Multiple OSes on your computer

[Digital Guerrilla]

I like using multiple OSes because this way I get to keep all of my information without a problem. I mean you have certain programs and or devices that work better with your previous OS so I do not have to disregard my previous OS, I can just exchange easier between the two OSes. A multiple OS computer is the way to have two computers in one. I think having dual OSes is like having better choices.

Is there anybody else that runs multiple OSes on their computer, I am wanting to use System Commander 7 instead of Partition Magic in my new project but wanted some real-time feedback. I have recently aquired another machine and plan to run 2 OSes on it also WIN XP and Linuix Mandrake 10.0.

I am not having any problems but just wanting discussion on the subject.

[gryphon]

I used to have triple boots. Used LiLo as a bootmanager and Linux version of Fdisk to make changes to any of the drives.

For now I am not running with dual boots anymore.  .. I use multiple computers for that. . ;)

[Digital Guerrilla]

Hey Gryphon I have a question for you. The Windows XP on the machine that I have is in NTFS not FAT. If I use Partition Magic 7.0 that could resize NTFS and it comes with bootmagic. BootMagic cannot be installed on a NTFS partition so if I create a very small FAT and installled the thing. Then, I should create a PM a swap and a ext2 partition. I should able to install Mandrake and have GRUB installed on the first sector of the ext2 partition. If I install GRUB on the MBR it will erase bootmagic so it would be better on ext2. This would be the correct way to dual boot on NTFS.

[gryphon]

booting NTFS from Linux can be a bit hard .. although if you are familiar with GRUB command you should be able to pull it off easy. :)

what I usually did to get a dual boot with Windows and Linux [ both on one disk ] was to make a 40 MB partition first on the disk. Then install Windows in the MBR and on a partitino after the just created 40mb. After you have done Windows, install Linux. Use the 40 MB as boot partition and put the os and swap behind windows.

Let GRUD or Lilo do the dual boot without ever having to use partition magic.

An other easy way to do it, use he existing Windows disk as bootdisk. . put in a second and install Linux on that one. . placing GRUB / Lilo on the primary bootrecord. And the Linux OS on the second disk. One bad side. . .you can not use the disk seperately in a PC.

Doesn't bootmagic need to be installed below 500MB of the disk ?. . or did it only put a bootloader in the MBR . . ?

[ it has been a while sinds I have used BM :-[ ]

[Digital Guerrilla]

BootMagic will replace the hard disk MBR with a custom program. This displays the startup menu from which you can select a preferred OS and then launch it. BM will stop working if a PC contracts a boot sector virus or if you install an operating system that re-writes the MBR.

[gryphon]

I know that part .. ;)

although I thought that BM just is in the MBR, and doesn't have anything some where else on the disk. Lilo for example [ or GRUB ] is located in the MBR and somewhere on the disk. If you should delete the part on the disk the boot loader won't work anymore.

If it is the same with BM, you have a few MB's somewhere on your harddrive that probably need to be below the first 500MB of the disk. That was what I was refering to you should pay attention to. :)

[Digital Guerrilla]

I apoligize gryphon.  :-[

Ok that is good advise I had also thought about using GRUB but then I realized that the computer file system was NTFS. As you know GRUB and NTFS do not work well together, GRUB would have to installed on a boot sector. I could just use GAG and save myself a headache.

[gryphon]

I presume you don't want to delete the current WinXP installation you hve right now on that disk, and that that WinXP partition fills up the whole disk ?

you could use partition magic to free up some of the disk space to install Linux on. Think it's safer to make the Linux partitins during the install of linux and not with Partition magic. Then use GAG to boog both.

Something like that ?

[Digital Guerrilla]

Yes that is correct about the Win XP installation.

GAG doesn't need it's own partition and can be booted from a floppy disk without using the HD. Yes that is what I had in mind as far as installing Linux.