Windows 98 after XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jack
  • Start date Start date
J

Jack

Hello,
I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
But XP has been already installed on C:\
Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
then place 98 to C:\ ?
Thanks
Jack
 
Jack wrote:
> Hello,
> I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
> But XP has been already installed on C:\
> Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
> then place 98 to C:\ ?
> Thanks
> Jack
>
>

Yes, by clean installing both with a dual boot. Either that or leave
well enough alone and just put a new hard drive in where the XP is now
and install 98 on that hard drive. I am assuming, of course, that you
have 98 drivers for your hardware.

Alias
 
No, XP will stay on "it's own C:". If "C" is Fat32, you are going to
have a difficult time of it.

Jack wrote:
> Hello,
> I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
> But XP has been already installed on C:\
> Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
> then place 98 to C:\ ?
> Thanks
> Jack
>
>
 
"Jack" <jl@knight.com> wrote in message
news:uw1UELZQIHA.5988@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hello,
> I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
> But XP has been already installed on C:\
> Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
> then place 98 to C:\ ?
> Thanks
> Jack

Yes, it is possible but it requires advanced knowledge and tools
in partition manipulation and boot file management. An easier
method would be to install Virtual PC:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx
 
What are you trying to accomplish, goals etc?
A better option may be a virtual PC as Pegasus suggested.

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"Jack" <jl@knight.com> wrote in message
news:uw1UELZQIHA.5988@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hello,
> I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
> But XP has been already installed on C:\
> Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
> then place 98 to C:\ ?
> Thanks
> Jack
>
 
It's easy, but you really need a multi-boot
program/disk utility. One option:

Download BootIt NG ($35 to buy. 30 days to try.)
"Slide" the XP partition up. Create a new FAT32
primary partition at the front of the drive. Install
Win98. Then install the BootIt boot loader so that
you get a multi-boot menu at startup.

I multi-boot that way, also booting Linux from
the same boot menu. Originally I used to use the Powerquest
programs, Drive Image and Partition Magic. But besides
being overpriced to begin with, they were sold to Symantec,
and Symantec ruins everything in my opinion. Drive Image
went from being a good disk imaging utiliy that fit onto a
floppy, to being a useless, 40+ MB, .Net-based XP backup
program. I then found BootIt which has a slightly primitive
GUI, but it does everything needed and fits on a floppy
(or bootable CD). It does all of what both Powerquest
programs did, and likewise replaces two Acronis programs.
And it has a handy option to edit a file on any partition,
from the boot menu. That's handy if you
move XP and install Win98 in front of it because the XP
boot.ini file tells the XP bootloader what to boot. If you
have XP alone on the system I think it will list the bootable
partition as disk(0), partition(1). Once you slide XP down,
you'll need to edit that file to read partition(2) before XP
will be able to boot successfully.

Windows has always been very unsophisticated
when it comes to disk management. It assumes that
it's the only thing on the disk. So I find the best method is to
install Windows, set it all up, create and save a disk image
for safe-keeping, then move that OS and install the next
one to the front of the drive. The only trouble I've had
is that XP at least sometimes seems to damage the MBR
during install, losing any data partitions that might be on
the disk. In that case, BootIt can be used to re-find the
partition boundaries.


> I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
> But XP has been already installed on C:\
> Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
> then place 98 to C:\ ?
> Thanks
> Jack
>
>
 
I note that your lengthy reply says a lot about your perceived
inadequacies of some products but makes no mention about
the need to back up important files prior to resizing/moving
partitions. Such operations are highly intrusive and they go
dramatically wrong on occasions, perhaps because of a bug
or because of a power outage.

"mayayana" <mayaXXyana1a@mindXXspring.com> wrote in message
news:uQustAbQIHA.3516@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> It's easy, but you really need a multi-boot
> program/disk utility. One option:
>
> Download BootIt NG ($35 to buy. 30 days to try.)
> "Slide" the XP partition up. Create a new FAT32
> primary partition at the front of the drive. Install
> Win98. Then install the BootIt boot loader so that
> you get a multi-boot menu at startup.
>
> I multi-boot that way, also booting Linux from
> the same boot menu. Originally I used to use the Powerquest
> programs, Drive Image and Partition Magic. But besides
> being overpriced to begin with, they were sold to Symantec,
> and Symantec ruins everything in my opinion. Drive Image
> went from being a good disk imaging utiliy that fit onto a
> floppy, to being a useless, 40+ MB, .Net-based XP backup
> program. I then found BootIt which has a slightly primitive
> GUI, but it does everything needed and fits on a floppy
> (or bootable CD). It does all of what both Powerquest
> programs did, and likewise replaces two Acronis programs.
> And it has a handy option to edit a file on any partition,
> from the boot menu. That's handy if you
> move XP and install Win98 in front of it because the XP
> boot.ini file tells the XP bootloader what to boot. If you
> have XP alone on the system I think it will list the bootable
> partition as disk(0), partition(1). Once you slide XP down,
> you'll need to edit that file to read partition(2) before XP
> will be able to boot successfully.
>
> Windows has always been very unsophisticated
> when it comes to disk management. It assumes that
> it's the only thing on the disk. So I find the best method is to
> install Windows, set it all up, create and save a disk image
> for safe-keeping, then move that OS and install the next
> one to the front of the drive. The only trouble I've had
> is that XP at least sometimes seems to damage the MBR
> during install, losing any data partitions that might be on
> the disk. In that case, BootIt can be used to re-find the
> partition boundaries.
>
>
>> I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
>> But XP has been already installed on C:\
>> Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
>> then place 98 to C:\ ?
>> Thanks
>> Jack
>>
>>
>
>
 
> I note that your lengthy reply says a lot about your perceived
> inadequacies of some products

Was I unfair? The Powerquest products were very good, but
also very expensive. They milked a monopoly for a long time.

I haven't tried Acronis, but I notice they've picked up on the
Powerquest trick of splitting up the necessary functionality into
multiple programs unnecessarily. I don't see any reason not to
point out that they're overpriced. (I suspect, though, from what
I've read here, that the Acronis products are probably more
polished and beginner-friendly than BootIt, just as the Powerquest
products were very smoothly put together and easier for a
beginner to use than, say, Ghost.)

As for Symantec, I could go on all day. :) As far as I know
they've never actually written software. They buy companies
with a good name and exploit that. One might say that's
mainly my own personal opinion, but there are also some facts
involved:

Clean Sweep did more as a Quarterdeck product. Most notably,
it could actually copy an entire installed program from one system and
install it to another. Drive Image I already mentioned. AtGuard
was one of the best firewalls ever, way ahead of its time. Symantec
licensed that, doubled the price, removed functionality, and set
over 800 programs to have default permission to get through the
firewall. The resulting mess was their Norton Internet Firewall.

> but makes no mention about
> the need to back up important files prior to resizing/moving
> partitions. Such operations are highly intrusive and they go
> dramatically wrong on occasions, perhaps because of a bug
> or because of a power outage.
>

Yes. Good point. That's also my logic with doing full
configuration and disk imaging with each installed system
before proceeding, so that if things do go wrong it's only
actual data files that need replacing and not software,
settings, etc. ... It's very easy to lose everything at any
time.
 
"mayayana" <mayaXXyana1a@mindXXspring.com> wrote in message
news:%23RuPwNcQIHA.2376@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> I note that your lengthy reply says a lot about your perceived
>> inadequacies of some products
>
> Was I unfair? The Powerquest products were very good, but
> also very expensive. They milked a monopoly for a long time.

No, you weren't unfair but it's very easy to find fault
with other people's products while overlooking flaws or
ommissions in one's own product or advice. Backing
up important files prior to a partition rearrangement is
absolutely vital in my book, and even more so in the
case of an OP whose experience in such matters may
be limited.
 
"Jack" <jl@knight.com> wrote in message
news:uw1UELZQIHA.5988@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hello,
> I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
> But XP has been already installed on C:\
> Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
> then place 98 to C:\ ?
> Thanks
> Jack

The easiest way would be to install Boot Magic (which comes with Partition
Magic).

This allows you to create a FAT32 partition (for Windows 98). What Boot
Magic does is hide the FAT32 partition so that you can run XP. When you
switch, it shuts down XP, hides its (presumably NTFS) partition, unhides the
FAT32 partition and boots Win98 with its FAT32 partition as drive C:.

The only downside is that another FAT32 partition (any drive leter) is
required to hold the Boot Magic code, but this is actually a good idea to
let you shift stuff between WinXP and Win98.
 
"M.I.5¾" <no.one@no.where.NO_SPAM.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4768fe75$1_1@glkas0286.greenlnk.net...
>
> "Jack" <jl@knight.com> wrote in message
> news:uw1UELZQIHA.5988@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Hello,
>> I want to use windows 98 for some particular reasons.
>> But XP has been already installed on C:\
>> Is it possible, thru software, to move XP to D:\
>> then place 98 to C:\ ?
>> Thanks
>> Jack
>
> The easiest way would be to install Boot Magic (which comes with Partition
> Magic).
>
> This allows you to create a FAT32 partition (for Windows 98). What Boot
> Magic does is hide the FAT32 partition so that you can run XP. When you
> switch, it shuts down XP, hides its (presumably NTFS) partition, unhides
> the FAT32 partition and boots Win98 with its FAT32 partition as drive C:.
>
> The only downside is that another FAT32 partition (any drive leter) is
> required to hold the Boot Magic code, but this is actually a good idea to
> let you shift stuff between WinXP and Win98.

I should have mentioned that the FAT32 partition needs to be the first one
on the disc, so you will need to use Partition Magic to move the NTFS one
further up the disc.
 
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