Best way to triple boot with win2k, win98se, and mandrake 8.1??

[JayMan]

I am thinking of updating my system alittle, will probably be adding a 60gig drive since my 20 is getting pretty full now, upon doing this i wouild love to triple boot between the 3 OS's mensioned above. All would be done on a fresh format. This is what i was thinkging oringally.

format, load win98se, use partition magic to create 3 parts, 5gig ext2 for linux, 25gig fat32 for win2k, 30gig fat32 for win98se. Then load win2k on, then load linux. WOuld this be the best way or is there a better way?

I know i could use ntfs for the win2k partition, but i wanna easily be able to access files on that partition from win98se so fat32 would be needed to be used as far as i know.

Thanks

JayMan

[Germ]

That's basically how I did it. Should work fine. Put lilo or grub in the MBR when you load Drake. It will find the NT loader that Win2k installs. Then you will get the option of Linux or Windows when you boot. When you choose Windows, lilo or grub will present you with the NT loader boot screen for a choice of 98 or 2K.

Germ

[DutchMaster]

With mandrake it isn't even needed to format a partition for linux etc2. Madrake can be installed on a empty fat32 partition too. The install menu lets you decide which filesystem to use and formats to the chosen filesystem. This formatting goes very fast.

[eagle1]

That's the way to do it (the order is about right!!).

Good luck.. and tell us how it goes.!

[Spartan]

Sounds right to me too. Here is a link as well -- I didn't read it, so it might be exactly what you are doing:

Create a Tri-Boot PC

[JayMan]

If i was to create 2 fat32 parts, would that then mean i could also access the linux files from win98 and win2k too? that might be a good way to go.

What are the advantages of using ext2 and ntfs? I understand ntfs is more secure than fat32 but other than that is there any difference?

JayMan

[vass0922]

A big problem with using NTFS is from linux it will be READ ONLY
Especially from NTFS 5 (Win2k)

It wont be readable at all from Win98 (w/o extra additives & preservatives)

FAT unfortunately as much as I hate admitting it is your best choice for your windows partitions.

etc2 is not readable by windows at all (drivers available??) not any version

So if you're going to share data you'll have to do it from the fat partitions.

from within linux you'll have folders for
/mnt/win_c
/mnt/win_d by default in mandrake

I've had the very setup you're speaking of for a long time

Only problem I have is getting the bootloaders to talk to each other ....
I have to go into the BIOS and change the boot order of my drives to get to linux
Keep meaning to post about that LOL
(2 physical drives, one for windos, and the other for linux)

However, I think on one drive it'd be a bit less complicated
Oh and you may read through in the installation about "over 32 cylinders and heads etc you may not be able to blahblahblah"
pretty much disregard it these days, the BIOS on any good mobo nowadays can read past those old timer limitations!

[JayMan]

ok kewls, so linux will still read ntfs.

What are the advantages of using ext2 for linux tho? like is it faster etc...?

JayMan

I tripled boot the same three OSes two weeks ago ...
I did the following with my 30GB drive :
*8GB FAT32 for win98 and installed frist (made the other partitions with PM6)
*15GB NTFS for WIN2K (it is my main OS)
* the rest for Linux ext2 format + 512MB for linux sawp

I installed the OSes in the same order, and used boot Magic as my booting manager .. and i installed the LILO on the same partition of Mandrake so it would not write itself over win2k boot manager ...

Oh boy .. still a LOT to learn about Mandrake for me (no time) i couldn't even play video CD or find my files on the other partitions .. but it is pleasant still ..
Regards and good luck ...

[cooter007]

I installed Mandrake 8.1 on my secondary IDE 4GB hard drive ( keep it off my primary Windows XP drive)

I selected the “Advanced Install” and created a boot disk! I skipped the GRUB and LILO section.

My computer runs XP like everybody’s until I pop my floppy in, then it comes up on Linux! My operating systems never see each other! I tried using LILO and had nothing but problems.