I purchased a new computer with Win XP preinstalled on a 40 gig hdd [C]. I then installed my old 8 gig hdd with Win98 installed. I have searched to the end of the internet but cannot find out how to dual boot this system and maintain this two hdd system with no partitions. I can access the data on the second [E] hdd but not boot or run most programs. HEEEEEELP

Top right of this page do a search on "Dual Boot" in the WIN XP forum.

I've never heard of someone multi booting a Win9x product on a 2nd HDD. And while I can think of a possible way of doing it (changing the C:\ in the boot.ini file to D:\ and having the correct files on D:\), I haven't tried and now don't have the resources (or time) to try. There are two ways to dual boot two drives. One way is to utilize the BIOS, changing which disk will boot first. The second way requires a boot manager, either Microsoft's or a 3rd party boot manager. The usual way to get it going (for your situation) is to make the Win98 HDD the 1st drive, the XP drive the 2nd. Once you are confident that Win98 boots and will continue booting, re-install XP into a temp folder. At the first reboot during the XP installation, you should get a dual boot screen (if not floppy boot Win98). Choose Win98 (i think you'll have 4 seconds), delete the temp folder and check that your boot.ini file looks somewhat like this: [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WINDOWS XP" /fastdetect /sos C:\="Microsoft Windows 98" This boot.ini file has XP as the default boot OS (XP on the 2nd HDD, 1st partition, in a system with only 2 HDDs). The reload is the easiest way of making the needed BOOTSECT.DOS file in order to boot a Win9x OS. And this way doesn't care if your XP drive is NTFS. BTW, both OSs will come up as C:\ when they boot. Post back here if you more questions.

phew! that previous answer looks useful but complex. This may not be the full answer, but one thing I do know is you can add XP to 98, but not 98 to xp, as 98 will not readily sit alongside another OS. xp should set up the dual boot for you when it sees 98. Of course, this may not (?) work on two drives, but it does with two partitions on one drive. Hope this helps. KevH

Actually kev, barring use of a 3rd party boot manager, those are the two simplest methods of handling two PREinstalled OSs on two HDDs (albeit the 1st method is way easier than the 2nd). kev, you should have added 'easily' to your statement "... but one thing I do know is you can add XP to 98, but not ^ 98 to xp, as 98 will not readily sit alongside another OS. " Win98 has no problem co-existing with other OSs as long as they are on their own partition (IMHO and experience). If you want complicated, check out W2k post 28743.