WinXP & Win2K Dual Boot

[jdavism]

I was hoping for some advise. I have been running WinXP for the last 8 months or however long its been out and have decided to install Win2K in a dual boot config so I can study up on my 2K certs.

Here is my question.. I know I needed to install Win2K first so what I did was Norton Ghosted my WinXP pertition and formated the drive, partitioned it, and installed Win2K. Then I restored WinXP. Problem is, I not boot to WinXP without the dual boot option.

Is there a way I can add the dual boot option now? Win2K is install on my "G" drive so I just need to boot from it. Any help would be appricated.

Jeff

 

[gargouille]

Boot to the Win2K partition and then insert the XP CD and do a repair install and make sure you point to the ghosted image...then let the computer do the work for you.
Then you should get the dual boot option...

 

[wolluf]

Assuming your 2k install is now on the C: drive/boot partition, you should be able to get dual boot without repair.

1. Copy the files ntldr & ntdetect.com from the XP install CD (or the root of your XP drive) over the 2k versions in the root of C:. Edit the boot.ini file there to include an entry for both operating systems. Should look something like this if 2k on partition 1 and XP on partition 2 (with 2k as default - swap if you want XP to be):-

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

Recovery console for XP also has a command - bootcfg - which will scan your machine for NT/2k/XP installations and build a boot menu for any it finds.

 

[jdavism]

Thank you very much for all the solutions. I chose to go with the Recovery Console bootcfg opition but it raised another problem. I added both but accidently added a duplicate for my WinXP install. I tried to go into the boot.ini to edit it out but my boot.ini file in WinXP only have WinXP, not the other installs.

And in Win2K I don't have any boot.ini file.. I noticed that bootcfg won't let you remove one.. any ideas?

And thanks again for the advice.

Jeff

 

[wolluf]

Let me get this right - your machine is now displaying 3 options when you boot (2k & XP twice)?
The boot.ini file in the XP install only has an XP entry
There is no boot.ini file in win2k (are you sure - have you got it set to view hidden and system files)?
Which is first partition on the drive?

 

[gargouille]

That thought crossed my mind after I posted; should have warned you...it's tricky and counterintuitive to get the repair install!
I also left off the bootcfg step.

My bad, Jeff, but stick with us.

Thanks to Wolluf: he's got you on the right path again.

You'll obviously wanta' uninstall the last WinXP.

 

[jdavism]

Here is my drive config, two hard drives. Primary is 20gig (Drive C: and Drive G and Salve is 40gig (Drive D WinXP is on Drive C: and Win2K is on Drive G:.

Win2K was installed on Drive G first and then I ghosted WinXP on C.

In the find files and folders I checked the search for hidden and still nothing on boot.ini. Only one in there is WinXP

 

[gargouille]

I'm embarrassed by my early-morning post.(not an excuse-but a reason) Oh well, feet of clay.
I obviously meant for you to boot to the XP CD...which you figured out.
I'm too obsessive to get the drive designations so hard to keep track of...I try adhering to the KISS principle.
(Too rigid, my wife sez) LOL
You may well have to reduce it all to one even layer of mud and start making pies all over. But I think you'll sort it out.
If you don't, post back and I'll TRY to help.

 

[linney]

Just read these and make sure you ran Bootcfg correctly.



Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - Q291980
A Discussion About the Bootcfg Command and Its Uses

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q291/9/80.asp

HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP (Q289022)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q289/0/22.asp