Multiboot with Win ME and 2 copies of Win2K?

[Walter Donavan]

Is it possible? I'm exploring the idea so I could have:

1. A copy of Win 2K to set up and then leave alone (no messing with it).

2. Another copy of Win2K to do my usual dangerous playing with new software
(installing and uninstalling sometimes dubious programs). I would want to be
able to blow away and rebuild this copy occasionally.

3. Win ME for old games and such that cannot be made to work with Win2K
(even with Apcompat.exe).

I presently have a Win2K-Win ME dual boot system. Can I just add another
copy of Win2K?

--
Walter Donavan
Revelation: The Seven Stages of the
Journey Back to God
www.revelation7stages.com
www.1stbooks.com/bookview/15479

 

[Gary Smith]

I presently have a Win2K-Win ME dual boot system. Can I just add another
copy of Win2K?

There's no reason why you can't. Many people have done this by accident,
and installing an alternate copy is one method of performing a restore
from backup or maikng certain repairs that are difficult or impossible
when a system is running.

 

[Walter Donavan]

Thanks, Gary.

So I create another partition, install W2K there? Then how do I get the
second copy into the boot.ini dialogue? I have some familiarity with
bootpart.exe. Could I use that?

 

[Gary Smith]

So I create another partition, install W2K there? Then how do I get the
second copy into the boot.ini dialogue? I have some familiarity with
bootpart.exe. Could I use that?

When you install the additional copy, the installation process will
automatically add it to boot.ini. The only distinguishing between that
and the previously installed version will be the partition number. You
might see somthing that resembles this (lines indented two spaces to
reveal line wrap):

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="MS-DOS 6.22"

You'll probably want to alter one of the descroptions so you can tell them
apart more easily in the boot dialog.

 

[Walter Donavan]

Thank you, Gary. I saved this for reference.

Right now I am still trying to install the second copy of Win2K. No matter
whether I choose upgrade from Win ME (recommended in the Que manual, "Using
Microsoft Windows Professional") or clean install, it wants to overwrite my
current copy of Win 2K (D: partition). No thank you.

I can't get it to install it in the new partition, H:, on Drive 2.

 

[Walter Donavan]

Hi Gary,

It is done. I got the second copy installed. It was easy once I got the
right mind-set. All went as you said it would.

Thanks again.

 

[Gary Smith]

It is done. I got the second copy installed. It was easy once I got the
right mind-set. All went as you said it would.

Thanks again.

Thanks for the feedback. It's always good to hear that something has
worked.