Operating Systems Problem

[Maxtr0sity]

Hey, I have a problem.

Current Computer:
Dell Dimension L1000R
1Ghz
256SDRAM

C Drive: NTFS (Windows XP Pro)
D Drive: Fat32 (Plain data)

I want to install Windows 98 on my D drive and have two operating systems running at the same time. I need 98 up to run some games that just require way too much on XP and function very slowly. I called Dell, but they said that it can't be done without installing 98 first. I don't want to format or screw up my XP right now, I don't trust Dell though because most of those people are somewhat idiots, is there another way out?

Max

[c!rYx]

Hm, I have win2000pro and xphome runing
Took me forever to get it working and it is always a mess with the video drivers and stuff.

So i don't really get your question, I guess you can make it by creating a partition on your d drive and format yust the partitition, but I guess you don't have enough spcae on C to backup the stuff for this time.
Just ask a friend to bring his pc over or something.
I hope that was helpful ;)

[Maxtr0sity]

well, i can repartition my d if i wanted...but i wanna install 98 on it...but dell says that i have to install 98 first in order to have two operating systems...is that true?

[c!rYx]

I am not sure about that. XP has the boot manager... But I am not sure in which order, I couldn't do something wrong with 2000 and XP :)

[Maxtr0sity]

how do i get to the boot manager? i've gotten to it before, but no idea how now

[c!rYx]

Just by installing XP or 2000 .... and a second os

Actually just try to install 98, you can't do something wrong if the partitition is empty anyway

[Maxtr0sity]

well, i tried installing in xp, it gives me errors that my c drive is partitioned as NTFS, unless theres a way to tell it to do it to d drive...?

[c!rYx]

sure, just change the boot order and boot from cd, then you can chosse on which hd you want to install

[Maxtr0sity]

how do i change the boot order?...in the bios?

[Niann]

Your computer will not boot from the d: drive. So... They make a cool device that switches the pri/sec of your drives on the fly between reboots, so you can have a clean install of each os and by the flip of a switch you decide which one boots up.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-Details.asp?sku=R75-2000%20P

That is most likely the best way to achieve what you are looking for. =0)

Cheers!
-Niann

[Maxtr0sity]

i don't think i wanna spend money on it, i was thinking of a software solution

[c!rYx]

Hehe, bla bla blubb.

Yes, you change it in the Bios. I hope you know how to do it. When you don't know what your doing, ask someone, the Bios is fun to play with, but just when you know what ur doing... k ? ;)

[Maxtr0sity]

Here's my bios lineup:

Floppy
ARMD-HDD
IDE-HDD
ATAPI CDROM

I'm not sure waht does the second and third one stand for though. My D drive is only a partitioned hard drive, I only have one physical hard drive. Can you explain.

[Maxtr0sity]

i played around with the bios...screwd it up...but fixed...but stil no idea about the 98 problem

[λ]

In the BIOS move the Atapi CDROM to the top of the list. Then when you insert the Windows 98 CD-ROM it should boot automatically.;)

I have an idea that might make it work though...

On the program or shortcut that works slowly, right-click and choose properties. Then choose the compatibility tab and mess around with the settings there... this is in XP.

Most likely the one you want is "Disable visual themes"

Good luck with your problem

Njs12345

[c!rYx]

true true...

[Maxtr0sity]

Well, it's not programs, it's just games that I'm going to play such as NFSHP2 and BF1942

If I put CD ROM on the top, how would I make sure that it installs to D Drive instead of C?

[s-fx]

If you change the boot device order it will go check the CDROM if there is a bootable device in it (thats your windows 98 CD), it'll boot the cd up prompting you if you want to install it or not, after a while you will get to a stage where you can choose to either format/install or install the OS to a specific HDD.

[Niann]

Yes but that still doesn't fix the issue that the computer will by default boot the OS that is installed on the c: drive. I did not know that you were using one physical drive partitioned into two logical drives. This complicates matters quite a bit. In this cas I would have to agree with the Dell tech. You would need to install 98 first, and you could not use NTFS at all. Even if you installed 98 on the d: partition, there is no way I know of to make it boot. Sorry bud...

Cheers!
-Niann

[Maxtr0sity]

alrit, i guess i can't do it then...alrit, thanks anyways, i don't think 98 will ask for which hd though...plus...the boot config might not recognize it...

[grimdeath]

yes you can just get virtualpc for windows and you can install any os on your hd and still keep your windows xp partition ;)

[Maxtr0sity]

virtual pc? i thought that was for macs...:)

[grimdeath]

nope theres also a pc version :beam:

[Maxtr0sity]

is tat like running xp under it?

[grimdeath]

no you run win98 on winxp its like an emulator

[Maxtr0sity]

but then i still won't have exactly windows 98, i'm using it because xp requires more to play games, BF1942 works beautifully on 98, but really choppy on xp...i don't think virtual os can do that kind of effect

[grimdeath]

well if you dont try it youll never know now will you??

[Maxtr0sity]

well, i'm afriad it might screw up my computer...:(

[λ]

In the boot order in your BIOS, you have two hard drives


Floppy
ARMD-HDD
IDE-HDD
ATAPI CDROM

So if you install Win98, you can change the boot order in your BIOS and change the order of the hard drives (the two things with -HDD at the end) and that will change where your PC looks for things.

About installing Win98, it should ask you where you want to install it.

In the meantime try the compatibility thing, that might make it work.

What is your graphics card? (type dxdiag in run,display tab)

[s-fx]

Originally posted by Niann
You would need to install 98 first, and you could not use NTFS at all.

NTFS / FAT32 has no significance in the way that the computer boots up, NTFS are for HDDS over 20GB and FAT32 for those under 20.

[Maxtr0sity]

NTFS / FAT32 has no significance in the way that the computer boots up, NTFS are for HDDS over 20GB and FAT32 for those under 20.

My hard drive is exactly 20GB, really pathetic.

njs, is my IDE-HDD the partitioned hard drive? How can I find out?
I'll paste my DX thing here:

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 6/1/2003, 10:14:04
Machine name: MAX
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) (2600.xpclnt_qfe.021108-2107)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: L100R
BIOS: DELL - 20010905
Processor: Intel Pentium III, ~996MHz
Memory: 254MB RAM
Page File: 139MB used, 486MB available
Primary File System: n/a
DirectX Version: DirectX 8.1 (4.08.01.0810)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.01.2600.0000 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: The file nv4_disp.dll is not digitally signed, which means that it has not been tested by Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs. You may be able to get a signed driver from the manufacturer of the hardware device.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

------------------
DirectX Components
------------------
Blah blah blah

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 100/200
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce2 MX 100/200
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device ID: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0111&SUBSYS_00271545&REV_B2
Display Memory: 32.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (85Hz)
Monitor: Samsung SyncMaster 753DF(T)
Monitor Max Res: 1280,1024
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.13.10.4109 (English)
DDI Version: 8 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 11/18/2002 15:15:00, 2684298 bytes
Driver Signed: No
WHQL Date Stamp: None
VDD:
Mini VDD: nv4.sys
Mini VDD Date: 8/17/2001 08:50:26, 731648 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4251-11CF-F866-2D2010C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x0111
SubSys ID: 0x00271545
Revision ID: 0x00B2
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result:
D3D7 Test Result:
D3D8 Test Result:

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Creative Sound Blaster PCI
Device ID: PCI\VEN_1274&DEV_1371&SUBSYS_13711274&REV_09
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: es1371mp.sys
Driver Version: 5.01.3612.0000 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Signed: Yes
Date and Size: 6/3/2002 11:18:32, 40832 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Creative Technology Ltd.
HW Accel Level: Full
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result:

-----------
DirectMusic
-----------
Blah blah blah

------------------
DirectShow Filters
------------------

Blah blah blah
-------------
Input Devices
-------------
Device Name: SideWinder Game Pad USB version 1.0
Provider: Microsoft
Hardware ID: USB\Vid_045e&Pid_0007&Rev_0106
Status: 0
Port Name: USB Root Hub
Port Provider: (Standard USB Host Controller)
Port ID: USB\ROOT_HUB&VID8086&PID2412&REV0002
Port Status: 0

Poll w/ Interrupt: No
Registry: OK

-------------
Input Drivers
-------------

----------------------------
DirectPlay Service Providers
----------------------------
Blah blah blah

-------------------------
DirectPlay Lobbyable Apps
-------------------------

Sorry for the long post. :)

[λ]

Right. Try getting new drivers for your graphics card(here (http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=winxp-2k_44.03)) and turn the settings down a lot in the games.

Consider getting more SDRAM as well.

About the hard drives, my advice is just change the order until it boots 98.

I have a PC fairly similar to yours, and I can run quite a lot of new games.

[Maxtr0sity]

So basically, I should try to get the new drivers, since I'm getting a new computer by the end of this year, I'm not going to upgrade from 256 anymore. Also, I should try to change the first boot of HD to IDE-HDD right?

[Niann]

What I meant was win98 can not read NTFS file system. So any data you have there you could not read when 98 was installed.

Cheers!
-Niann

[Maxtr0sity]

ok, but then D drive isn't NTFS, it's only FAT32, but then when i install 98 on fat32, it should b able to read it correct?

[λ]

Yep, 98 should work fine. And what I meant was try changing the boot order of the drives after you'd installed Win 98, to see whether this affects whether it boots Win98. Then when you want XP again, change the boot order back.

[Maxtr0sity]

First, I tried isolating IDE-HDD, but that was the C drive and went to XP.

Then I tried switching the IDE with ARMD, nothing, goes straight to XP again.

Then it turns out that my ARMD is my D drive, I tried to run it as:

ARMD-HDD
ATAPI CDROM

It went to my D drive, but it shows as C:/> and also, my CD rom didn't work.

Then at last I tried:

ATAPI CDROM
ARMD-HDD

That only ended up asking me to put a bootable disk in A drive, when I put it in, the same message repeats. :(

[Maxtr0sity]

Wait, is it possible just for me to install 98 on my ARMD drive, but then, every time I want to start 98, I can just take out the IDE drive from the BIOS, then I'll just turn it back on later.