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PC Hacks
book

PC Hacks

by Jim Aspinwall
October 2004
Intermediate to advanced content levelIntermediate to advanced
304 pages
7h 44m
English
O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Content preview from PC Hacks

Hack #86. Configure a Multiboot System

Windows NT and later provide multiboot capabilities supporting DOS and Windows.

Windows NT, 2000, and XP natively support multiboot capabilities, on one or more disk drives. This capability allows you to retain DOS or an older version of Windows, install Windows NT, 2000, or XP, and be able to select between DOS/old Windows and the later operating system of your choice. Assuming you want to retain "good old DOS" or an older version of Windows, there is a requirement that the system (typically the first) partition of your hard drive already be formatted as FAT-16 or FAT-32 and have a working version of DOS (6.22 or 7.0 from Windows 95/98/Me) already installed, and optionally that Windows 95/98/Me is functional on that partition before installing NT, 2000, or XP.

Tip

Windows's multiboot process works by placing a special boot loader program called NTLDR in the boot sector of the hard drive's active/bootable partition. NTLDR reads and acts upon boot disk, partition, and operating system information found in a hidden configuration file named BOOT.INI. After reading BOOT.INI, NTLDR loads and executes the appropriate boot code for the operating system you have chosen.

To begin the NT/2000/XP installation, boot from a diskette (or CD-ROM) that includes CD-ROM support and start from a DOS prompt. Assuming your CD-ROM drive is drive D:, issue the following command:

            D:\i386\winnt

You may also boot from the NT/2000/XP installation CD, which starts installation ...

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Publisher Resources

ISBN: 0596007485Errata Page