Windows 98, Oops!

[Beemer]

O/S's installed on separate partitions and in order:
Win98/Y2K/XP

I have to fresh install Win98. Trying to remember the files I have to backup in Win98 to be able to gain access to my other O/S's when it is freshly installed. Are the files:

boot.ini
ntldr
ntdetect.com
?

Cheers!

You'd probably find it easier to install 98, then use the XP Recovery Console and have it rewrite your boot files.

After you get 98 on, boot w/ the XP CD and use "FIXBOOT". This will put all the correct files in the root of "C" and will detect 98 and 2K so you don't have to copy anything.

[Beemer]

And if I did want to copy the files, are these the correct ones? It seems to me that just copying the files would be faster and easier. Correct me if I'm wrong. (It's been known to happen...lol)

Cheers!

[Beemer]

I tried the Recovery Console since I have never had much success with it in the past. fixboot didn't work.

NTLDR is missing is what I received for my efforts.

I had copied the files to my HDD so I reloaded Win98, copied the files to C:\ drive and it still didn't bring up the O/S selection screen.

I rebooted off the XP CD and used the Recovery Console with fixboot command.

All fixed.

Can anyone explain what I didn't do in order to have the fixboot command work the way Evilrick described?

Cheers!

How did you run Recovery Console the first time, from "Run"?

If so, I would imagine that since "FIXBOOT" writes a new boot sector, it probably can't do it w/ Windows running. I've never used Recovery Console except from the CD, so I'm not sure exactly how it works the other way.

[Beemer]

I rebooted off the XP CD and used the Recovery Console with fixboot command.

Hmm, I'm befuddled why it didn't work the first time.

To answer your other question, those three files are needed, but I believe you have to have a couple or few others. Been awhile since I dual booted w/ 98, but you might see like MSDOS.DOS or something like that. It's XP's version of MSDOS.SYS. I think it just has "W98" in it or something like that. Might be a couple of CONFIG.DOS or AUTOEXEC.DOS as well.

Oh great, now my curiosity is up and I'm gonna have to go mess with it.

Thnx a lot Beemer!

[meese]

Thats the kicker. For whatever reason, when you run fixboot after booting with the XP CD, it works. This isn't the first time I've come across this. I'm thinking a lot of the NTLDR is missing problems can be fixed this way.

[Beemer]

Sorry about that EvilRick.
Let me know what you come up with.

Should I be expecting problems now with XP because of missing files from the afore mentioned proceedures?

Cheers!

No. You shouldn't anyway. It's just the boot files and that's it.