Dual Booting Drive Letters

[mickw]

I've just managed to set up a dual boot arrangement - Win 3.11/XP
I will want to upgrade 3.11 to Win95 but that will be a different problem with Win not "seeing" SATA drives (don't know why it let me install Win 3.11 then)

Back to the main problem, When setting up XP it has designated itself (boot volume) as drive J instead of D - it has shoved itself at the end of the list of removeable drives/card readers etc.  
As it it's the boot volume, I can't change the drive letter in admin rights.

Is there an easy way to resolve this, or will I need to disconnect all removeable drives then reinstall XP. ?
I'm guessing a reinstall will be needed anyway due to the XP paths etc. but would rather not disconnect everything.

[Mac]

I wouldn't worry. unless it really bothers you.
most software when installed will default to whatever the partition letter is.

Also win95 should install if you have sata, mine did.
although i did have to create a partition and format it first.

Also dont forget win95 & 98 cant see winnt partitions.
so make sure anything you want off of your winnt partitions is coppied to either a cd/dvd or over to a fat32 partition.

as for the dual boot.
normally you install the lower o/s first, then make the dual boot.
i.e win 98 95 first, and then 2000, xp, vista (cough cough), ect

Have a look at hyperos. you can make a 22 system boot, which is what im using.
and it allows you to copy operating systems so you only have to install one, and then copy it to another drive.
so much quicker.

Mac.

[mickw]

Thanks Mac, I guess it bothers me because it's not logical - Fixed Drives/Removeable drives are "always" together, but then if all things were logical Vista wouldn't have made it off the shelves 

DOS 5 and Win 3.11 installed first because I only have upgrade disk for 95 - That was fun trying to remember how Fdisk worked as well   
XP installed in separate partition.

Tempted with Hyperos, that would give me the opportunity to bugger up loads more stuff 

[The Thing]

I used to love FDISK. My favourite utility. A way to rid a system of MS OS's traces provided by MS!

Anyone else remember the /MBR switch? Saved many a day. Also do any of you remember what the F stands for (clue - this utility is easily able to do this to your disk partitions and it ain't format).


Signed

A Dossy Saddo

BTW there isn't a geek smiley only a beak smiley !

[Mac]

the beauty of hyperos, it you can have a partition just for junk.
test installs, ext,ext.
and if it all goes pete tong, then two mins later you've got a fresh install to play with.

[Mike]

Duncan those old commands are still there, just hidden away and renamed

[The Thing]

But who knows it these days - MS won't admit DOS is still alive and kicking under all the glitz Aero glass processor time wasting stuff.

I'll have to give HyperOS a go. A minimal XP install for running the scope and the rest while imaging sounds like a great idea. If it only takes a couple of minutes to set up a dual boot... Dare I risk breaking the laptop before DSC!!!!

[mickw]

designated itself (boot volume) as drive J instead of D

Sorted  - It helps to create an extended DOS something in the primary something else and format it as D 

Anyway, time to load some software - lots of software 

[mickw]

I'll have to give HyperOS a go. 

I'm also tempted with the laptop, but just noticed this "recommendation" which is worrying 

Hardware Advice: Get a WD Raptor as a second Hard Disk, or better still get a Flash Disk or a HyperDrive. You need two data storage devices, one of which is fast.

Mac, do you use HyperOS on your imaging laptop ?  How does it behave ?
I think you said you've got one of those mental Hyperdrives which I'm guessing is only used at home

[Ian]

While not quite the same, there are other approaches using tools like Virtualbox too. I'm in the process of virtualising a number of my machines so they can become portable between machines and locations...

Mac, I'd quite like to see HyperOS in action. Is it on a portable machine?

[Mac]

Yup, Hyper os is on every pc i have, laptop, desktop, wifes laptop, ect.

As for the Drobo, thats just the master storage at home.
Tad slow as im running it throught the network, which has a usb1 hub, so its a little slow compared to pluging it in directly to a pc.
but i can live with that.

As for hyper os
very easy to use. ( the way i do it )
1) Partition your pc into as many as you want. (limit 26 drives!) (a-z)
2) Install os in partition 1
3) install hyperos
4) copy o/s from 1 to 2 (right mouse click and copy too)
5) double click the second drive hyperos reboots, does its house keeping, and then you now have a second os instalation.
6) goback to partition 1 and then copy the second partition to as many as you want.


It also works with linux as a dual boot!!!!!!
So if you ever get a problem on one pc. (virus spyware ect ect)
boot to a second drive and then run your antivirus scanners ect.

As you can see from mine, i have, myother computer(master) xpinstalled (the one i copy), Music, Office, Graphics, programming, Internet, a few spare (still installing bits and pieces) and test. (still got to install 2000.)
Laptops the same, master, office, astronomy, & programming.

Should it go pete tong, you can use F8 and boot to any of the first 11 drives (windows restriction)
Mac

[Mike]

Why do those icons look like Windows 95 ?

[mickw]

Cheers Mac, sounds like it does the job ok

[Mac]

Why do those icons look like Windows 95 ?

Pass, its just the icons they use.