enough of itself on C: drive for booting and during the boot process, after choosing which OS, will switch over accordingly to the proper drive/partition.

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

[Lenb123]

When I format the drive, should I put an "s" in the format command to make it bootable?
-Len

[cool_rajan]

hai,

yes.if u use "/s" u can make the drive bootable to dos.when u use this command the three files needed to boot to dos will be copied to the drive.they r msdos.sys,io.sys and command.com.

i dont know whether u know this or not,but still i would like to tell u that u dont need an additional drive to install XP.u can use any partition which has saufficient space anda u can make it boot other windows operating systems

[LenBerman]

I already have a 40gb HD that I can use as a second drive, but it dosent have the bootable files on it. Can I use the drive, or do I have to reformat with the "s"? Is there any advantage to partioning rather than using a seconf HD?
-Len

[BertImmenschuh]

Being of sound? mind, I went to bed last night.

The second drive [D:] is not bootable and therefore does not need the boot files, BIOS only allows 1 boot drive at a time which is usually the Primary Master [C:]. My dual-boots [Win2000/Win98SE and WinXP HE/Win98SE] are on 2 partitions on the same drive as there's no way to have a second drive in them [notebooks]. The advantage of a second drive versus a second partition is that if one partition on a drive fails, there's a good chance the drive itself and all the partitions are failing.

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

[LenBerman]

So if I load XP on the D drive which is not bootable, will I be able to use it, or do I need to install it to C. My plan was to load XP on D. What should I do?
_len

[BertImmenschuh]

Install WinXP on D: drive as a new installation, not an upgrade. WinXP will change some files on C: to allow the dual-boot scenario, will give you a menu from which to choose the OS you want to start.

If you want to have access to both drives from both OSes, be sure to format as FAT32, Win98 can't see/work with NTFS, WinXP can do both.

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

[LenBerman]

One more question, do I have to format D with the "s" in the format command?
-Len

[BertImmenschuh]

No, the '/s' transfers the 3 to 5 files needed to make the drive bootable. Not needed in your case on drive D:.

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

[LenBerman]

Thank you for your help, I will install it tonight.
-Len