install win98...

[ssahl]

I know theres a link that tells how to do this, I just forgot where it would be.
I have a dual boot setup of win98_SE & winXP, but the win98 is beyond fixing, I have fixed it for good, I would like to have the same setup using my exesting winXP so my question is if I reinstall win98 on the C:\ drive what would I need to do, like what files should I get (back up) from the c: drive before I format and reinstall? or can I maybe do something like install 98 on another drive and ghost it to the c: drive, or maybe ghost the d: drive (where winXP is) to the drive where I just put the new win98 version. The only thing I dont want to happen would be to lose my winXP, if I cant get it to work with 98 together I'll live, but if I lose XP trying to make them both work I will be kicking myself in the head. so some advice on the best way to do this from someone who has done it, or a link to step by step tell me how would be great, thanks.

[Tim M]

Here is a place to start your homework-
http://support.microsoft.com/default...en-us%3B292580

here's another (maybe more what you want)-
http://www.winxpfix.com/page5.htm#gag

[Force Flow]

On file you may want to save is your boot.ini file located in the C:\ directory. This file is your boot menu.

[ssahl]

yea, that ones easy, the thing that gets me is that even though both 98 and XP were/are on FAT32 partitions, each will see different files when you look on the C: drive, but I think another is the NTLDR file, which is one you can only see from 98, even though it's a XP file, we'll see, I'de hate to lose XP just because I was trying to put 98 on there, that would suck.

[mike breck]

Hi ssahl,

There are various ways of doing this. One method is just to format C:, reinstall Win98, then run XP Setup from Win98 and select the second Repair (R) option.

However, as the Repair process is not 100% guaranteed, then the safest option would be to suplement it with an ERD floppy.

Create and ERD (Emergency repair disk)

Start, Run, and type "rdisk" (without the quotes)
Select "Create Repair Disk."

After making the ERD, format C: and install Win98
Change the boot sequence in the BIOS to CD-Rom first
Boot with the XP CD and start XP Setup
After the License agreement select your XP installation and press R for Repair.
Press F for Fast repair
Insert the ERD when prompted

This will copy back all the original XP Boot files back to the root of C:

HTH

[GaryRouth]

Anandtech has a couple of articles, which might help if you mix and match the info. The first involves removing an OS from a dual boot, and the 2nd involves adding Win98 to an Win2000 box (should be fairly similiar with XP).

Sorry, but I haven't had to do this one yet, so I'm not sure how helpful the links are. Who knows, you may be successfully finished already
. . . Gary

the links:
http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=109
http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=54

[ssahl]

Thanks mike, I think I can handle that, I really hate the repair part of winXP though. could I maybe just copy files from ERD to C: drive after 98 is installed? If not like I said I can probably/maybe handle the fast repair option. Will having Linux on there make a difference? using the grub boot loader (something like that) If it does then I can scrap it and just reinstall it later when I finish with 98 on the c: drive

[mike breck]

What and how many OSs do you have?

What Boot Manager are you using at the moment to Dual or Multi-Boot - XP or Grub? What sequence did you load the OSs in?

If it's the XP Boot Manager, then the Repair from the ERD should take you back to where you were.

[ssahl]

right now the grub comes up first asking if I want to boot to DOS or Linux, then if I pick DOS it asks me if I want to boot to win98 or winXP, the 98 being what I want to reinstall as I cant even boot into safe mode, but like I said, if I need to it's no big deal to wipe the Linux partitions then format c: drive (98) and install 98 and if it works install Linux, there is nothing on the Linux drive aside from a fresh clean install so no lose. How do I make a ERD disk in winXP? do I just pick format a: drive and check 'make ms-dos boot disk'? seems to me there was someplace else to make one, at least there was in win2000 originally I installed the OS's in this order, win98 winXP, then Linux on the unpartitioned space I left just for Linux, and nothing was done manually when I installed Linux. both win98 & winXP are on FAT32 partitions, and everything is on the same hdd, a 41GB IBM 7200rpm
the c: drive with win98 is 15GB and the d: drive with winXP is 12GB, the rest was/is for Linux. My boot.ini file looks just like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows 98"

[ssahl]

Originally posted by ssahl How do I make a ERD disk in winXP?

I quoted myself


just playing around, but really how do I?

[GaryRouth]

Look at that, Mike had an answer before I even finished typing the links [and then - I was too tired to see his post up there!]

Seems like his suggestion to use rdisk from the Start/Run box is for XP (I don't remember seeing an rdisk.exe in Win98).

I'm thinking that if you reload Win98 and then do the repair from XP, it might also then see your current Linux OS, and add it to the NTLDR bootloader & you can boot from one menu (but I'm not sure on this - haven't tried it. Seems pretty likely that the Win98 reload will wipe Grub from the MBR, though).
. . . Gary

[mike breck]

How do I make a ERD disk in winXP?

Start, Run, and type "rdisk" (without the quotes)
Select "Create Repair Disk."

So you installed Linux last, and that's why Grub starts first.

I think you should keep to the plan and wipe, reinstall Win98, and then repair XP to put the Boot files on C:

Then as Gary has suggested, see if the XP Boot Manager gives you an option of booting into Linux.

If it doesn't, then you can always reinstall Linux and that will reinstate Grub on C:

Then, you should be back to your original setup.

[ssahl]

Ok thought I was just stupid, I do that and get:

windows cannot find 'rdisk' please.....

search for rdisk finds nothing on my CD or anywhere on my drive.

can you make one, then zip it and email it to me maybe?

[mike breck]

Sorry ssahl,

Scrub that "rdisk" method, that's for W2K. XP doesn't use an ERD, it uses the Automated System Recovery disk. Also the ASR is not supported by XP Home, just XP Pro.

As I am not sure if the ASR disk contains the necessary boot files, I would just suggest going for the straightforward XP Repair from CD option.

However, you may want to copy your existing NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI, BOOTSECT.DOS from the root of C: to a floppy disk. If anything goes amiss, then you can copy them back to the root of C: after XP is repaired.

HTH

[ssahl]

I do have winXP Pro, I was all set to try it right away, however I may have another hard drive here real soon. I had put together another computer, but the person who wants it asked about using old parts from there old computer, I told them I would knock off $100 and take out the hard drive thats in it, so that may work out real good, this way I can ghost my current drive and try this on it first. It's a nice one too, 41GB Maxtor 7200rpm
thanks mike, and I'll let you know in about a week how everything went.

scott

[ssahl]

Well, I finally got up enough nerve to do it, and let me tell you, that was alot of worry for nothing. All I had to do was boot to a 98 floppy boot disk, run the win98_se setup program, and that was it. didnt have to run XP repair, didnt even have to edit the boot.ini file. WinXP boots up like it always did, and win98 boots up like it hasnt in quite a long time. Just letting everyone know. At least I was prepaired in case something did go wrong, but all went smooth.