2000 Pro and 2000 pro Duel Boot & Partitions

[glider03]

I need to make a duel boot system on a compter that already has 2000 pro installed along with some important files and programs. I would like to create a dual boot system with another copy of Windows 2000 pro.

There is only one partition on the disk from the orginal installation. Do I have to have two partitions? Can I add a partition without loosing the data and programs on the existing C:/ drive. I need to install two copies of a program and I cannot install two copies on the same drive.

Will changing C:/ to a dynamic disk work ( no luck with with adding a new drive letter and path to a folder under disk manager).

I searched for previous answers to this problem on the site before I posted. You guys do really good work.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[wolluf]

Yes you do need a second partition for second copy of 2k. So in your position, you need software which allows you to restructure partition structure without data loss (eg, Partition Magic). You need to shrink existing partition to make space for a second. If you do take this route, BACK UP before using PM (or similar) as any partition altering operation is potentially fallible.

Another approach you could take is using a virtual machine (vmware or MS Virtual PC - which has an evaluation version). Here you install a guest operating system inside your normal 'host' system (in fact you can have many of these virtual machines - depending on how much resource your machine has). The virtual machine o/s is completely separate from the host.

 

[glider03]

Thanks, that's what I was afraid off. I think I'll put another hard drive in and then install 2000 pro on it creating a dual boot system that way.

They should work....Shouldn't it?

Thanks,
you guys are great,
Mike

 

[wolluf]

yes - a second hard drive will do the trick.