XP Pro installed - now I want to install Win98

[©®]

I already have XP installed on a 15GB partition using NTFS on 80GB hard
drive. I have a 30GB backup drive (FAT32) as spare.
On the 80GB hard drive I also have Linux on a separate partition. Got a
game that just won't play on XP so need Win98. I have the original 98 CD
so want to install it so I can play the game as well as a few other
things that require 98.
A boot loader comes up at PC start asking if I want Linux or XP. What do
I need to do now so I can install 98 and also have the choice of which
OS to start when booting.
Thanks
PS - I know you should start with installing 98 first but I just can't
go back and reformat the drive to do that. Is my situation impossible?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

HOW TO: Use the Program Compatibility Wizard in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;301911&Product=winxp

How do I install Windows 98/Me after I've installed XP?
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_9x.htm

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I already have XP installed on a 15GB partition using NTFS on 80GB hard
| drive. I have a 30GB backup drive (FAT32) as spare.
| On the 80GB hard drive I also have Linux on a separate partition. Got a
| game that just won't play on XP so need Win98. I have the original 98 CD
| so want to install it so I can play the game as well as a few other
| things that require 98.
| A boot loader comes up at PC start asking if I want Linux or XP. What do
| I need to do now so I can install 98 and also have the choice of which
| OS to start when booting.
| Thanks
| PS - I know you should start with installing 98 first but I just can't
| go back and reformat the drive to do that. Is my situation impossible?

 

[Sharon F]

I already have XP installed on a 15GB partition using NTFS on 80GB hard
drive. I have a 30GB backup drive (FAT32) as spare.
On the 80GB hard drive I also have Linux on a separate partition. Got a
game that just won't play on XP so need Win98. I have the original 98 CD
so want to install it so I can play the game as well as a few other
things that require 98.
A boot loader comes up at PC start asking if I want Linux or XP. What do
I need to do now so I can install 98 and also have the choice of which
OS to start when booting.
Thanks
PS - I know you should start with installing 98 first but I just can't
go back and reformat the drive to do that. Is my situation impossible?

In addition to what Carey has posted, you may want to check what the Linux
crowd has to recommend - especially if you are using that boot manager to
manage these operating systems.

 

[mhwang]

no.

this is how i'd go about doing this, but it's rather
convoluted, maybe there's a more elegant situation? go
into linux first, and then make a boot disc that can boot
into your linux kernel. this depends on your distro, but
there are two easy ways: one is to get a livecd
(gentoo.org or knoppix.org), and the other is to find a
floppy distro, like tom's root boot (www.toms.net/rb). at
this point, you'll be able to get back into linux at any
time, so you don't have to worry about anything.

install 98. the 98 install will overwrite the mbr, so you
won't be able to boot into anything other than win98 after
its installation; it's at this point you stick in either
the livecd or the floppy, and boot back into linux.

in both cases, you'll have to chroot into your other
install:
chroot /dev/hd__ /bin/bash
env-update

where you see the underscores are where you should type in
your / partition in linux. in my case, since i installed
it on my first ide hard drive on the second partition, i'd
type
/dev/hda2
while if i had put it on my second scsi hard drive, first
partition:
/dev/sdb1

once here, you have two paths, depending on which linux
loader you used. if you used grub, run:
grub
and then type:
root (hdx,y)
setup (hdx)
where x is the drive number (first ide drive = 0) and y is
the partition number minus one (first partition = 0).
then go and edit the grub.conf file at
/boot/grub/grub.conf
using whatever you use, nano or vim or emacs.
and insert entries for windows 98, windows xp, and linux.
your entries will be something along the lines of:
title Windows X
rootnoverify (hdx,y)
chainloader +1
title Windows 9
rootnoverify (hdx,y)
chainloader +1
title Linux
root (hdx,y)
kernel /boot/kernel root=/dev/hd___

if you're in lilo, i don't know what your configuration
file should look like, but what you'll have to do is edit
the
/etc/lilo.conf (or, /etc/lilo/lilo.conf)
file to include the new entries, and then run
lilo

and you should be able to boot into all three.

 

[swlbc]

Hi "CR", just a thought on your question bud ~ if you
already have the two operating systems running without any
grief, why add any? If I were you, I'd just buy another
hard drive to play the game rather than put your work and
saved files at any risk. I mean ~ just to play a video
game (hahahahahaa your kidding :->) ... of course, the
call is yours.
Steve
(e-mail address removed)

 

[©®]

Hi "CR", just a thought on your question bud ~ if you
already have the two operating systems running without any
grief, why add any? If I were you, I'd just buy another
hard drive to play the game rather than put your work and
saved files at any risk. I mean ~ just to play a video
game (hahahahahaa your kidding :->) ... of course, the
call is yours.
Steve

Thanks everyone.
Steve, my friends said there is most probably a patch for the game so I
can apply that so it is compatible with XP.