dual boot configuration, shared application question

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Guest

hi all.
I have a new laptop and am thinking of dual booting between xp pro and
2k pro, but i want to minimize space used for applications. i am going
to partition the hd for each operating system and create a third
partition for the profiles to be stored on so that i can access the
main profile from each operating system. now for the question.. can i
install applications like ms office on a fourth partition and have
both operating systems be able to use it?

thaks for your help

iain
 
iain cohn said:
hi all.
I have a new laptop and am thinking of dual booting between xp pro and
2k pro, but i want to minimize space used for applications. i am going
to partition the hd for each operating system and create a third
partition for the profiles to be stored on so that i can access the
main profile from each operating system. now for the question.. can i
install applications like ms office on a fourth partition and have
both operating systems be able to use it?

thaks for your help

iain
Click to expand...

You can but it is not advisable. You are likely to run into problems
if you have two OSs running the same applications.
 
Would you please explain how you install an application so that two
OSs can use it?

hawk
 
Be smart and install office on both OS's. Just install the functions you need, it shouldn't take up that much additional room.
 
You install it first while in one OS, then in the other, then
you brace yourself for possible clashes.
 
Well, unless you do something stupid, like share user files or
profiles, there is no problem. All dual boot systems require
installation of applications from within each OS. (If you want to run
the application from both OSs.) And there is no communication between
applications in different OSs. I don't understand your comments. What
possible clashes?

hawk
 
Different OSs use different settings and sometimes different
libraries for the same application. Outlook Express is notorious:
It will work very nicely for one OS but will consistently fail for
the other.

If your installation works fine when sharing applications, great!
On the other hand, if you need a really robust multi-booting
environment that is guaranteed to work then you should consider
installing each OS, with all its apps, in its own partition, and
make the other OS partitions invisible and inaccessible. Most
third-parth boot managers let you do this.
 
How else could you possibly install multiple OSs without having each
in its own partition? I have a dual boot with Win98 and WinXP, each in
its own partition. There is no communication between the two and no
conflicts, and no third party boot manager was required. There is no
way for WinXP to use applications installed in Win98, or Win98 to use
applications installed in WinXP.

I still don't understand your comments.

hawk
 
Simple:
1. Install Win2000 on drive C:
2. Install WinXP on drive D:
3. Boot into Win2000 and install your apps on drive C:
4. Boot into WinXP and install your apps once more
on drive C:.
In this scenario, both OSs use their apps on drive C:.
Not recommended but possible.

You write "I have a dual boot with Win98 and WinXP, each in
its own partition. There is no communication between the two".
If you do this with the WinXP boot manager then the two
partitions are visible to each other, hence communication
is possible. With some third-party boot manager, the
two partitions can be made mutually invisible. Try it so
that you can see for yourself!
 
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