Re: Dual Boot


"Slip Kid" <G-2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:efxfe.193688$cg1.6652@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Pegasus (MVP) wrote:
> > "Vince" <Vince@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > news:88B0A747-94F8-411E-9A40-D2DCCC7905B4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >>I am running XP Pro on my maine computer and want to set up a dual boot
> >
> > with
> >
> >>server 2003. I am nervous about loosing any of my Data. I have started
> >
> > this
> >
> >>proccess a few times but backed out when I have to delete the partition
on
> >
> > C
> >
> >>drive. My maine drive is a sony 160 gb and I do have an extra Western
dig
> >
> > 250
> >
> >>gb but for some reason, when I get to the partition point of the 2003
> >
> > server
> >
> >>download, I try and put it on the 250 gb western dig but says it has to
> >
> > write
> >
> >>files onto the C drive. That is when it says to delete the partition on
> >
> > the C
> >
> >>drive and warns me that I will loose data. Any advice would be
> >
> > appreciated.
> >
> >>Thanks in advance
> >
> >
> > About you being nervous about losing your data: It's your choice
> > not to back up your important data. Sooner or later you will
> > suffer a major disaster, at which stage you may realise that
> > hard disks (e.g. those housed inside an external USB box) are
> > an incredibly cheap backup medium.
> >
> > The most robust and most modular way of installing Server 2003
> > goes like this:
> > 1. Back up your important data from drive C:.
>
> It's now simple enough to create a bootable image and not only include
> necessary files full utilities that allow you to boot from your Rom and
> at least be *into* you drive(s), see what's up and do quite a bit of
> repair (depending on the utilities you chose to put on the boot CD
>
> http://bootdisk.com/ (most other links are there)
> http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ or http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/ Flip a coin?
>
> Go to pricelessware.org and you'll find *true* freeware to do most of
> what you need regarding what you are concerned with and more.
>
> > 2. Disconnect the 250 GByte drive so that it is safe.
>
> Is there any reason you don't want to install the new OS on #1 (the
> second) drive? I've run a dual boot for over a decade and having a
> second OS on a different drive was a bit of insurance against a drive
> failure. Yes, you can back-up the entire 160 gig primary drive- I
> wonder in practice how often that is done...I explain later, why not set
> up your second drive so that is can be *independent* of your primary?
>
> > 3. Use a partition manager (e.g. from Acronis) to create
> > a 10 or 20 GByte primary partition on your 160 GByte drive.
> > Label it Win2003.
>
> I used PM for years - until I realized it was prone to change the
> geometry of partitions/drives.
>
> Google and you'll see your options when it does. Most people I trust
> use the words S.O.L
>
> My last effort was with Acronis? All went well until it failed to
> "write a script" upon reboot (It might be safer to monkey with a disk
> outside the OS?) -- All the partitions were fine, but the data on the
> OS partition was corrupt. I suppose it was better than PM! I had to do
> a new install, but the drive was fine...I;ve done my share of
> partitioning? It's a ticking time bomb procedure and best done without
> any data on the drive (you can afford to lose).
>
> > 4. While at it, create an 8 MByte FAT partition at the far end
> > of the 160 GByte drive. Label it "XOSL".
>
> Third party boot managers? Unless one need to go Linux, I've not found
> the MS boot.ini unable to handle any combo of MS OS's. In one way shape
> or form you'll find a boot manager messing with your Master Boot Record
> or partition tables - there are exceptions, but I don't know if you have
> an overriding reason to abandon boot.ini .
>
> (Me, I have a 200 meg DOS FAT partition as the the boot partition of
> each drive. It's loaded with DOS apps and has saved my but many times)
> > 5. Download and unzip XOSL. It's a free boot manager.
> > Place the unzipped files into the XOSL FAT partition.
> > 6. Reboot the machine with a Win98 boot disk (www.bootdisk.com).
> > 7. Install XOSL. Make sure to install it in a ***dedicated***
> > partition, and make absolutely sure to select the XOSL
> > partition. If you select the wrong partition then you lose
> > WinXP.
> > 8. Reboot the machine and add WinXP to the XOSL menu.
> > 9. Add Win2003 to the menu.
> > 10. Hide the two Windows partitions from each other.
> > 11. Boot into Win2003. The machine will lock up.
> > 12. Reset the PC and boot the machine immediately with your
> > Win2003 CD. When prompted, select the Win2003
> > partition as a target.
>
> A glutton for punishment and working outside the MS frame. When it
> blows, you're on your own.
>
> Or you could leave drive 0 the hell alone and put the new OS on the
> second drive. You will probably still need to create active (boot)
> partitions on that drive. (Go for the max, you don't know if you'll be
> installing more OS's!?)
>
> Your primary partition(s) (now called volumes) will still contain a
> handful of system files, which will be shared by both XP and '03. An
> insignificant amount of space on that partition on drive 0. That is all
> that should/needs/can? be on the same partition as another OS. Me, I
> have a second volume for those files.
>
> Yes, during a 'standard' install, an OS will install files to a primary
> partition - regardless where you choose to install the OS. But upon
> re-boot, that partition won't appear any different than it does now.
> (You will not be putting the the new OS on that partition!)
>
> Again, XP and '03 will 'share' the same system files. Regarding the
> order of install? I've not found it an issue with XP/'03. Yes, if W2K
> goes in *after* XP you will need to overwrite a few system files. It
> appears to be much worse - (XP want's to demand a re-install). Just
> make sure (it doesn't matter in your case) to have a copy of the files
> which reside on the boot drive. [these are NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM and
> BOOT.INI]
>
> Simply put? Your goal has been implemented for over a decade with
> various combo's of MS OS's. Since boot.ini, it's been a piece of cake.
>
> I follow a few rules:
> 1. Keep OS's on different drives. Exploit the luxury of a second drive...
>
> 2. Have a hidden, small, duplicate boot partition on drive the secondary
> drive. (In addition to my reason above? You have a ready to go,
> correctly formatted drive in drive 1. You may have to do a bit of
> tweaking, but it's about as easy as dumping drive 0 and plugging in
> drive 1.
>
> 3. Have a *reason* to use a third party boot manager. I have not seen
> the necessity with MS OS's. Google, and for every boot manager you will
> see drawbacks that are avoided with boot.ini. (I've run as many as four
> different MS OS's from boot.ini - not a hint of a problem. One file
> with a few lines (directing the OS's) - t's all I am concerned with. I
> don't have to be concerned what is being done with my MBR or partition
> records.
>
> This is a random Google hit?
> http://www.geocities.com/thestarman3/asm/mbr/bootini.htm Tell me if
> boot.ini is a limit for you?
>
> 4. If you have a chance to re-partition (good luck in choosing the app!)
> - break the drive up. When it comes to disc maintenance you can deal
> with manageable size chunks of space and not 100 plus gigs at a time.
>
> 5. Install an OS from boot. I may make no difference? I've had things
> go smoother than trying to install an OS from Windows.
>
> !!! 6. Get as much as you can from a bootable CD. Think of it as a
> SUPERFLOPPY with 800+ meg (More as and ISO) of whatever you want/need to
> start without an OS!
>
>
> My summary? Think ahead! Upon receiving a new box or disc? Imagine "
> What *might* I do in the future?"
>
> If you prep a new drive with multiple partitions, the maximum active
> partitions and perhaps a DOS partition? Anything you do in the future
> will probably *fit" in that config. Sure, you can back-up 100+ gig and
> start over? Why!? Be prepared and you back-up will need to be a
> minimal source of data which you can't replace (in case of disaster).
>
>
> >
> > That's all! If you follow these instructions carefully then you
> > won't lose any data. However, accidents do happen. I would
> > never do this sort of thing unless I had everything backed up
> > to an independent medium. I would even use an imaging
> > program to create a snapshot of my current WinXP installation.
> > But then it's your choice!
>
> Consider what *everything* means when it's your data?
>
> No, 300 gig of data does not need to be backed up. A small percentage
> of you *data" is not already *backed-up*! You have apps on a CD? How
> many gig do *not* need to be backed up!? Do you *know* which data is
> not already backed up (on install discs)?
>
> Fine, if you want to kid yourself and think you'll have 200-300 gig of
> current *everything* always at hand - go for it. It is more realistic
> and practice to *find* what you really will lose and preserve that,
> often. One reason for multiple partitions is to have applications
> separate from *data*? Screw the partitions with apps! If you only
> worry about the few OS folders that change and the *data* on partitions
> that change? You'll have a realistic and habitual back-up *routine*.
>
> Or, make it your goal to back-up *everything* and see how far you get...
>
> (Or you can rely upon System Restore? Wait until you find that it has
> become corrupted - )
>

Drivel.


.

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