Dual Partition Win2K/XP

[WoofWoof]

Is it possible to set up a dual partition Win2K + WinXP using
Partition Magic and Boot Magic without either OS knowing about the
other? (In particular, I want to add an XP partition to my existing
Win2K setup.)

It seems to me I tried this once before by using PM to create a second
partition then hiding the win2K partition for the XP install ... but
XP found it anyway. Is there a "correct" way to do this and is there
any problem sharing partitions on a second, data drive with each OS?

 

[Andy]

If you really want XP not to see 2K, take the 2K hd out
and install XP on a second hd. However, I don't see any
harm in letting XP see 2K (The boot loader is unavoidable,
but you can set the display time manually).

As to your second question, do you mean the two OS sharing
the same data like word file or my favorite. If so, the
answer is "it is OK". But don't think about keeping the
same user/preferences on the same location.

Hope this helps.

 

[WoofWoof]

If you really want XP not to see 2K, take the 2K hd out
and install XP on a second hd. However, I don't see any
harm in letting XP see 2K (The boot loader is unavoidable,
but you can set the display time manually).

Call it a quirk of mine (or even paranoia if you want). I currently
have a win2K partition running video processing/graphics whick is
performing perfectly. I need this setup and I don't want to do
anything to risk upsetting it. I do have a couple of apps that need XP
however and previous experience with XP (albeit rather short) is that
it tends to take over your system rather a lot without giving you much
choice.

When I've set up dual/multi boot systems in the past (various
combinations of win95/win98/Nt/2K/linux) I've always managed to keep
the os partitions completely separate and hidden from each other which
I find simpler and preferable. The one time I tried with XP, the XP
install detected, recognised and used a partition that was supposedly
hidden from it (like I say, it tends to take over). Since it
disregards my obvious wishes in this respect what else would it do
without telling me? I have to trust MS's programmers that it won't do
anything to upset my 2K installation ... experience says that's not a
good bet.

On top of that, I'd prefer that the boot drive for each system was c:
That way, if I want to do something on the boot drive and assume it's
C: (out of habit) I won't run into a problem.

To me, the completely separate system approach is simpler, more
elegant and by far the least risk.

As to your second question, do you mean the two OS sharing
the same data like word file or my favorite. If so, the
answer is "it is OK". But don't think about keeping the
same user/preferences on the same location.

Yes, it was purely the data ... user/preferences would be kept on the
boot drive as normal. Partly this question was because I'd heard that
MS had made a change to the NTFS spec between 2K and XP. I assume
(there's that word) XP can handle the difference if it's doing the
reading/writing. Whether 2K can (being the earlier system) I have no
idea. Another good reason for keeping the two installations completely
separate in my opinion.

Thanks for the response, Andy.

 

[Rob Stow]

If you really want XP not to see 2K, take the 2K hd out
and install XP on a second hd. However, I don't see any
harm in letting XP see 2K (The boot loader is unavoidable,
but you can set the display time manually).

As to your second question, do you mean the two OS sharing
the same data like word file or my favorite. If so, the
answer is "it is OK". But don't think about keeping the
same user/preferences on the same location.

I have both Drive Image and Partition Magic (including
Boot Magic), which makes it easy to set things up like
this.

1.) Install one of the OSes into a primary partition.
2.) Use DI to save an image of that OS.
3.) Delete that partition.
4.) Install the second OS into a second primary partition.
5.) Use DI to restore the image created in step (2) to
the space it originally used.
6.) Boot up one of the OSes and install Boot Magic.

You end of with two OSes in two separate primary partitions
that are completely independent of each other and each thinks
it is the C: drive after you boot up.

 

[WoofWoof]

I have both Drive Image and Partition Magic (including
Boot Magic), which makes it easy to set things up like
this.

1.) Install one of the OSes into a primary partition.
2.) Use DI to save an image of that OS.
3.) Delete that partition.
4.) Install the second OS into a second primary partition.
5.) Use DI to restore the image created in step (2) to
the space it originally used.
6.) Boot up one of the OSes and install Boot Magic.

You end of with two OSes in two separate primary partitions
that are completely independent of each other and each thinks
it is the C: drive after you boot up.

This is exactly what I want. I'd tried it before using PM to hide the
first partition then create a second partition to install XP to but
the XP install found the hidden partition anyway.

I don't have drive image but I do have ghost which would probably do
the same thing (saving the image) and I have PM and BM... come to
think of it PM could do the image (with its copy function) couldn't
it?

Did you have any troubles with the mbr after restoring the first image
.... i.e. did you have to run fixboot or anything?

Thanks for this Rob.

 

[Rob Stow]

Rob Stow wrote:




This is exactly what I want. I'd tried it before using PM to hide the
first partition then create a second partition to install XP to but
the XP install found the hidden partition anyway.

Basically the imaging is just being used to hide the first
install from the second one.

I don't have drive image but I do have ghost which would probably do
the same thing (saving the image) and I have PM and BM... come to
think of it PM could do the image (with its copy function) couldn't
it?

My old version of PM can't do much beyond creating, formatting,
and resizing partitions.

Did you have any troubles with the mbr after restoring the first image
... i.e. did you have to run fixboot or anything?

No problems so far, and I've set up about 40 or 50 multi-boot
systems this way. Caveat: I haven't done this yet with
XP - only with mixes of Win9x, NT, W2K, and Linux.

 

[Lee]

This is exactly what I want. I'd tried it before using PM to hide the
first partition then create a second partition to install XP to but
the XP install found the hidden partition anyway.

I don't have drive image but I do have ghost which would probably do
the same thing (saving the image) and I have PM and BM... come to
think of it PM could do the image (with its copy function) couldn't
it?

Did you have any troubles with the mbr after restoring the first image
... i.e. did you have to run fixboot or anything?

Thanks for this Rob.

PM8 will copy partitions but 2k/XP will still see the partition unless
it is on a separate drive which is then disconnected. I used to swap
drives in/out of an open bay.

Just buy Drive image - it is the only thing I use for backups now.
However DI v7 requires 256 meg ram for the recovery environment and of
course saving images to the same physical drive defeats the whole idea
of a back-up if the drive itself crashes. However DI 7 images an
active/booted system partition which is _real_ handy.

lee