Multi-OS Boot Managers / Partitioning Utilities

[Errol Holt]

OK, I give up. I need some advice on selecting a
multiple OS Boot Manager and Partitioning Tool.

I am overwhelmed by all of the information I have
found (see below) so I am appealing to those of you
that have been down this path before.

Thanks in advance,

Errol


Criteria good bootmanagers
http://www.boot-manager.de/english/overview.html?id=4&id=9

Comparisons of Multi-OS Boot Managers
http://www.boot-manager.de/english/overview.html
http://lists.gpick.com/pages/Multi-Booting.htm
http://www.multiboot.net/
http://members.cox.net/dos/boot.htm#osboot
http://home.att.net/~short.stop/freesoft/boot.htm#osboot

Comparisons to other programs: LILO, BOOTSTAR and BOOTIT
http://www.trombettworks.com/multi-boot.htm#comparison_programs

Multibooting with Windows 2000 and Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mltiboot.asp

The Multi-Boot Configuration Handbook
http://www.rodsbooks.com/multiboot/

Multi-Booting Microsoft Operating Systems
http://www.mcmcse.com/win2k/guides/multiboot.shtml


Software:

BootStar
http://www.star-tools.com/english/download.html

OSL2000
http://www.osloader.com

Smart Boot Manager
http://btmgr.sourceforge.net

MasterBooter
http://www.masterbooter.com

Easy Boot Manager
http://www.mstboot.com/en/download.htm

Multiple Boot Manager (MBM)
http://elm-chan.org/fsw/mbm/mbm_e.html

BootIt Next Generation
http://terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html

Boot-US
http://www.boot-us.com/

Ranish Partition Manager
http://www.ranish.com/part

Acronis OS Selector
http://www.acronis.com/products/osselector/

PARAGON BootManager
http://www.paragon-gmbh.com/f_bm.htm

PQBoot (Boot Magic) as part of Partition Magic
http://www.symantec.com/partitionmagic/features.html

System Commander
http://www.v-com.com/product/sc7_ind.html

Power Boot
http://www.blueskyinnovations.com/pboot.html

LegendOS Boot Manager
http://www.dewassoc.com/support/useful/legendos.htm

zBoot Manager
http://zbmsoft.com/

HyperOs
http://www.hyperos2002.com/

 

[Rob Elder, MVP-Networking]

What OSs do you want to boot to?

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

BootIt Next Generation, www.bootitng.com, is my personal choice. Half the price of Partition Magic and just as full featured.

 

[CS]

OK, I give up. I need some advice on selecting a
multiple OS Boot Manager and Partitioning Tool.

I am overwhelmed by all of the information I have
found (see below) so I am appealing to those of you
that have been down this path before.

Thanks in advance,

Errol

IMO, here's the best:

www.terabyteunlimited.com

The program is called "BootIt Next Generation", shareware, try before
you buy, fully functional. Fits on a single floppy disk. Well
supported by the author who also personally answers questions via
E-mail and in a newsgroup forum especially dedicated to the program.

By the way, BootIt Next Generation also does drive/partition imaging,
and much more. Go to the web site and read up on it. Learning curve
for the program is a bit steep, but well worth the time.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

I should think the answer would depend largely upon which specific
operating systems you're thinking of using, and you've left out that
bit of information.

Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

 

[CZ]

OK, I give up. I need some advice on selecting a
multiple OS Boot Manager and Partitioning Tool.

I am overwhelmed by all of the information I have
found (see below) so I am appealing to those of you
that have been down this path before.

Errol:

IMO, if all of your op systems are MS Windows based, use the included XP
boot mgr.
On one test computer, I use it to run nine op systems ranging from Win9x to
Win2k3 server op systems.

For partition mgmt, I use Partition Magic v7.01, from a floppy boot only.

 

[Errol Holt]

IMO, here's the best:

www.terabyteunlimited.com

The program is called "BootIt Next Generation", shareware, try before
you buy, fully functional. Fits on a single floppy disk. Well
supported by the author who also personally answers questions via
E-mail and in a newsgroup forum especially dedicated to the program.

By the way, BootIt Next Generation also does drive/partition imaging,
and much more. Go to the web site and read up on it. Learning curve
for the program is a bit steep, but well worth the time.

Thanks for responding. I am very pleased to
learn that the author is supporting the product
well enough to gain your endorsement. This
is the hallmark of good software, shareware
or otherwise.

Errol

 

[Errol Holt]

Thank you for responding.

Yours is the second vote for BootIt Next Generation.

Errol

BootIt Next Generation, www.bootitng.com, is my personal choice.
Half the price of Partition Magic and just as full featured.

<snip>

 

[Errol Holt]

OK, I give up. I need some advice on selecting a

IMO, if all of your op systems are MS Windows based,
use the included XP boot mgr.
On one test computer, I use it to run nine op systems
ranging from Win9x to Win2k3 server op systems.

For partition mgmt, I use Partition Magic v7.01,
from a floppy boot only.

Does this mean that BootIt Next Generation does not add
additional multiboot capabilities beyond that of WinXP's
Boot Manager?

Thanks for your help.

Errol

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

No, BootIt offers a very full featured boot manager, well above and beyond the basic Windows boot loader.

 

[CS]

Does this mean that BootIt Next Generation does not add
additional multiboot capabilities beyond that of WinXP's
Boot Manager?

Thanks for your help.

Errol

Hi Errol:

BootIt Next Generation does indeed add additional multiboot capability
way beyond what the boot manager in XP provides. Give it a try.
Good luck.

Regards.

 

[Errol Holt]

I need some advice on selecting a multiple

Hi Errol:
BootIt Next Generation does indeed add additional multiboot capability
way beyond what the boot manager in XP provides. Give it a try.
Good luck.

What additional multiboot capabilities does BootIt Next
Generation add beyond that of WinXP's Boot Manager?

Thanks for your help.

Errol