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Quad boot Win2k/NT4/WIN98SE MultiBoot

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9 replies

by jshakal

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I have a challenge I've been trying to overcome. I am attempting to install a multi-boot system which would be able to boot into WIN98, 2 different WIN2k servers, or 2 different NT4 server operating systems. System Commander to this point hasn't worked and the boot.ini file can't seem to handle the complexity of what I want. The system is a 1 Ghz, 512 MB RAM, with 7 18.2GB SCSI hard drives. It was my desire to use this system as a master backup server which could be brought up to operate inthe place of any of my 7 servers when they fail.

So far, I haven't been able to get the system to boot to a NT4 hard drive once Win2k and WIN98 are installed.

I am trying to installed the operating systems as follows:
Disk 0 - WIN98/WIN12k Server 1
Disk 1 - WIN2k Server 2
Disk 2 - WIN2k Server 3
Disk 3 - NT4 Server 1
Disk 4 - NT4 Server 2

Anyone got any other ideas I might try?

Thanks in advance!
Jerry

9 replies

by curlergirl

The installation order would by key. I would think the following would work - have you tried it this way?
1. Create 2 partitions on Disk 0 - one for 98 and one for Win2K Server 1
2. Install Win98 to Disk 0 partition 1. Use FAT 16 unless you don't care if you can't see this partition from the NT 4.0 partitions.
3. Install NT server to Disk 3.
3. Install NT server to Disk 4.
3. Install Win2K Server to Disk 0 partition 2.
4. Install Win2K Server to Disk 1
5. Install Win2K Server toDisk 2.

You'll have to edit your boot.ini carefully so that you can distinguish between the different NT and 2K installations but otherwise I think this should work. Hope it helps!

by curlergirl

PS - I think this is obvious, but just in case not - each installation has to be done separately from a cold boot - not as an upgrade or repair to a previous installation.

by shanghai sam

I try this .... i the order you suggested. My error could be the order I was installing the operating systems. I would install WIN2k before NT4. I'll let you know how it goes.

by joseph moore

So, you already have 98, 2 copies of Win2000, and at least one copy of NT installed on the machine, but you can't select the NT copy from the boot loader menu? Is that right?
Well, you could make an NT boot floppy with a modified BOOT.INI file thatpoints to the disk/partition of your NT install(s).
On a floppy, copy over NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM, BOOTSECT.DOS (since you are multi-OS) and BOOT.INI from another NT machine. Try and get them from a NT machine that is on the same service pack as your NT installs here.
Ok, now open up BOOT.INI in a text editor.
My ARC pathing is not perfect, so I might list this incorrectly, but this will give you the idea. You can set the Default OS that this BOOT.INI loads as either of your NT installs. (I would have 2 floppies, each one configured for one of the 2 NT installs you want to do)
So, for NT on Disk3, I believe the whole line would read like this:
default=multi(0)disk(3)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT

You could also put in this BOOT.INI file abootup choice for both NT installs:
multi(0)disk(3)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT Server Version 4.00 NT COPY 1"
multi(0)disk(4)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT Server Version 4.00 [VGA mode] NT COPY 2"

So, save the BOOT.INI on the floppy like this. Put it in the floppy drive and power on the machine. IF the ARC path is right, it should boot to the first NT install, and you will have boot options to choose either NT install.

Hope this helps.

by timthetoolman

Another alternative you have is to use the BIOS to disable all the disks but the one you're currently working on and build each installation that way.

When you need to bring the machine up in a particular configuration, simply change the BIOS to enable/disable the appropriate disks and boot normally.

This has the advantage of being simple to build initially but can be a bit of a pain when it comes time to starting the machine in a recovery situation as it would add 5 more mins to startup time.

Cheers,
Tim.

by shanghai sam

Thanks for your submission. This would be my last option, as I'm trying to make this dummy proof (I may not be available when they need to implement it). Thank you again for your help.

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