Nt4 Setup Can't Create Nt Boot Loader

[Web Gecko]

Howdy

I am setting up a multi-boot system with Me,NT4 Server, 2K Server
and Red Hat Linux 7.0 .

I have Me installed in the C: primary partition (around 1GB) and two logical drives in extended being D: (1GB for NT4) and E: (2GB for 2K Server). C:, D: and E: are formatted FAT32. I am using a Seagate 6.4GB HDD. The remaining space in the extended partition is used by Red Hat 7.0 (GNOME and KDE workstation)
with a / native root EXT2 partition of around 1.7GB and swap of
298 MB.

I can't see in the GUI install procedure where you can stop LILO
being installed. I created a boot floppy for Linux as I thought this would start my RH 7.0 partition without installing/running LILO.
This is why I installed RH 7.0 first (which went OK by the way as it runs fine and the boot floppy works - LILO doesn't seem to have been installed).

Then I installed Me in C: which went OK as well and the system boots straight into Me as you would expect (NO LILO it seems).
I have set multi-boots up like this on other systems (I have one here running 98SE, NT4 wkstation, 2K Pro (multiboot works fine)).
I want to do this without having to use a special boot manager.
Normally NT4 setup picks up C: and D: and then creates it's 2 entry multiboot. 2K then picks up C:, D: and E: and creates it's 3 entry multiboot menu.

I have both Me and RH 7.0 installed and they work fine. But when I run NT4 setup from Me it reports that it can't create the NT boot loader i.e. check that C: is formatted (which it is) and that there is no damage (which there isn't - ran scandisk on C: in thorough mode which reports NO damage in any area of the C: partition).

Does this have anything to do with NT4 not being able to recognise FAT32 (I am loath to reformat and reload but if I have to so be it ) or does RH Linux do something wierd with the MBRs or LILO or whatever ? Does 2K recognise FAT32 ? As I think I formatted a partition for 2K Pro on another system and 2K setup said it didn't recognise the partition and reformatted it FAT16 I think ? Someone please tell me that 2K can work with FAT32 besides NTFS ?

Any ideas welcome.

Thanks

The Web Gecko

[Web Gecko]

Actually I think LILO WAS installed even though I created the RH boot floppy and then the Me install overwrote that. So I can still boot into my RH partition with the floppy (which works).

This is what I'm trying to achieve i.e. a normal NT based 3 entry multi-boot being Windows, NT4 and 2K Servers. If I want to run RH 7.0 I boot with the floppy. Might seem messy to some but it should work. I am open to suggestions here if there is a better way or a boot manager which can handle a mix of OS/NOS partitions like this.

I have installed RH 6.2 in the past which let you choose where LILO was installed (in your primary MBR or your RH partition I think). Does LILO need to be installed in your RH partition or is it installed on the boot floppy in this case ? I can't recall the RH 7.0
graphical install presenting me with these options ?

Just thought I should clarify my original post some.

Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks again.

The Web Gecko

[homey]

You have an interesting problem, brought on by introducing Winnt 4 to the mix.
If I'm not mistaken, nt4 uses fat16 or ntfs. I don't think that windows fdisk can create a mixture of fat32 and fat16 on the same hard drive.
You could install nt4 on a ntfs partition and apply sp4 which I think will make it compatible with w2k ntfs.

I think your best bet is to use a program like system commander or similar to set up the partitions.

[Web Gecko]

Thanks Homey

Yeah what you have said confirms my suspicion that NT4 setup
(and NT4) can't deal with FAT32. NT4 setup probably expects FAT16 on the C: partition.

I have set up a multiboot with 98SE, NT4 wkstation and 2K Pro
on another system. All partitions are FAT16 including C: and the setups worked fine as does the resultant multi-boot. So I guess my FAT32 C: partition is the problem.

From memory I think NT4 came out after 1993 before the version of Win 95 that supports FAT32. Is there a service pack that allows NT4 to work with FAT32 partitions ?

Initially I had the NT4 and 2K partitions formatted FAT32 on the other multi-boot system (now all FAT16 and works fine). BUT the 98SE C: primary partition was formatted FAT16 so this made NT4 setup happy until it came to specify the NT4 install partition and it coughed on FAT32 (so formatted FAT16).

2K Pro setup directed me to install sp4 in NT4 (otherwise NT4 would not start after 2K was installed) before it would proceed.
Then 2K Pro setup refused to recognise it's FAT32 partition and formatted it FAT16.

So I ended up with all three partitions on the other machine
formatted FAT16. At least it all works. You would think that 2K would be able to work with FAT32 (service pack ?) ?

Too bad I didn't pay closer attention to this but this is the first time I have set up a multi-boot with more than 2 OS/NOSes.

Thanks again for your ideas. I will look into the NTFS options
and the boot manager you suggested.

It's not all bad (having to repartition/reload etc) as it's getting so I can install Linux (have also loaded up Mandrake and Turbo Linux) especially Red Hat as if it was Windows (lost count of how many installs there).

The more I work with Linux, the more I like it. Now besides Red Hats (I'll need a hat rack soon) we have Penguins scampering around everywhere, mutating into Grey (stray ?) Cats, Yellow Dogs, Suse Camelians, Corellas and other Slackware Debiants.
But it's an interesting mix as long as you know that Linux is Linux regardless of the distro. You just mix a stable or unstable kernel
with anything you like almost.

In this industry the only things that are certain are change and unpredictability. Linux presents a challengeing, feature rich environment for those interested in more than just a point and click session. The desktops (KDE/GNOME) and apps are looking better all the time and with all the cross platform products/virtual emulators out there, Doze is no longer the only kid on the block.

Linux is also stable and security enabled. It seems to be going crazy out there with many major players investing and getting involved with the evolution of different distros.

Will Apple move from Motorola to Intel and port Mac OS ? This will be a development I will follow with interest. Mac OS/X etc seems reliable and slick and may give Doze some heat in the market.
But I don't think MS care as anyway things go, they WIN !

Now I gotta get this system reloaded.

cheers

The Web Gecko