PBM: Dual boot with dos on floppy

[Alexandre.delay]

Hi,

I would like to build a boot floppy disk (which will become a CD after
validation) with MS-DOS on IT.
It would first boot and propose to choose between:
-WinXP (on hard drive)
-DOS (on the floppy)
(The idea is to make a boot CD which would permit to get dos on any PC and
booting XP without having to take the CD/floppy out.)

I made my disk like that:
1) I did format it under XP to get the proper MBR on it.
2) I placed boot.ini, NTDLR and NTDETECT.COM on it so that it boots and
propose to choose.
3) I placed the WinME boot disk files (autoexec.bat, command.com,
config.sys, io.sys...)
4) I extracted the WinME MBR and placed it as BOOTSECT.DOS on the floppy

Here is my boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptIn
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos

I thought it would be ok (and it works perfect for WinXP), but when I choose
DOS, I got an error on <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

What is wrong with this boot disk?

Thanks for your help

Cheers

Alex

 

[Og]

DOS (Disk Operating System) is, as the name implies, an OPERATING SYSTEM.
Just as four tires and a steering wheel does not constitute an automobile, a
few DOS system files does not constitute an Operating System.
Hint #1: The Disk Operating System upon which Windows 95 rides upon will NOT
fit on a single floppy disk.
Hint #2: The Command Line Interface included with Windows NT/XP/2003 is NOT
Windows DOS.
Hint #3: You will need to create a FAT partition on your hard drive if you
wish to install DOS.

Steve

 

[Alexandre.delay]

1) I don't want to install DOS, the boot disk is plenty enough for what I
want. I only want to choose between XP and this micro-OS (yes a DOS boot
disk include an OS!! It allows to fully operate the system!)
2) I'm not interrested by XP command line interface
3) The FS located on a floppy is exactly a FAT FS. No problem with booting
on it.

cheers

DOS (Disk Operating System) is, as the name implies, an OPERATING SYSTEM.
Just as four tires and a steering wheel does not constitute an automobile,
a few DOS system files does not constitute an Operating System.
Hint #1: The Disk Operating System upon which Windows 95 rides upon will
NOT fit on a single floppy disk.
Hint #2: The Command Line Interface included with Windows NT/XP/2003 is
NOT Windows DOS.
Hint #3: You will need to create a FAT partition on your hard drive if you
wish to install DOS.

Steve

Hi,

I would like to build a boot floppy disk (which will become a CD after
validation) with MS-DOS on IT.
It would first boot and propose to choose between:
-WinXP (on hard drive)
-DOS (on the floppy)
(The idea is to make a boot CD which would permit to get dos on any PC
and booting XP without having to take the CD/floppy out.)

I made my disk like that:
1) I did format it under XP to get the proper MBR on it.
2) I placed boot.ini, NTDLR and NTDETECT.COM on it so that it boots
and propose to choose.
3) I placed the WinME boot disk files (autoexec.bat, command.com,
config.sys, io.sys...)
4) I extracted the WinME MBR and placed it as BOOTSECT.DOS on the
floppy

Here is my boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptIn
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos

I thought it would be ok (and it works perfect for WinXP), but when I
choose DOS, I got an error on <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

What is wrong with this boot disk?

Thanks for your help

Cheers

Alex

 

[Guest]

Windows XP is not based on MS-DOS, therefore there is no
MS-DOS to boot into.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

1) I don't want to install DOS, the boot disk is plenty enough for what I
want. I only want to choose between XP and this micro-OS (yes a DOS boot
disk include an OS!! It allows to fully operate the system!)
2) I'm not interrested by XP command line interface
3) The FS located on a floppy is exactly a FAT FS. No problem with booting
on it.

cheers

DOS (Disk Operating System) is, as the name implies, an OPERATING SYSTEM.
Just as four tires and a steering wheel does not constitute an automobile,
a few DOS system files does not constitute an Operating System.
Hint #1: The Disk Operating System upon which Windows 95 rides upon will
NOT fit on a single floppy disk.
Hint #2: The Command Line Interface included with Windows NT/XP/2003 is
NOT Windows DOS.
Hint #3: You will need to create a FAT partition on your hard drive if you
wish to install DOS.

Steve

Hi,

I would like to build a boot floppy disk (which will become a CD after
validation) with MS-DOS on IT.
It would first boot and propose to choose between:
-WinXP (on hard drive)
-DOS (on the floppy)
(The idea is to make a boot CD which would permit to get dos on any PC
and booting XP without having to take the CD/floppy out.)

I made my disk like that:
1) I did format it under XP to get the proper MBR on it.
2) I placed boot.ini, NTDLR and NTDETECT.COM on it so that it boots
and propose to choose.
3) I placed the WinME boot disk files (autoexec.bat, command.com,
config.sys, io.sys...)
4) I extracted the WinME MBR and placed it as BOOTSECT.DOS on the
floppy

Here is my boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptIn
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos

I thought it would be ok (and it works perfect for WinXP), but when I
choose DOS, I got an error on <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

What is wrong with this boot disk?

Thanks for your help

Cheers

Alex

 

[AJR]

Hi,

I would like to build a boot floppy disk (which will become a CD after
validation) with MS-DOS on IT.
It would first boot and propose to choose between:
-WinXP (on hard drive)
-DOS (on the floppy)
(The idea is to make a boot CD which would permit to get dos on any PC and
booting XP without having to take the CD/floppy out.)

I made my disk like that:
1) I did format it under XP to get the proper MBR on it.
2) I placed boot.ini, NTDLR and NTDETECT.COM on it so that it boots and
propose to choose.
3) I placed the WinME boot disk files (autoexec.bat, command.com,
config.sys, io.sys...)
4) I extracted the WinME MBR and placed it as BOOTSECT.DOS on the
floppy

Here is my boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptIn
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos

I thought it would be ok (and it works perfect for WinXP), but when I
choose DOS, I got an error on <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

What is wrong with this boot disk?

Thanks for your help

While selecting an option in boot.ini you are still within XP boot
procedure - messge you are receiving re:HAL.DLL indicates system cannot find
XP .
The following may work - copy floppy contents to a folder on C - add
C:\"floppy contents"
Interesting comments will be received about DOS and XP - the name command
prompt is same as MS-Dos prompt (a rose by any other name...) - Recovery
console commands are DOS based - and finally how does XP create through A
drive properties>format> option to create a "MS-D0S startup disc"?

 

[Alexandre.delay]

Would you please read my post before saying something stupid!

until then, ther is nothing difficult, nor impossible. I just have a WinMe
boot disk.

If you don't understand, just don't answer (that only means that you don't
have the answer to my question nor the knowledge to make an intelligent
answer).

Here is my boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptIn
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos

I thought it would be ok (and it works perfect for WinXP), but when I
choose DOS, I got an error on <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

What is wrong with this boot disk?

Thanks for your help

After that, I would have loved to make things more complicated (why not
installing a BSD boot manager on the floppy's MBR for example? certainly
because it wouldn't help as BSD boot manager doesn't allow to boot floppy
disk), but all I want is to understand why after loading my pre-XP (ie DOS)
MBR (the file bootsect.dos) this boot disk continues in the XP loading
searching HAL.DLL on the floppy.

If you want to learn things before answering with stupid message, just type
"bootsect.dos" in google.
You'll find something like that:
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm

cheers

Alex

PS: still interrested by a real answer

 

[Kerry Brown]

Hi,

I would like to build a boot floppy disk (which will become a CD after
validation) with MS-DOS on IT.
It would first boot and propose to choose between:
-WinXP (on hard drive)
-DOS (on the floppy)
(The idea is to make a boot CD which would permit to get dos on any
PC and booting XP without having to take the CD/floppy out.)

I made my disk like that:
1) I did format it under XP to get the proper MBR on it.
2) I placed boot.ini, NTDLR and NTDETECT.COM on it so that it
boots and propose to choose.
3) I placed the WinME boot disk files (autoexec.bat, command.com,
config.sys, io.sys...)
4) I extracted the WinME MBR and placed it as BOOTSECT.DOS on the
floppy
Here is my boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptIn
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos

I thought it would be ok (and it works perfect for WinXP), but when I
choose DOS, I got an error on <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

What is wrong with this boot disk?

Thanks for your help

Cheers

Alex

This seems like a lot of work to accomplish nothing. If you want to boot
from DOS insert a DOS floppy and boot from it. If you want to boot from XP
remove the floppy and reset the computer. What could be easier? If you are
using this for troubleshooting multiple pc's then it's a total waste of
time. Most XP installations use NTFS so booting to DOS will get you nowhere.

Kerry

 

[Kerry Brown]

While selecting an option in boot.ini you are still within XP boot
procedure - messge you are receiving re:HAL.DLL indicates system
cannot find XP .
The following may work - copy floppy contents to a folder on C - add
C:\"floppy contents"
Interesting comments will be received about DOS and XP - the name
command prompt is same as MS-Dos prompt (a rose by any other name...)
- Recovery console commands are DOS based - and finally how does XP
create through A drive properties>format> option to create a "MS-D0S
startup disc"?

While the commands in the recovery console are similar to DOS commands the
recovery console is not DOS in any way shape or form. By your logic DOS is
actually CP/M or Unix because some of the commands work the same.

Kerry

 

[Alexandre.delay]

Again,

If you want to learn things before answering, just type
"bootsect.dos" in google.
You'll find something like that:
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm

My need is to keep the floppy inserted and to let me choose. I can NOT
manipulate it.

Cheers

Alex

Hi,

I would like to build a boot floppy disk (which will become a CD after
validation) with MS-DOS on IT.
It would first boot and propose to choose between:
-WinXP (on hard drive)
-DOS (on the floppy)
(The idea is to make a boot CD which would permit to get dos on any
PC and booting XP without having to take the CD/floppy out.)

I made my disk like that:
1) I did format it under XP to get the proper MBR on it.
2) I placed boot.ini, NTDLR and NTDETECT.COM on it so that it
boots and propose to choose.
3) I placed the WinME boot disk files (autoexec.bat, command.com,
config.sys, io.sys...)
4) I extracted the WinME MBR and placed it as BOOTSECT.DOS on the
floppy
Here is my boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptIn
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos

I thought it would be ok (and it works perfect for WinXP), but when I
choose DOS, I got an error on <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

What is wrong with this boot disk?

Thanks for your help

Cheers

Alex

This seems like a lot of work to accomplish nothing. If you want to boot
from DOS insert a DOS floppy and boot from it. If you want to boot from XP
remove the floppy and reset the computer. What could be easier? If you are
using this for troubleshooting multiple pc's then it's a total waste of
time. Most XP installations use NTFS so booting to DOS will get you
nowhere.

Kerry

 

[Kerry Brown]

Again,

If you want to learn things before answering, just type
"bootsect.dos" in google.
You'll find something like that:
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm

My need is to keep the floppy inserted and to let me choose. I can NOT
manipulate it.

The link pretty much repeats what every one here is telling you. You can
create a XP boot floppy which only works if the file system is mostly there
and readable on the hard drive. You can also create a DOS boot floppy.
Insert the correct one and boot the computer. If you need to access dead XP
systems then use BartPe or a Linux boot CD. You still haven't provided a
reason that makes sense for why you need a dual boot floppy. How hard is it
to remove a floppy or CD before rebooting?

Kerry

 

[q_q_anonymous]

Hi,

I would like to build a boot floppy disk (which will become a CD after
validation) with MS-DOS on IT.
It would first boot and propose to choose between:
-WinXP (on hard drive)
-DOS (on the floppy)
(The idea is to make a boot CD which would permit to get dos on any PC and
booting XP without having to take the CD/floppy out.)

I made my disk like that:
1) I did format it under XP to get the proper MBR on it.
2) I placed boot.ini, NTDLR and NTDETECT.COM on it so that it boots and
propose to choose.
3) I placed the WinME boot disk files (autoexec.bat, command.com,
config.sys, io.sys...)
4) I extracted the WinME MBR and placed it as BOOTSECT.DOS on the floppy

Here is my boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptIn
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos

I thought it would be ok (and it works perfect for WinXP), but when I choose
DOS, I got an error on <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

What is wrong with this boot disk?

Thanks for your help

Cheers

Alex

I agree with you regarding the unintelligent answers

At least I understand the question, sounds like a great idea. But I've
never done it. And you've got more of an idea than me

I notice that BOOTSECT.DOS in on A in your case.
Yet according to this link - which is related to what you're doing
http://www.bcpl.net/~dbryan/directboot.html
perhaps that file should be on C. The same drive as boot.ini is
located on
I really don't know though, perhaps I misread that link and/or you're
some steps ahead.

I'm sure you can get a 3rd party boot manager that will do it. Though
it's unusual to run the boot manager part off a media disc, and/or to
include booting from a floppy as an option - usually people when given
achoice, choose hard drive partitions. It should be possible though.

Try another newsgroup that isn't so Win XP oriented. This is more
generally a Win NT problem. I'm sure the linux guys could get it done
with LILO boot manager. But perhaps Win XP's boot manager can do it
too.

Good Luck

 

[q_q_anonymous]

The link pretty much repeats what every one here is telling you. You can
create a XP boot floppy which only works if the file system is mostly there
and readable on the hard drive. You can also create a DOS boot floppy.
Insert the correct one and boot the computer. If you need to access dead XP
systems then use BartPe or a Linux boot CD. You still haven't provided a
reason that makes sense for why you need a dual boot floppy. How hard is it
to remove a floppy or CD before rebooting?

Kerry

Dont' tell him what he wants to do. He said what he wants to do and is
asking how to do it.

If you actually read his post and use the limited SENSE that you have,
you'll see he is a techie. You don't need to tell him that there are
other ways of booting to DOS e.g. booting off the relevant floppy. He
is obviously aware of that


He doesn't need to convince you of why he wants the convenience of the
solution he is after. Though you should be able to figure out the
reason is that it's CONVENIENT.
Perhaps his computer box, his chassis, his case, is far away from his
monitor keyb and mouse, and he doesn't want to install DOS on his
machine. So he'll put the CD in the drive and go upstairs to his
keyb/mouse/monitor, and choose which he wants to boot to without having
to go back downstairs.

Of course, if that were the problem, he could use a workaround, and use
the BIOS to choose whether to boot from floppy or not. But he is a
techie and is fully aware of that. He didn't come here to argue the
merit of one solution over another. He asked a techie question.

Either solve the problem, or help solve the problem, or refrain. Or do
as I have and rebuke somebody for not following those techie codes of
behaviour. It looks like all the smart people are switching over to
*nix or avoiding this newsgroup.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Dont' tell him what he wants to do. He said what he wants to do and is
asking how to do it.

If you actually read his post and use the limited SENSE that you
have, you'll see he is a techie. You don't need to tell him that
there are other ways of booting to DOS e.g. booting off the relevant
floppy. He is obviously aware of that


He doesn't need to convince you of why he wants the convenience of the
solution he is after. Though you should be able to figure out the
reason is that it's CONVENIENT.
Perhaps his computer box, his chassis, his case, is far away from his
monitor keyb and mouse, and he doesn't want to install DOS on his
machine. So he'll put the CD in the drive and go upstairs to his
keyb/mouse/monitor, and choose which he wants to boot to without
having to go back downstairs.

Of course, if that were the problem, he could use a workaround, and
use the BIOS to choose whether to boot from floppy or not. But he
is a techie and is fully aware of that. He didn't come here to argue
the merit of one solution over another. He asked a techie question.

Either solve the problem, or help solve the problem, or refrain. Or
do as I have and rebuke somebody for not following those techie codes
of behaviour. It looks like all the smart people are switching over to
*nix or avoiding this newsgroup.

If in your zeal to proselytise Linux you had actually read my posts you
would see that I am trying to help. I don't think what he wants to do can be
done other than with Linux or BartPe or WinPe. I actually recommended your
preferred OS, Linux. Finding out why he wants to do this is crucial to
coming up with something that will work. It's pretty hard to solve a problem
when you don't know what the problem is.

Kerry

 

[Alexandre.delay]

In fact the reason is quite simple.
The environnement is very agressive and it is impossible to access to the
box (it is in a factory).
I need a DOS OS (a simple boot disk is enough) to interract with a
mechanical device thanks to a software which I can't launch under any other
OS than DOS (it manage a specific way IO)

cheers

Alex

 

[Kerry Brown]

In fact the reason is quite simple.
The environnement is very agressive and it is impossible to access to
the box (it is in a factory).
I need a DOS OS (a simple boot disk is enough) to interract with a
mechanical device thanks to a software which I can't launch under any
other OS than DOS (it manage a specific way IO)

cheers

Alex

I would use a boot manager and install DOS to a partition on the hard drive
and use the boot manager to select the OS. If this is not possible then you
may be able to create a linux CD and use LILO to pick booting to either a
DOS floppy, Linux CD or Windows XP hard drive. I don't know Linux or LILO
well enough to give you instructions. Perhaps a detailed post on what you
are tryin to accomplish and why to a Linux or LILO newsgroup would help. You
may even be able to do it from a LILO floppy.

http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Boot_floppy

Here's another possible alternative

http://www.osloader.com/

Here's more

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=run+boot+manager+from+floppy&btnG=Google+Search

Kerry


Kerry

 

[q_q_anonymous]

If in your zeal to proselytise Linux you had actually read my posts you
would see that I am trying to help. I don't think what he wants to do can be
done other than with Linux or BartPe or WinPe. I actually recommended your
preferred OS, Linux. Finding out why he wants to do this is crucial to
coming up with something that will work. It's pretty hard to solve a problem
when you don't know what the problem is.

Kerry

sorry, I was a bit unfair. Your post that I responded to was the first
post there that contains an attempt at solving the problem, closest to
the solution the OP was looking for.

Though when you made a reference to what everyone was telling him, and
at the end asking him why he can't put a disc in the drive before
rebooting. It stuck in my mind and I forgot the substance in the
middle.

 

[Kerry Brown]

sorry, I was a bit unfair. Your post that I responded to was the first
post there that contains an attempt at solving the problem, closest to
the solution the OP was looking for.

Though when you made a reference to what everyone was telling him, and
at the end asking him why he can't put a disc in the drive before
rebooting. It stuck in my mind and I forgot the substance in the
middle.

No problem

Kerry

 

[Alexandre.delay]

I finally found a way to the solution.

After several tests. I put my BOOTSECT.DOS on the HDD and it works (with
C:\BOOTSECT.DOS in the boot.ini). I can boot under DOS from that floppy with
that boot.ini:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
C:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos


The thing is that I would like to keep the bootsect.dos on the floppy.

Is there a way to tell boot.ini to find the BOOTSECT.DOS on the floppy?

A:\BOOTSECT.DOS in the BOOT.INI doesn't work.

cheers

Alex

 

[Kerry Brown]

I finally found a way to the solution.

After several tests. I put my BOOTSECT.DOS on the HDD and it works
(with C:\BOOTSECT.DOS in the boot.ini). I can boot under DOS from
that floppy with that boot.ini:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
C:\BOOTSECT.DOS="DOS" /win95dos


The thing is that I would like to keep the bootsect.dos on the floppy.

Is there a way to tell boot.ini to find the BOOTSECT.DOS on the
floppy?
A:\BOOTSECT.DOS in the BOOT.INI doesn't work.

cheers

Alex

I don't know. As I said it looks like there are quite few third party tools
that will do what you want. Many of them are free.

Kerry

 

[Alexandre.delay]

Many are free, but none can boot from floppy