Migrating 2 Operating Systems on dual-boot machine - Best Sequence??

[tzarina]

Currently have the following configuration:
C: Windows 98 - FAT32
D: Windows 2000 Pro - FAT32

Desired configuration:
C: Windows 2000 Pro - NTSF - clean install
D: Windows XP Pro - NTSF - upgrade

What sequence of steps will get me there, without tripping over my own
feet?

Tried migrating W98 first, (requesting NTSF), but system would not
boot. Hung on "Building DMI pool".
System would not boot at all (no visibility of BOOT.INI).

Tried first migrating W2K to WXP (FAT32). Got "Bad_Pool_Header" in
WXP.
System would boot; W98 still worked, but WXP hung on the above
message.

Is there a path through this mine field?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Currently have the following configuration:
C: Windows 98 - FAT32
D: Windows 2000 Pro - FAT32

Desired configuration:
C: Windows 2000 Pro - NTSF - clean install
D: Windows XP Pro - NTSF - upgrade

What sequence of steps will get me there, without tripping over my own
feet?

Tried migrating W98 first, (requesting NTSF), but system would not
boot. Hung on "Building DMI pool".
System would not boot at all (no visibility of BOOT.INI).

Tried first migrating W2K to WXP (FAT32). Got "Bad_Pool_Header" in
WXP.
System would boot; W98 still worked, but WXP hung on the above
message.

Is there a path through this mine field?

Assuming that your original installation -

C: Windows 98 - FAT32
D: Windows 2000 Pro - FAT32

is still intact, you could do this:
1. Upgrade Windows 2000 to WinXP. You will need
a WinXP upgrade CD.
2. Preserve the hidden files c:\ntldr, c:\ntdetect.com and c:\boot.ini.
3. Install Win2000 on C:.
4. Preserve c:\boot.ini.
5. Restore the hidden files from Step 2.
6. Merge boot.ini from Step 4 with boot.ini from Step 2.
7. Convert drives C: and D: to NTFS.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Are your copies of Win2000 and XP retail or OEM? If retail, are they
upgrade editions or standard?

You want to install Win2000 on C: first, then XP on D:. You can install XP
from the Win2000 desktop but use D: for the installation. Make sure you
have your drivers for both Win2000 and XP handy before you start.

You can format NTFS during installation.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Currently have the following configuration:
C: Windows 98 - FAT32
D: Windows 2000 Pro - FAT32

Desired configuration:
C: Windows 2000 Pro - NTSF - clean install
D: Windows XP Pro - NTSF - upgrade

You've already been told how, but I just wanted to add that what you
are planning is a licensing violation.

When you do an upgrade installation, the copy of Windows that you are
upgrading from becomes tied to the new version of Windows and is not
available for use by itself elsewhere (that's the reason that Upgrade
versions are less expensive than Full versions). So your copy of
Windows 2000 is not simultaneously available to install on C: and
upgrade from on D:.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

It may be, Ken. The superceded license just has to be eligible for upgrade
to XP. The Win98 license could qualify. It does not have to be part of the
installation methodology to qualify either. It would have to meet the
eligiblilty rules which is why I asked the questions. He could have a
combination of Win98 preinstalled, Win2000 standard retail, and XP upgrade
retail that would work for licensing. One scenario could be installation of
Win2000 standard retail on C: and then XP upgrade on D: using the OEM
license for Win98 sitting on the shelf but eligible as the superceded
license for the XP upgrade even though the XP upgrade installer had been run
from the Win2000 desktop.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

It may be, Ken. The superceded license just has to be eligible for upgrade
to XP. The Win98 license could qualify. It does not have to be part of the
installation methodology to qualify either. It would have to meet the
eligiblilty rules which is why I asked the questions. He could have a
combination of Win98 preinstalled, Win2000 standard retail, and XP upgrade
retail that would work for licensing. One scenario could be installation of
Win2000 standard retail on C: and then XP upgrade on D: using the OEM
license for Win98 sitting on the shelf but eligible as the superceded
license for the XP upgrade even though the XP upgrade installer had been run
from the Win2000 desktop.

There are lots of possible scenarios. I interpreted tzarina's question
as about upgrading the Windows 2000 installation to XP, and still
keeping 2000 running in a separate partition.

If my interpretation is wrong (possible, but I don't think so), then
of course it might be in conformance with the EULA.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

That was what I was addressing. She can continue to run Win2000 after
installing XP provided that the Win98 license is eligible for upgrade to
Vista. The Win2000 license wouldn't be involved. The installation
methodology is at the convenience of the user so even though the XP upgrade
procedure is run from the Win2000 desktop to install on another drive, the
Win98 license can still be used as the superceded license. That way she can
continue to use Win2000 in her dual boot configuration.

 

[tzarina]

That was what I was addressing. She can continue to run Win2000 after
installing XP provided that the Win98 license is eligible for upgrade to
Vista. The Win2000 license wouldn't be involved. The installation
methodology is at the convenience of the user so even though the XP upgrade
procedure is run from the Win2000 desktop to install on another drive, the
Win98 license can still be used as the superceded license. That way she can
continue to use Win2000 in her dual boot configuration.

On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 16:19:07 -0600, "Colin Barnhorst"

There are lots of possible scenarios. I interpreted tzarina's question
as about upgrading the Windows 2000 installation to XP, and still
keeping 2000 running in a separate partition.

If my interpretation is wrong (possible, but I don't think so), then
of course it might be in conformance with the EULA.

Thank you all for your kind assistance. And I do appreciate the
discussion on licensing.

All licenses involved are retail. In addition, I actually have 2
licensed copies of W2K Pro, of which only one has ever been used. The
XP license is an UPGRADE license.

As to the sequence of converting my drives from FAT32 to NTSF, will
there be any issues with the sequence of conversion? For example,
would converting C first, which has the only BOOT.INI, create a
problem for converting D second?

Thanks again for all the help.