Here's the scenario: I am running an HP Pavilion 6350 with a 8 GB HDD with Windows 98 first edition pre-installed. I have to install Windows 2000 on the computer as well (it is not on the HCL, but it will work). I use PartitionMagic 5.0 to dynamically resize my drive so that drive C: (Win98) has a 5GB partition and drive D: (Win2000) has about 3GB partition. The partition resize is successful and I can boot to Windows 98 and see the D: drive. I install Windows 2000 Pro on the D: partition. The WINNT folder has successfully installed on D:, with the Windows 2000 boot files showing up on drive C: When the computer is restarted, the Windows 2000 OS chooser appears and shows both Win 98 and 2000. 2000 boots fine. When I boot to 98, nothing happens. If anything, can I uninstall 2000 and get back to Windows 98? The system just hangs. Below is a copy of my boot.ini file. Can someone please help me!!! [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect C:\ = "Microsoft Windows"

format c: and format d: it will fix everything

Hi, start the computer by using a win98 boot-disk. then type "sys c:". restart your computer without using the bootdisk. I think it will work. If not start again with the bootdisk and type fdisk /mbr. then try again. good luck ! achim

dude, i'm having the same problem, with minor variations. i have W2K installed, and then installed W98 on the slave drive D: anyways, when i attempt to boot to W98, the OS choice screen hands for a couple seconds, and the computer reboots. i've re-SYS'd the W98 drive and re-installed the bootloader on the MBR. the W98 drive is 'Active' from FDISK; still won't boot W98. i wonder whether W98 is having identity crisis from being referred in two different ways. my boot.ini refers to W98 as D:\="windows 98", but when W98 boots from a floppy, it sees itself as living on C: to fix that, i'd have to put both OS on the same drive, and i don't want that. another alternative is to install IBM's Boot Manager on the boot drive, and add all OS partitions to it, cross fingers and hope for the best.

Hi I'll throw in my experience here. Used PM6 to make 2nd primary partition for windows 2000. Had W98 on HD before hand. Used PM6 to Format Fat32 on second primary partition and then set this partition active also using PM6. Booted this partition with Win2000 startup discs and installed Win2000. Rebooted and selected Windows 98 in Win2000 bootloader, guess what. no boot to W98, even using W98 bootdisc. Restated system and selected Win2000 in bootloader, and booted Win2000. Installed PM6 to Win2000, and used it to set W98 Partition as active and booted to W98. Changed Boot.ini in Win98 to [boot loader] timeout=10 default=C:\ [operating systems] C:\="Windows 98" multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect Great now I can boot to W98. I hit restart and boot to Win2000, was working great. Now it won't load due to NTOSKRNL error! So.... I boot Win2000 with ERD, select repair and presto, now I can boot both OS's. Yeah, I could have used Bootmagic, and I could have installed Win2000 from W98, but, Now I see only the Win2000 Bootloader and from W98, you can't "see" the Win2000 partition. If anyone can tell me how to avoid this hassle and achieve the same result, please post Thanks

By booting to a 98 boot disk, and typing the command sys C: at a DOS prompt, I can again access Windows 98, but 2000 becomes un-bootable (although I can see the files in explorer). I try installing 2000 from the wizard directly through 98, it goes to reboot and then both OSs become inaccessible. I have to run the sys c: command again to get 98 to boot. What am I doing wrong?

Sorry if this rather long; but several folks do seem to have posted numerous problems in simliar vein and in the same place. The following responses/suggestions hopefully will help resolve some/all, or at least promote further input to the same end? ************** Ummm… things do sound as though they've been unnecessarily complicated to achieve a dual-boot… "Chris:" "Achim" told you how to at least get back to a '98 only boot situation. From '98 Explorer you could then locate/delete the W2K folder etc. and then maybe start afresh, as you 'would' like to have a working dual-boot. Note: All installed M$ OS have to have their boot/start-up files resident in the 'active' Primary partition (which will also include the NT/W2K boot-menu, and the other NT/W2K boot-files). Note: Although you 'can' install NT/W2K from inside a currently installed/functioning OS, it is 'generally' more successful to install NT/W2K from outside an installed OS when wanting a dual-boot. This especially if not doing an 'Upgrade' from '9x (or NT) to W2K, i.e. you want to have two separate OS installations, and the second OS is a 'clean install' as M$ puts it. (Leastways that's been my own personal experience.) Do I understand correctly that your (single) HD is: C: = '98 = fat32 = active (the only) Primary partition? D: = fat32 = Extended partition ( = W2K intended…)? (If D: is 'another' Primary partition then post back - things are a little different…) At present you can boot OK to '98, and presuming your HD is as above… then: Run W2K set-up from a CD boot (or the 4 floppies - if your bios won't allow a CD boot). Allow it to 'repair' (or even 'upgrade') the present W2K installation; it will/should find it. I would opt for the 'repair' route as it will likely as not be the better option. However - before you attempt the 'repair', it might not hurt to locate the present W2K boot/start-up files in the C: primary partition and delete them. Do this via '98 Explorer, with the 'view all files' setting (so you can see all system etc. files). You will probably have to clear the read-only/hidden attributes (via file/properties) on each of these files in order to be able to delete them. The files you are looking for are: Ntldr; boot.ini; ntdetect.com - delete only these - do 'not' delete any '98 boot-files… Reboot PC to verify you can still boot to '98 OK. Then run W2K set-up as suggested above (not from within '98). This should set things up correctly for you. If not post back with the details of what does/doesn't happen… and confirm types/formats of your HD partitions… *********** "masterboot": Is your system as follows? You have two HD's installed? HD-1 = W2K; HD-2 = '98 intended? HD-1 (Master with Slave) C: = fat32 = W2K = (active) Primary partition - and is this the 'only' partition? HD-2 (Slave to HD-1 Master) D: = fat32 = '98 intended; how is this HD configured/partitioned? How did you go about installing '98 to the second HD? If it was installed as a stand-alone (single) HD and then added into the system, then there's no way it will dual-boot via W2K/HD-1 boot-menu (the screen that lists all installed M$ OS's at boot-up). Again remember that all installed M$ OS have to have their boot/start-up files resident in the 'active' Primary partition (which will also include the NT/W2K boot-menu, and the other NT/W2K boot-files). This applies equally for a single or dual/multi-boot system… and unless you do things the right way NT/W2K will not allow the '98 boot-up, even though it can see/list '98 as present somewhere on the system… If HD-1 (W2K) = ntfs then that's your problem… '98 cannot see ntfs and cannot install its boot-files into a ntfs primary partition… If you have ntfs W2K primary, post back? The basic requirement for a dual/multi-boot system (without resorting to an add-in third-party boot-manger - e.g PM's Boot-it…) is to have a common active C: primary partition which is a file format that all installed M$ OS can see. The universally common format (across M$ OS) is fat16; but '98/W2K can also see fat32, so C: can be either fat16/fat32 when dual-booting '98 and W2K- it cannot be ntfs… Perhaps you can post back with more detailed info on how you installed '98; how both your HD are configured (partition sizes/file formats). It may then be possible to resolve your situation? "joey" If you go the dual-primary option as your post suggests, then you are really into using an add-in third-party boot-manager (PM's Boot-it etc…). Although there is a way to get it (dual-primaries) to work without an add-in util (I did it with '98/NT4 as an experiment) it really isn't worth the candle… As you have discovered (if I read you right?), you cannot see the 'inactive' Primary partitions from the 'active' Primary partition, i.e.W2K partition from '98 and visa-versa…? As you suggest an add-in boot-manger is one way to go with dual/multiple primaries… This allows choice of Primary to boot and thus which OS; but 'inactive' Primaries are hidden… It really isn't necessary to go that route… All you needed to do was to free up some HD space and create an 'Extended' partition for W2K and install it there, via a CD boot (or the 4 floppies - if your bios doesn't allow a CD boot); i.e. install W2K from outside any installed OS… W2K will install its boot/start-up files into the C: active Primary ('98) partition and pick up '98 on the way adding it to the boot-menu… You have PM6x? You could use it to convert the present W2K Primary partition to an Extended; then verify you can still boot to it via the boot-menu (residing in the '98 C: primary partition?). If you cannot boot to W2K at this juncture, then just run W2K set-up from a CD boot (or floppies) and do the 'Repair' routine to rewrite the boot-files to '98 C: (active) primary partition. Equally an 'Upgrade' would probably achieve the same result - if W2K set-up finds the present installation (it should)…This will then give you the full dual-boot and allow both OS partitions to be visible to both OS. If W2K becomes ntfs at some future time, the '98 will not be able to see it - unless you use the utils from sysinternals.com to get around this limitation. You will have to re-apply any service pack if you go the Upgrade route. Then renew the ERD. It's wise to have an ERD as soon as W2K is successfully installed, and it be kept up-to-date following any changes to the system. Finally, on the '95/'98 forum I posted a lengthy (sorry - it is rather detailed…) on setting up dual-boots, with particular reference to '98/W2K. It would apply to several scenarios - single and dual HD's with/without an OS already present… (It is adaptable to '9x/NT, '9x/NT/W2K etc…). It was in response to someone who is new to the whole dual-boot scenario.; It does seem to have become an issue again - after a period when it all seemed to be going OK out there? I thought it might help a few folks out by offering (with explanations) a few ways to achieve it all? You may find it useful in your 'quest' alongside the above unput? It's at: http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/88982.html Perhaps you will post back with your results - that way 'we all' learn what worked etc. for future reference/use?