Multi Boot Problem

Question

Had HD partitioned for 3 OS: Win31, WinME(1), WinME(2). Was using PowerQuest Boot Magic for OS loader. This scheme was working fine. Replaced WinME(2) with WinXP, and now have following problems.

WinXP boot loader installed itself as the default loader. It has two deficiencies. First, it does not recognize the Win31 (FAT16) OS. Second, it will not allow loading of WinME in Safe Mode. Can either of these problems be fixed?

Would prefer to use Boot Magic over the XP loader. Can you help.

gryjhnhpe · Answer

Windows XP only suppots  FAT32 &  NTFS. See Microsoft info; http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/dual_booting.mspx

rhwrightjr · Answer

Yes, I understand. So I would like to be able to do away with the XP boot loader and return to Boot Magic which is loaded in WinME. Boot Magic recognizes all file systems. The problem is getting rid of the XP boot loader. XP denies me access to Win31. I am of the opinion that the XP boot loader cannot be disabled. If this is the case, I have no entry into Win31 and may as well delete that partition.

Incidentally, I found out that I can get into WinME in Safe Mode through the XP boot loader. You just have to be lightning fast is pressing the F5 key.

rhwrightjr · Answer

According to the web site you directed me to, Windows XP supports multiple booting with MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 3.51, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000.  This indicates to me that the XP boot menu should recognize Win31 but it does not.  Is there a way for me to add it manually?

JRosenfeld · Answer

I don't know, as I have not tried, but generally the information is in the boot.ini file.

See if the fllowing help

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307061&Product=winxp

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;291980&Product=winxp

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;289022&Product=winxp

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314081&Product=winxp

gryjhnhpe · Answer

rhwrightjr wrote:......Incidentally, I found out that I can get into WinME in Safe Mode through the XP boot loader. You just have to be lightning fast is pressing the F5 key.

INFO:
On new DELL Computer even with one XP OS install you have to tap F8 many times during startup until Advanced Menu is displayed so you can then select Safe Mode.

Curios.?
Why would you want to use a Windows OS 3.1 that is about 12 yrs old , released in 1992. ?

rhwrightjr · Answer

Hey, you're right.  Why Win31.  It's just that it's been with me for a long time.  I like to go back to it.  And I still have a lot of files in it that I like to revisit.  And a lot of DOS programs.  Basically, that's where I learned computers.  I have the disk space, and so I'd like to keep it.  So I would like to solve the riddle as to why XP doesn't pick it up.  Knowing computers, it's likely something very simple.  Just a tweak here or there.  But, so far, no clues.  Thanks for your help.

rhwrightjr · Answer

Thanks for your help.  None seems to be the answer as to why XP doesn't pick up Win31.  I hesitate to start tinkering with the boot.ini, as this could get me into some irreversible trouble.  But I think that the boot.ini is the key, if I could just learn the key to unlocking Win31.

gryjhnhpe · Answer

You can observe the boot.ini file with Windows XP (doesn't know about other Windows OS's) by just pressing the Windows+Break(Pause) keys together , select "Advanced" tab then "Startup & Recovery" , "Settings" button , "Edit" button.
This will show the contents of the boot.ini file which you can Edit if you wish.
--------------------
You could also check the partition info by using "Administrative Tools" > "Computer Management" > "Disk Management".
See its shows the Windows 3.1 partition. ?

rhwrightjr · Answer

Yeah, Disk Management does show Win31 as the first primary partition.  All appears normal, but the Status is listed as 'Healthy (Unknown Partition)'.  I'm going to do some searching for information on what to enter into the boot.ini manually.

gryjhnhpe · Answer

rhwrightjr wrote: Yeah, Disk Management does show Win31 as the first primary partition. All appears normal, but the Status is listed as "Healthy (Unknown Partition)". I'm going to do some searching for information on what to enter into the boot.ini manually.

As XP can only read FAT32 & NTFS partition it would show the WIN 3.1 FAT partition as (Unknown Partition).

Can only find this info for WIN ME boot.ini , can't find WIN 3.1 boot.ini info , I think its similar to WIN ME.?
C:\ = "Microsoft Windows"

You can check the boot.ini for WIN ME shown by XP >.......Edit.
I see the WIN ME doesn't have any partition info so if it shows C:\ = "Microsoft Windows" for WIN ME
don't know how it would determine if WIN ME or WIN 3.1 . ?
Perhaps the text "Microsoft Windows" is different for WIN 3.1 .?
Or perhaps the Drive letter C:\ is different to that used by WIN ME.?

You should probably use the Drive letter for WIN 3.1 , if shown by "Disk Management" .?

When Editing boot.ini from XP add the WIN 3.1 info as last line , close Notepad & then click the Save option shown.
------------------------
EDIT:
Found this info from Microsoft site:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=217210

"You can configure your computer to start Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, and either Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me. However, you cannot configure a computer to multiple boot any combination of Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me because Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me use the same boot file. Therefore, multiple booting Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me at the same time is not supported. "

So looks like XP can't support WIN 3.1 plus WIN ME multiboot at the same time.
As I think WIN 3.1 uses the same file as WIn 95 , WIN 98 & WIN ME , that is;
C:\ = "Microsoft Windows" C:\ being the same file.

True is can support WIN 3.1 & WIN XP but not WIN 3.1 & WIN ME as the same time.
------------------------

So looks like you will have to go back to using PowerQuest if it can be configured with OS already installed.
Somehow PowerQuest but be able to use the same file for WIN 3.1 , WIN ME(1) & WIN ME(2).

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 04-22-2004 09:58 AM

gryjhnhpe · Answer

rhwrightjr wrote: Yeah, Disk Management does show Win31 as the first primary partition. All appears normal, but the Status is listed as "Healthy (Unknown Partition)". I'm going to do some searching for information on what to enter into the boot.ini manually.

As XP can only read FAT32 & NTFS partition it would show the WIN 3.1 FAT partition as (Unknown Partition).

Can only find this info for WIN ME boot.ini , can't find WIN 3.1 boot.ini info , I think its similar to WIN ME.?
C:\ = "Microsoft Windows"

You can check the boot.ini for WIN ME shown by XP >.......Edit.
I see the WIN ME doesn't have any partition info so if it shows C:\ = "Microsoft Windows" for WIN ME
don't know how it would determine if WIN ME or WIN 3.1 . ?
Perhaps the text "Microsoft Windows" is different for WIN 3.1 .?
Or perhaps the Drive letter C:\ is different to that used by WIN ME.?

You should probably use the Drive letter for WIN 3.1 , if shown by "Disk Management" .?

When Editing boot.ini from XP add the WIN 3.1 info as last line , close Notepad & then click the Save option shown.

rhwrightjr · Answer

With your assistance, I'm beginning to get the picture. The problem is that PowerQuest Boot Magic doesn't get along with the XP boot loader. If I could get rid of the XP boot loader, I could use Boot Magic to select the OS. I've already been down that road, and it cost me a couple of XP reinstalls.

However, if XP will pick up Win31 provided WinME is not present, that may work for me. I would prefer to retain all three OS, but if I can only have two then so be it. Unfortunately, I don't know of a way to test this without wiping out WinME. Unless someone comes along and tells me that he has been there and that the XP boot loader will in fact not accept but one MSDOS OS due to the common use of "C" for the drive letter, I'll have to find out for myself. Boot Magic does it by hiding all of the primary partitions except for the active partition, which assumes the drive letter "C".

Thanks a lot for your help.

gryjhnhpe · Answer

Found this info might be helpful although doesn't install an XP OS mentions NT & XP using NT Platform.
Says to create a "Boot Magic" Repair disk as;
you will need to boot from the repair disk to take control back from NT’s boot loader.

http://www.mcmcse.com/win2k/guides/multiboot.shtml

rhwrightjr · Answer

Thanks.  Very interesting information.  I have used Boot Magic in the same manner, but not with so many OSes.  And things have just not worked as smoothly for me, since installing XP.  Somehow, when the active partition is changed by Boot Magic, the next time you try to boot WinXP it sends out a message that it cannot locate the autochk file and reboots.  This action keeps looping.  I have found that the autochk file is in place, so  XP must be searching elsewhere, perhaps in the active partition.  Reversing the active partition with Boot Magic does not resolve the problem.  I have had to do a couple of reinstalls because of it.  I ultimately concluded that the way to fix the problem would be to disable the XP boot loader and stay with Boot Magic, but I have not been able to determine if this can be done.  And trying to get information on Boot Magic from Symantec is pretty much a waste of time.

rhwrightjr · Answer

For the record, I did attempt to use Boot Magic one more time.  This time by enabling Boot Magic but not changing the active partition.  The result was the same:  XP could not find the autochk program, rebooted, and kept looping.  I had to reinstall.  That's it for me trying to use Boot Magic with WinXP.

Windows General

Multi Boot Problem

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