Ok I know this is probably on the forum somewhere. I have a couple of questions to ask, first I went to bebits.com and I saw there was a Windows version and a Linux version of BeOS. My question is, is there a "stand alone" version of BeOS? Like Windows and Linux come on disks that you can create from .iso's. BeOS doesnt have something like this? I really don't want something running on windows I want an OS that stands alone. Maybe I'm not understanding how it works. Also I tried BeOS before and the way it worked went like: I click an icon and it shuts down Windows and then BeOS starts up. Is there an installer for a pc without any operating system for example a formatted hard drive with no os? Also Is there anyway I can do what I do with Linux and have a loader like Grub or Lilo but with BeOS? Or even a boot disk would be good. Please explain this to me so I dont feel like an idiot. -Thanks for your help--zero31-

I have just this day loaded Beos Personal Edition (got it free a couple of years ago with APC)I have virtually the same setup as you. It sets itself up within Windows(XP NTFS) and creates a floppy boot disc. Installed faultlessly. Had the modem up and running in about 5 minutes( didn't have my model so I just went down the selections till one worked). Very impressed.If you can't get hold of a copy I could send it to you if you .

To answer your question...YES, BeOS is a standalone OS. The versions you are speaking of, for Windows and Linux, is BeOS Personal Edition (PE). It was released as a cut-down version of the OS so that people could try it out on their computers without having to dedicate a hard drive partition to it.

The full verion of BeOS...the standalone version...can not be obtained for free (unless you know someone who has an installation disc, or a copy of one). You can find the full version on Ebay or www.purplus.com (this is where I bought my copy). It's like $23 or something.

Anyway, the BeOS PE version IS standalone...so long as you have the floppy in the disk drive when you turn the machine on, it will boot BeOS. That whole windows portion of it is just to make it convenient to reboot your computer, that's all. It doesn't really sit on top of windows...windows is not running in the background.

There's my 2 cents, hope it's worth somethin'!

Further to my rant about Personal Edition. I have several H/D in cradles( Racks if you are an American)I used one loaded with Win98 and loaded Beos on to it.Result much faster loading than NTFS. Another thing I noticed, the Modem speed is constant, unlike Windows and that is using a generic driver.
Downside is I can't use Paltalk and several other programs, but hey, it's one very smooth O/S and it is FREE.

There are third-party BeOS distributions based on PE that can be installed in a stand-alone fashion. Two of these are Dev Edition and Max.

*Or* if you have PE installed successfully within Windows, here's the ~very~ ~easy~ way to dual-boot BeOS:

Use BeOS app "Installer" to copy PE to a designated partition.

All of the software and user files you added to PE will be installed too! Afterwards you can delete the PE from within Windows. Don't forget to run "bootman" from the BeOS terminal - this will install BeOS Bootman,a boot manager that will allow you to select Windows, BeOS, etc. when you turn on the computer.

There are advantages to using the Dev or Max editions. For instance, each has a selection of software included and the necessary patches and drivers for newer hardware.

For more info, browse betips.net.

Best Wishes,
Bob