Win2K/XP multiboot

[Dawoodoz]

I have bought a new harddrive with 500GB for making a multiboot with Win2K/XP.
I created a MsDos partition-table since it's default and recomended.
I made 2 primary partitions for the systems and installed Windows2000 on the
first.
When it had formated and placed the files for installing Win2K, I could not
boot the setup on the harddrive.
When I looked at the partitions in Ubuntu's partition editor, there was only
one 500GB partition who I did not allow the creation of. The other partitions
was gone.

How do I get both Windows2000 and WindowsXP on the same drive?

 

[Rich Barry]

When you open Win2k MyComputer do you see the D: partition?? If yes
then install WinXP from the Win2k. When it asks do you want to upgrade say
no and choose clean install

 

[Dawoodoz]

The problem is that I have no OS at all on any booting device.
I'm using the Ubuntu CD to make partitiontables and partitions while playing
Gnome games.

 

[Rich Barry]

Ok, start from scratch. Remove the partitions you created with
Ubuntu. Then setting the CD drive as first boot device in the Bios use the
Win2K CD to create and format a
partition and install Win2k. Then install WinXP.

 

[Peter Foldes]

You need to use Grub not Ubuntu. Obviously it will not work (making a partition )
with a live distro. Use Grub if you are inclined to use a Linux distro to make
partitions. You can also use Knoppix

 

[Dawoodoz]

I tried installing Windows2000 on a clean HDD but it just asked if I wanted
to format the whole drive without even telling me if it discovered the HDD or
the SSD.
I will proubly follow Peter's advice and try Knoppix.
Grub seems to be overkill for multiboot beginners.

 

[Dawoodoz]

Knoppix didn't work.

Can the DOS partitiontable be incompatible with Windows when Win2K setup
believes that it's a new or damaged HDD?

 

[Rich Barry]

If it asked you if you wanted to partition the whole drive did you say
no? Did it give you any options.??? I havent done a clean install with
Win2k in a few years.

 

[Dawoodoz]

I tried both yes and no.
Installing that way didn't work for me since 500GB is too large for Win2K.

I'm now trying to install by partitioning with the WinXP installation before
installing Windows2000 on the new partition.

Installing XP directly didn't work since it seems to need some drivers to my
"OCZ SATA2 2.5" Solid State Drive".

 

[Dawoodoz]

Can I divide the drive into 5 x 100GB and access them all from Win2K or is
the address limit physical?

 

[Dawoodoz]

It's now official that Win2K setup is not multiboot compliant.
I told it to install in E: and it complained about that there is no boot.ini
in C:

Is it the BIOS setup or the SATA connection order that controlls wich device
gets the C: label?

I will have to unplug my SSD until I have installed Windows and hopes that
it won't try to start from my SSD when I plug it in.

 

[Dawoodoz]

I could not install anything in the HDD since the setup claims it to be broken.

I'm now trying to install XP on the SSD with the HDD unplugged and has been
waiting for the "Installing windows" step for about 3 hours.
Does the 5 dots show any real progress or does it only show that it's busy?

 

[Dawoodoz]

I have stoped waiting for the Windows XP setup to finish because I can't
sleep with the DVD reader noise in my bedroom.

 

[Tae Song]

It's now official that Win2K setup is not multiboot compliant.
I told it to install in E: and it complained about that there is no
boot.ini
in C:

Is it the BIOS setup or the SATA connection order that controlls wich
device
gets the C: label?

For multi-booting forget about drive letters for a minute and think drive
and partition.

You're installing Windows 2000 on drive 0 (first drive), partition 0 (first
partition).
Then you're installing Windows XP on drive 0 (first drive), partition 1
(second partition)

Boot letter is assigned by the OS once it is loaded into memory and up and
running. For example, there's no such thing as drive C: when using Linux
because it doesn't use drive letters.

When you startup Windows 2000, it will assign the letter C: to the
drive/partition (0/0) it's booting up on and assign the next partition
(Windows XP) as drive D:

When you startup Windows XP, it will assign the letter C: to drive/partition
(0/1) it's on and assign drive letter D: to partition with Windows 2000 on.

I will have to unplug my SSD until I have installed Windows and hopes that
it won't try to start from my SSD when I plug it in.

:

Good idea.