Dual Boot Setup - Two Primary Partitions??? Help!!!

[Gabe]

I was asking a while ago how to set up my computer
with a dual boot system using ME and XP. I got an answer
and some very helpful info, but I am having a problem.
Here it is...word for word
1. Create a 15MByte primary partition.
2. Create a further primary partition for WinMe, and make
it the primary and active partition.
3. Load Me into this partition.
4. Load the XOSL boot loader into the 15 MByte partition.

It goes on further with the instructions, but my
question is...how do I create two primary partitions???
Then set the second primary partition as primary and
activate it??? The only thing I have been able to do is
make a primary partition, then an extended partition. I
make the extended partition active, but when I try to load
Me on it, it says there isn't enough room on the first
partition. I am assuming it is doing this because the
first partition is the primary partition.
I only have my Me and XP disks. Do I have to get
some other kind of partitioning software to do this? If
so, can I get it for free somewhere, as it is not worth it
to me to buy it. If that is the case I will just use the
XP. I am not worried about the "third" partition for XP,
as XP will pretty much take whatever space is left if you
want it to, and you could load XP on a piece of roast beef
you throw on the floor.
Please help...I am lost now. I know I can do it
without the special boot loader, but I want the OSs to be
completely independent of each other. I tried it the
normal way, and it seems that both OSs like to share the
recycling bin, even if I use Tweak UI. Thanks in advance
for the help...Gabe

 

[Pegasus]

I was asking a while ago how to set up my computer
with a dual boot system using ME and XP. I got an answer
and some very helpful info, but I am having a problem.
Here it is...word for word
1. Create a 15MByte primary partition.
2. Create a further primary partition for WinMe, and make
it the primary and active partition.
3. Load Me into this partition.
4. Load the XOSL boot loader into the 15 MByte partition.

It goes on further with the instructions, but my
question is...how do I create two primary partitions???
Then set the second primary partition as primary and
activate it??? The only thing I have been able to do is
make a primary partition, then an extended partition. I
make the extended partition active, but when I try to load
Me on it, it says there isn't enough room on the first
partition. I am assuming it is doing this because the
first partition is the primary partition.
I only have my Me and XP disks. Do I have to get
some other kind of partitioning software to do this? If
so, can I get it for free somewhere, as it is not worth it
to me to buy it. If that is the case I will just use the
XP. I am not worried about the "third" partition for XP,
as XP will pretty much take whatever space is left if you
want it to, and you could load XP on a piece of roast beef
you throw on the floor.
Please help...I am lost now. I know I can do it
without the special boot loader, but I want the OSs to be
completely independent of each other. I tried it the
normal way, and it seems that both OSs like to share the
recycling bin, even if I use Tweak UI. Thanks in advance
for the help...Gabe

The instructions you quote were mine. They relied on you
having access either to a third-party partitioning program,
or to a machine with Win2000/XP loaded. Here is an
alternative that does not rely on these tools.

In your original post you mentioned that you were going
to restore your OSs from existing images. I take it that
this is no longer relevant, and that you will now do fresh
installations onto a blank hard disk.

1. Install WinXP Pro. Give it only as much room as
it needs (say 5 GBytes). Use NTFS as a filing system.

2. Launch WinXP Pro and create these additional partitions:
- A primary partition for WinXPHome.
- A logical drive for shared data. Leave 15 MBytes
free for XOSL!
- A logical FAT drive of 15 MBytes for XOSL.

3. Reboot the machine with a Win98 boot disk from
www.bootdisk.com.

4. Install XOSL into its own partition. Be very careful about
this! If you select the wrong partition then you will lose WinXP.

5. Launch XOSL and include the XPPro and XPHome partitions
in its menu. You cannot launch XPHome just yet but that's OK.

6. Reboot the machine and select XPPro. This should work OK.

Report back here when you have successfully reached this spot,
for further instructions. You should also state if you have any
imaging software, because this would make the task much easier.

 

[Gabe]

I'm sorry if I sound stupid, but this is a part I don't
understand.
2. Launch WinXP Pro and create these additional partitions:
- A primary partition for WinXPHome.
- A logical drive for shared data. Leave 15 MBytes
free for XOSL!
- A logical FAT drive of 15 MBytes for XOSL.

I don't have XP pro, just home edition. I can install XP
home no problem, and I can actually do it on about 40 gigs
as I have an 80 gig hard drive. But when you say "launch
XP", what do you mean? Do I create the other partitions
while I am actually running XP, and if so, how do I do
it? Do I go to the C drive icon and use "format", or do I
boot with something to create the other partitions? Or do
you mean this, in my words...Install XP on a specific
amount of my hard drive, then boot using my Me disk, run
fdisk, creat an extended DOS partition of the rest, minus
15 MBytes, and then creat more or less another extended
partition of the rest (15Mbytes)? Does that sound about
right? I'm sorry for sounding totally clueless. I love
computers and messing around with them, but I came into
them more or less after Windows 95, so when it comes to
partitioning and Dos commands(although not really using
them here), I don't know a whole lot. Thanks again for
the info...

 

[Killer]

What I do:
http://home.kooee.com.au/kingull/xp.html?

 

[Pegasus]

To find out how to create partitions in WinXP, click
Start / Help / Search tab. Now type partition.
Post again when you're comfortable with the subject.

 

[Pegasus]

Since you only quoted part of your original post, I was
unsure which of two fairly similar threads was yours: The
one with XPPro and XPHome, or the one with WinXP
and WinME. It now seems that you're after WinXP and
and WinME. This does not affect the instructions I gave
you so far, other than the word "XPHome" and this step:

2. Launch WinXP Pro and create these additional partitions:
- A primary FAT32 partition for WinME.
- A logical drive (FAT32) for shared data. Leave 15 MBytes
free for XOSL!
- A logical FAT drive of 15 MBytes for XOSL.

 

[Gabe]

Well, that doesn't really tell me a whole lot about
creating partitions. Tells me how to manage them, how to
delete them, and other things. But again, I do not have
XP pro. Will the unused space show up under the disk
management and from there give me options on creating a
partition in the unused space, and making them active?

 

[Pegasus]

Yes to all your questions. You really need to give it
a try! Newsgroups are not a substitute for reading
help files and getting your toes wet . . .

Just remember when you install WinXP: Don't let
it claim the the whole disk!

By the way, you never replied to my question about
imaging software.

 

[Gabe]

No, I don't have any imaging software. I am going to
go ahead and try the installations. I do read the Help
files quite often for things, including this when I first
decided to do this, but I just didn't think it gave me a
whole lot of info. Thanks for the help...Gabe

 

[Gabe]

I've given up. I was able to create the partitions, but
was not able to get ME to load into the one I wanted, even
using a startup disk. It just kept trying to load into
the partition that XP is on. I don't know the DOS
commands to load it, or any DOS commands to load
anything. With the XOSL, I don't know what to copy onto
the floppy, as it doesn't tell me. And again, I probably
would even be able to get that to load where I want
either. This is just too much of a headache to bother
with. I have a few programs that will not run properly in
XP, even in the alternate compatibility modes, and they
have no updates. I guess the sacrifice of using an OS
that has more features and is more stable is worth it.
Thanks for all of the help...

 

[Pegasus]

Sorry to hear that you're giving up. You should have
followed my advice, which was:
1. Load WinXP into a suitably sized primary partition.
2. Create the remaining partitions.
3. Load XOSL into a small logical drive.
4. Report back here.

It seems you jumped the gun and went ahead with
the WinME installation. I'm not surprised that it did
not work. When you do this sort of thing for the
first time then you have to follow someone's lead
rather than take things into your own hands.

 

[Gabe]

I can do that. I misread. What do I copy from the XOSL
onto the floppy to load onto the logical drive, and how do
I load it? Can I do it straight from XP, or do I have to
use the floppy? I can make the partitions no problem.
It's just that I don't understand how to load things from
Dos...I will try it again and do exactly what you
say...thanks

 

[Pegasus]

Here are some more details:
- Load WinXP (as stated before)
- Create your partitions (as stated before)
- You now have a FAT32 data partition. Unzip
XOSL into a folder on this partition.
- Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk (as stated before).
- The XOSL folder on your FAT32 partition will be visible
as drive C: or D:. Run install.bat from it.
- Specify that you want to install XOSL into its own
dedicated partition.
- When presented with a list of partitions, press PgDn until
the XOSL partition is visible and selected.
- Install XOSL.
- Reboot
- Add WinXP to the XOSL menu.
- Report back here.

 

[Gabe]

Okay, I now have four partitions. Well, three, the one
being with two logical drives. C is the one with XP on it
now. It is NTFS and 27.9GB. F is FAT32 and 27.8GB. G is
a logical FAT32 with 46.2Mbytes, and H is a logical FAT32
with 54Mbytes. H is the one I am using for shared data.
I had to make those two bigger than 15Mbytes because it
wouldn't let me format them with FAT32 when that small. I
originally didn't format the H drive because you didn't
mention formatting the shared file drive, but I realized I
had to or else it was useless. Drives D and E were
automatically assigned to my DVD and CDRW drives when XP
was first installed. I suppose I could change the drive
letters if I needed to, but I would probably be opening up
a whole new can of worms with doing that. I extracted the
XOSL to the H drive. I rebooted with the W98 boot disk
and all I saw was the usual three options. Start windows
with CD support, without, and the help file. I didn't see
any drives showing, so I didn't install the XOSL. I
couldn't get to it. Am I supposed to go to a command
prompt or something to access the H drive where the XOSL
was extracted to? Do I need to set it as active maybe?
Well, I got this far anyway...

 

[Gabe]

Okay, let me add little more to that. I just went into
FDisk to see the partition. The XP partition is not
showing a letter. The large FAT42 partition, the one for
ME, is showing as drive C. The partition isn't showing a
letter, but the logical drives are showing as D and E. D
being the one for XOSL, and E being the shared data one.
I guess this would make a little more sense. Okay, now I
see the partitions if FDisk, but how do I get into them to
install that XOSL that is on E onto D? Thanks...

 

[Pegasus]

See below.

Okay, I now have four partitions. Well, three, the one
being with two logical drives. C is the one with XP on it
now. It is NTFS and 27.9GB.

This is a very large drive for the operating system. It won't
hurt but you might feel sorry later on for having wasted
so much space. WinXP needs only 5 . . 10 GBytes.

F is FAT32 and 27.8GB.

Is this your WinME drive? If so then you must label
it as such so that you always know what it is. Again - why
make it so large? 2 GBytes would suffice for WinME!
Also - is it a primary or a logical drive? It must be a
primary drive.

G is a logical FAT32 with 46.2Mbytes.

What is it meant to be used for?

and H is a logical FAT32 with 54Mbytes. H is the one
I am using for shared data.

54 MBytes is measly for a shared data drive! It will be
full in no time at all.

I had to make those two bigger than 15Mbytes because it
wouldn't let me format them with FAT32 when that small. I
originally didn't format the H drive because you didn't
mention formatting the shared file drive, but I realized I
had to or else it was useless. Drives D and E were
automatically assigned to my DVD and CDRW drives when XP
was first installed. I suppose I could change the drive
letters if I needed to, but I would probably be opening up
a whole new can of worms with doing that. I extracted the
XOSL to the H drive. I rebooted with the W98 boot disk
and all I saw was the usual three options. Start windows
with CD support, without, and the help file. I didn't see
any drives showing, so I didn't install the XOSL. I
couldn't get to it. Am I supposed to go to a command
prompt or something to access the H drive where the XOSL
was extracted to? Do I need to set it as active maybe?
Well, I got this far anyway...

It's a good start even though I don't feel comfortable with
the numbers you chose. Remember: Unless you use
partitioning software, you will be stuck with the choices
you make right now. Here is again what you need:

WinXP: 5 . . 10 GBytes
WinME: 2 . . 5 GBytes
Shared data: 32 GBytes (WinXP won't let you make it any larger)
XOSL (15 MBytes

About your Win98 boot disk operation:
- Boot with it
- Boot without CD support
- Check ALL drive letters
- If you cannot find your XOSL stuff, run
fdisk.exe. It tells you what primary and
logical drives you have.

Also: Make sure to label the XOSL drive as "XOSL" so that
you can recognise it when installing XOSL later on.

 

[Pegasus]

Okay, let me add little more to that. I just went into
FDisk to see the partition. The XP partition is not
showing a letter. The large FAT42 partition, the one for
ME, is showing as drive C. The partition isn't showing a
letter, but the logical drives are showing as D and E. D
being the one for XOSL, and E being the shared data one.
I guess this would make a little more sense. Okay, now I
see the partitions if FDisk, but how do I get into them to
install that XOSL that is on E onto D? Thanks...

- Get onto the drive where you unzipped XOSL to.
- Change into the folder where install.bat resides.
- Run install.bat.

 

[Gabe]

I don't think you understand what I am saying. I know
that I have to do those things, but how? I don't know
how. Do I go onto the drive from Windows XP? How do I
get to the drive from the Windows 98 startup disk? I have
absolutely no clue...
The drives are that size because if I make them just five
gigs each, then what am I going to use the rest of the
hard drive for? I made the shared data drive that small
because I don't even know what you use a shared data drive
for. And it wasn't specefied as to how big to make it.
I know you are trying to help, and I really do appreciate
that, and I know it is frustrating trying to teach someone
what to do in a forum, but I don't understand at all what
I am doing. I don't know how to

- Get onto the drive where you unzipped XOSL to.
- Change into the folder where install.bat resides.
- Run install.bat

I know what drive it is in, but I don't know how to access
it from DOS, or the Windows 98 startup disk prompt, or
whatever you call it.

Installing XP or ME on a single drive, and creating
partitions for them is like 2+2 to me. But when we are
doing this other stuff, it's like astro physics. I don't
know.
Like I said, I truly appreciate the help, and I hope it's
not frustrating you too much that I am green at this. If
it is, and you don't want to bother anymore, I
understand. I just want to be able to do this. Thanks
again...

 

[Pegasus]

It's time to stand back for a moment and take account of
the situation.

Many respondends, when replying to a post, tailor their
answer according to these criteria:
a) Keep it short. In most cases the original poster requires
only a hint or a nudge in the right direction.
b) Don't try and teach him how to suck eggs.
c) Delivering a detailed set of instructions is in most cases
a waste of time. Provide more details in subsequent
replies if required.

It is obvious that your own level of experience is not yet
particularly deep. There is nothing wrong with this, except
that we started this thread under a false set of assumptions.

It is entirely feasible to teach you how to set up a robust
multi-booting system. However, to do so requires a fair
bit of patience from both of us, and a commitment from you
to carry it through to the end. There would be several rewards:
- You get a robust multi-booting PC.
- You acquire a good understanding about partitions and
operating systems.
- You learn how to move in a Command Line environment.

Continuing in this newsgroup is getting a little tedious. I now
propose this:
a) If you're prepared to make the commitment, drop me a
not to this address: (e-mail address removed) (remove
every "y" from this address). We will then continue by
EMail.
b) If you find that it's not worth the trouble, stop it right
here and now.

Over to you!