Installing Windows 98 SE

Extracted from Windows & .Net Magazine
Win2K and Win98 are compatible with the 16- and 32-bit FAT formats, but only Win2K understands NTFS 5.0; therefore, FAT16 or FAT32 partition to set up a Win2K Pro and Win98 dual boot is needed.
Microsoft doesn't support using the same partition for Win2K and another OS.
After you arrange the partitions, you can add the second OS to your system. In some cases you might wind up with a system that doesn't start properly. If you plan to add Win98 to a Win2K Pro system, you need to use Win2K Backup to create an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD), If you're adding Win2K Pro to a Win98 system, you need to create a Win98 boot disk
Easy Dual Boot: Adding Win2K Pro to Win98
Creating a dual boot is easy if you start with Win98 already installed?just run Win2K Pro setup and decline the option to upgrade.
Not-So-Easy Dual Boot: Adding Win98 to Win2K Pro
Adding Win98 to a Win2K Pro setup is more difficult. This configuration will work only if the root partition is FAT16 or FAT32 and the partition on which you install Win98 is also FAT16 or FAT32. The main problem is that Win98 setup won't run from Win2K. To work around this problem, you need a Win98 boot disk. The full installation version of Win98 includes a boot disk; however, if you're installing an upgrade to Win98, you need to create a Win98 boot disk on another system.
Before you add Win98 to a Win2K Pro system, you need to create a Win2K ERD because Win98 will overwrite the Win2K Pro boot sector on your C drive, eliminating the option of booting Win2K Pro on system startup. To restore that option, you need the ERD and the Win2K Pro boot disks. Make the boot disks by running makeboot.exe from the boot disk directory on the Win2K Pro CD-ROM, After you create the boot disks, shut down the system, put the first boot disk in your system's A drive, and restart the system. The system will prompt you for the other

Why not just swap the hard drives, install 98 on your second drive (which is now your primary drive) and then swap them back. Then deal with the dual booting afterwards.

follow this
1:- log in your win2k system,get a print out of boot.ini (first you have to go to folder options>show hidden files,then un-check HIDE SYSTEM FILES)

2:-get a startup disk,from any other win98 system
3:-start your computer from floppy,install win98
4:-open the BOOT.INI from 98,add the entry of win2k from the old boot.ini,which you have printed,save the changes,then restart

and you have finished,here is a copy of my boot.ini,it includes 3 operating systems,it may help you understand
....................................
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=15
Default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows ME"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(6)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Server" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
..............................

I wouold sugget getting a unit called a trios drive selector, it allows you to dual boot without the hassels of the setup, it is used to physiclly switch the drives, you can get one at tigerdirect.com for about $35-40

Backup any valuable info and then wipe both drives. Install 98 on the first drive (c:) once it is installed and running go into 98 and then insert the win2000 CD when it asks you to upgrade select no and choose instal a new copy of windows. Installwin2000 to the second drive (d:) once it is installed you will notice that when you boot your pc a menu will appear asking you to select which operating system to boot to.

Simple as that.

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