How to use a second OS on the same PC

[Adam Goi]

Exams are out and now I'm beginning to crave for those abandonwares. Yes they are DOS games but given that I'm running on XP, it's either I can't run the game at all or I lost sound, use of joystick and such.

I understand using another OS like Win98SE may help. Can I just install Win98SE just like that? If yes, how do I get to select with OS to boot to whenever I power on my PC?

Not a techie here so TIA!

 

[megaweb]

you need to a software callled "PowerQuest PartitionMagic" which allow you to create multi OS (max. 4)

 

[StreetShooter]

Best way is to get a couple of removable hard disk racks, and install a different OS on each hard disk. To change OS, just pull out one hard disk and insert the other.

 

[zephyr]

or download a free s/w call osxl to boot into mutliple OSes, it's freeware and work like the boot magic... of coz, you can also make use of winXP native Bootloader but in my opinion, it sucks.. so better use some 3rd party boot loader...

 

[yb317]

Hi,

u can just install then win98SE in other partition, or same partition if your C: is big enough. But before that gotta check whether winXP supports double OS... oh yeah i think it does support! :thumbsup:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/..._the_default_operating_system_for_startup.asp

hope it helps.. :embrass:

 

[maddog]

Originally posted by AdamGoi
Exams are out and now I'm beginning to crave for those abandonwares. Yes they are DOS games but given that I'm running on XP, it's either I can't run the game at all or I lost sound, use of joystick and such.

I understand using another OS like Win98SE may help. Can I just install Win98SE just like that? If yes, how do I get to select with OS to boot to whenever I power on my PC?

Not a techie here so TIA!

Without special software like System Commander:
To make Win98 co-exist with Win2k or WinXP you need to install Win98 first. Win2K and WinXP will create a menu for you at startup.

With System Commander:
1 HD can have max 4 active partitions so you can have Win98,WinNT,Win2k,WinXP on one drive. SC will show and hide the partitions according to your boot selection.

Another way to do it without special software is to enable and disable harddisks at BIOS level. So in your case you already have XP installed; hide that HD and boot to the second harddisk. Install Win98 there.

 

[yb317]

Hi, it's me again...
there is a page which tells about miltibooting in winXP..
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gettingstarted/multiboot.asp

it says, "You can install two or more operating systems on your computer, and then choose the one that you want to use each time you restart. This is known as multibooting. You can configure your computer to start Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, and either Windows 95 or Windows 98. "

 

[zephyr]

Originally posted by maddog


Without special software like System Commander:
To make Win98 co-exist with Win2k or WinXP you need to install Win98 first. Win2K and WinXP will create a menu for you at startup.

With System Commander:
1 HD can have max 4 active partitions so you can have Win98,WinNT,Win2k,WinXP on one drive. SC will show and hide the partitions according to your boot selection.

Another way to do it without special software is to enable and disable harddisks at BIOS level. So in your case you already have XP installed; hide that HD and boot to the second harddisk. Install Win98 there.

System commander is good.. but i dun like ver 2000.. still prefer 4.5... Get the System commander 4.5. Install a Win98se, go to dos, install SC 4.5, run scdisk, hide win98se partition, go to fdisk, create another primary partition, reboot and install your winXP and enable ur System commander again... ta da.. adam, there u go.. the steps for a multi boot system..

 

[maddog]

Originally posted by zephyr


System commander is good.. but i dun like ver 2000.. still prefer 4.5... Get the System commander 4.5. Install a Win98se, go to dos, install SC 4.5, run scdisk, hide win98se partition, go to fdisk, create another primary partition, reboot and install your winXP and enable ur System commander again... ta da.. adam, there u go.. the steps for a multi boot system..

I think Adam wants a solution that will work with a WinXP already on the system. Am I right?

 

[Adam Goi]

Thanks to all who have responded.

Another follow-up question.

If I have WinXP installed on my PC and I managed to get copy of System Commander, do I have to reformat my entire HD, install Win98SE, then System Commander and finally followed by WinXP?

I have 5 partitions on my PC alreadi...

Thanks again!

 

[maddog]

Originally posted by AdamGoi
Thanks to all who have responded.

Another follow-up question.

If I have WinXP installed on my PC and I managed to get copy of System Commander, do I have to reformat my entire HD, install Win98SE, then System Commander and finally followed by WinXP?

I have 5 partitions on my PC alreadi...

Thanks again!

No need to reinstall. SC can prepare an OS for you. Can't remember the exact steps. So just boot up and select an option to prepare an OS. Then it will hide everything else and boot to that partition. Then you install Win98 to that partition.

 

[Adam Goi]

Originally posted by maddog


No need to reinstall. SC can prepare an OS for you. Can't remember the exact steps. So just boot up and select an option to prepare an OS. Then it will hide everything else and boot to that partition. Then you install Win98 to that partition.

Thanks maddog. In short, I juz install to install System Commander, reboot and run the software?

 

[maddog]

Originally posted by AdamGoi


Thanks maddog. In short, I juz install to install System Commander, reboot and run the software?

Just run SC from XP. It will install and next time you'll see an SC boot up menu. Then from boot up menu choose prepare an OS or something like that, can't remember. :angel:

 

[Adam Goi]

Originally posted by maddog


Just run SC from XP. It will install and next time you'll see an SC boot up menu. Then from boot up menu choose prepare an OS or something like that, can't remember. :angel:

Thanks!

 

[maddog]

Use the latest version of SC.

 

[zephyr]

Originally posted by AdamGoi


Thanks!

u might not be able to install System commander with WinXP... coz dun think the OS allows you to write to MBR as SC need to be written into MBR, Adam, if you are using System Commander 4.5, use a Win98 bootup disk and boot up to dos to install loh.

 

[denizenx]

alamak, use a boot diskette lor, modify one from the Win9x startup disk, why install anything just for DOS games...
XP like 2k is a bit more than just shifting the boot files somewhere else.
and DOS games might not run if u have lots of ram, eg, ultima 7 can't run on 256 megs cos it modulos the value to 0... and/or the newer DOS games may not work properly with new h/ws, mechwarrior 2 refuses to run on AMD chips etc.

so think bootdisk first, dun drastically alter everything just to find that it wun work LOL...

 

[ninelives]

aiya, buy a new PC lar. tell the salesman you want win98 coz u want to play dos game.

which makes a new joke that will flow around the internet/email.

ok, joke aside.

win98 might not work with your dos game, most dos games need you to configure your conventional memory, you need to edit your autoexec.bat and config.sys. Next, you need to configure your sound in DOS. Else, the IRQ will crash with win98.

Too troublesome right? Then forget about DOS game lar.

 

[Zoomer]

Depends on what dos game.

I can play Wolf 3D in Winxp perfectly fine.

 

[ninelives]

please ,sharing info on warez/crack is not allow.