Multiple Windows 98SE???Possible?

[arvz vinz]

is it possible to have multiple windows 98Se? if yes then how can i do it.....i'm using XOSL but it didn't worked....i hide the first partition but then again after i installed the "supposed to be" second os(WIN98SE) the new os just overwrite my old one....some advice please?!

[Nuclear Krusader]

Hi arvz vinz and welcome to the PC Mech forums!!

Why would you want to have several Windows in the first place?

[reboot]

You can do it, if you have two hard drives.
Make them each have a primary active partition.
Install Win98 on drive 1, install XOSL.
Remove the drive, put the other drive as master, install Win98.
Put it back as secondary, and reinstall the first drive.
Boot to XOSL's setup screen, and select the second drive.
I've never tried to do that using 2 partitions on one drive, although it should be possible. The only trouble I can see, is that it's impossible to have two active partitions on one drive.

[gecko]

I have two hard drives on my pc and I used "Addawin" from http://tweakhomepc.virtualave.net/dualboot/addawin.html

I can boot from one hd to the other without difficulty.

It pretty much works like a dream but the Addawin feature can also be used on one hard drive for up to 6 different versions of windows

cya

[homey]

The second install of win98 can’t be overwriting the first install because when you hide the first partition, it becomes a NON-DOS partition which win98 “doesn’t see”.

I’m not sure what is the purpose of having two of the same system, but I found it to be a challenge so I loaded up 3 copies of Win98 just to see if and how it can be done.
It is abit of fussing around, but it does work. My hard drive is 8GB and I made 2GB primary partitions.
I found it easiest to load the XOSL files onto a floppy disk for subsequent installs.

1. Boot with a win98 boot disk. Enter fdisk, create a 2GB primary partition and MAKE IT ACTIVE.
2. Reboot, format the partition and install win98.
3. In win98, reboot to DOS MODE and install XOSL on that partition and go into setup to HIDE THIS PARTITION, which will make it a NON-DOS partition.
4. Reboot with the win98 boot disk. Enter fdisk and create a 2 GB primary partition and MAKE IT ACTIVE. (You can do this because the first partition is now a non-dos partition.)
5. Reboot, format the “new C: drive” partition and install win98.
6. After the win98 install is complete, reboot to DOS MODE and install XOSL from the floppy drive to the C: partition.
7. Reboot to the XOSL menu and select setup. Hide the partition on which you just installed win98 and xosl.
8. Reboot with the win98 boot disk. Enter fdisk, create a 2GB primary partition and MAKE IT ACTIVE.
9. Reboot, format the partition and install win98.
10. In win98, reboot to DOS MODE and install XOSL on that partition and go into setup. Add both installs of win98 to the boot menu using different names.

If you want to add another win98 system, reboot to the XOXL menu and select setup. Hide both partitions from the first two win98 installs.

11. Boot with a win98 boot disk. Enter fdisk, create a 2GB primary partition and MAKE IT ACTIVE.
12. Reboot, format the partition and install win98.
13. In win98, reboot to DOS MODE and install XOSL on that partition and go into setup. Add all three win98 systems to the boot menu.

Presto! You now have a boot loader with three installs of win98 on the same hard drive.

[homey]

Darn it, I lost track of the count and showed 4 installs. Oh well, that would work also.