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Multi Boot questions

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LawyerLynn

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2002
Location
Arkansas
OK, first, Mods, if this is not the correct forum, please move this thread to the right place. Thanks.

Here's the deal. I "inherited" a 2nd computer from my mom and I want to use it in a multi-boot mode. I'm primarily interested in running some old DOS stuff (El-Fish, Duke Nuke'em, Sim City, Doom, Doom II, etc.). I also, however, want to run some Win98 SE stuff, play around with a Linux version or two, and finally, use it as network storage for my home network.

The computer itself is no biggie - Pentium II at 267 Mhz on an Intel 440LX MB with 256 Megs of ram. 4 HDD's though, 1 Gig, 4 Gigs, 6 Gigs and 20 Gigs. I figured, basically, on putting DOS on the 1 Gig, Win98 on the 4 Gig, Linux on the 6 Gig and using the 20 for network storage (I have a wireless network at home and this computer will be a part of it via the Win98 installation - that is NOT an issue).

My question to the community of smart people who surf here is what is the best way to install all these OS versions and manage them? I'd like it if on booting the computer it asked me what OS I wanted to use. The cheaper the better, but I'd pay a reasonable amount for a good boot time manager. I have PQ Bootmagic from Symantec (part of a Partition Magic suite) but before I work it with, I want to make sure it is worthwhile. I've had too many "hit and miss" issues with Symantec (i.e. when it works right, it is great, but when it doesn't then re-format and re-install EVERYTHING).

Ok thanks, hopes this isn't too much of a ramble on. Bottom line for the skimmers, lead me to a good boot multi program before I screw up everything. :)
 
Usually you have the option of installing a boot loader when you install linux (depending on the distribution you pick). You'll have to install windows first, because if you install it after linux, it'll rewrite the Master Boot Record and delete your bootloader (another great window feature).

The best bootloader to install IMO would be Grub. Some linux distros also give you the option to install lilo, but grub is better. You can also download it and install it without running linux (google for it, I never used it standalone)

As for dos, you have lots of ways to run dos apps without "installing" the OS (It's already installed with windows btw)
1. Just before loading windows, you can hit F8 to access boot options (safe mode, normal mode, DOS mode...) and select dos.
2. You can also run a dos console from windows and run your applications from there.
3.Option 3 would be to get a floppy, format it from windows with selecting the create s-dos bot folppy option. In your bios, select boot order to be floppy before HDD. Then you'll only have to insert the floppy before turning the pc on to be in dos mode. If the floppy is out, the bootloader will load
 
I don't think you can install win98 on the 2nd disk without some trickery witht he bootloader. Wintendo always wants to be on the first disk, primary partition.

For what to use, I also vote for grub. Free and very very powerful
 
Windows won't mind, people have 2 windows OS installed.
However I find it easier to install windows on the 1st partition of the primary disk (the one I boot on). It's easier for the maintenance of the MBR
 
I spoke about Wintendo (aka win9x). That really wants to be on the first disk, or you have to play trickery with the bootloader hiding partitions and ****, The DOS bootloader is just not intelligent enough to do otherwise. It has to fit in less than 512 bytes so it's a bit feature limited. Even NT and up needs to have the boot drive on C:\ if such a partition already exists. The rest can be anywhere then.
 
Thanks for the info. guys. As far as the primary disk goes, my bios lets me choose which of the 4 hard drives is the boot drive. I can order them in any way I wish. Yes, I know that Win 98 has DOS with it and I can hit f8 and boot to dos, but the version of DOS that comes with win 98 doesn't want to play nice with El-Fish and Sim City as I recall. I was going to use Caldera's Dr. DOS 7.03 instead of MS-DOS 6.22 though. I'll check out Grub though, any other suggestions? Which Linux distrubition is preferred by most?
 
Fedora Core 4 seems good, or suse.
The best distro is gentoo, but it's a pain to install and require a fairly advanced knowledge of linux.
Mandriva is very simple, and is good too
 
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