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Duel boot Win 95 & NT4.0

I have NT4.0 instaled (with service pack 2).  I have duel boot to DOS 6.22/Win 3.11.  I want to add win 95 to the mix.  I have tried booting to DOS and running the windows 95 setup directly off the CD.  It gets a short way into the setup and then returns a window with the following:

Warning SU0168
Your computer already has an operating
system installed, which cannot be upgraded by
this version of setup.  Please obtain the
Windows 95 Upgrade.

I am using a CD recently supplied with a new PC.

I have checked other similar threads but the solutions just don't work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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peterwest

You may be able to it by doing this:

1. Create a new partition on your disk using FDISK and set this
    to the active partition.  This will prevent the setup from seeing
   your existing installations.

2. Install the software

3. Mark the original partition as active

4. A hidden system file called MSDOS.SYS in the root directory
   of your boot drive stores details on which drive/directory to
   boot to; you could manually adjust this, do it using batch files
  or alternatively get a piece of software to allow you to boot to
  the new partition.

Hope this helps

Pete


Avatar of akb

ASKER

Adjusted points to 50
Avatar of akb

ASKER

Thanks peterwest.  I was hoping for a safer solution.  If I stuff up my NT installation it will take hours to recover.  I would prefer not to muck around with fdisk if opssible.
Yours problem is that Nt4.0 allready is on yours machine. You cant install. Win95 on top of NT4.0.
If you still want to have both Win95 and WinNT, you have to install. Win95 first and then WinNT. This is possible.
As you can see, peterwest solution is faster. Sorry
akb,
 try some of these boot options:
1.How to Boot Your Previous Version of MS-DOS By Default
http://www.microsoft.com/kb/articles/q142/3/23.htm
2. Contents of the Windows 95 Msdos.sys File (This one is loaded)
http://www.microsoft.com/kb/articles/q118/5/79.htm

As far as I know, peterwest is right. You can setup a multi boot option. But the boot sector must Dos version ??? fot nt and
Dos version ??? for 95. Unless you want to do a sys c: from each type of boot floppy every time you boot.
I doubt you want to do that.

Partion Magic software may be *your* best bet.
Oh yea, try these two troubleshooting guides.
Microsoft Windows 95 Setup Troubleshooter
http://www.microsoft.com/support/tshoot/w95setup.HTM
and
Microsoft Windows 95 Startup Troubleshooter
http://www.microsoft.com/support/tshoot/w95startup.HTM
Avatar of akb

ASKER

Thanks for all your help, but I would still prefer an easier option (if possible).  I have read a couple of articles in magazines which give instructions to do what I want but they don't seem to work.
The W95 CD you have is a OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Version, that will not (in any way) Install if it detect a present operating system. The only way to resolv this is to make sure there IS no other system present.. Or get a retail version of W95.
Avatar of akb

ASKER

But the latest release of W95 is only available as an OEM version.  This is the one I would prefer to install.
Well, then you dont have much of an option, unless you wanna install it on a different computer and then pipe it over using network/direct cable connectrion.
Though I heard it isn't possible booting Win95 and NT on the same drive you certainly must take a look at the OSR2 page at:
http://www.users.cts.com/king/s/serwin/osr2.htm
and the part you are looking for:
http://www.users.cts.com/king/s/serwin/osr2.htm#upgrade
Avatar of akb

ASKER

This just tells me it can't be done! :(  Maybe I have to start again from scratch and load Win '95 first?
If you are going to install it, yes, you have to install win95 first. After that install NT and keep in mind the shared dir's.
But we are back to the beginning then, aren't we?

You can reject my answer as well, I resign if there is something easier.
MAKE COPIES OF BOTH CONFIG.SYS AND AUTOEXEC.BAT FOR YOUR WIN95 & WINNT!!! YOU MAY NEED THEM BADLY IN CASE YOU SCREW UP!!!!!!!!!!!
****************************************************************
go to dos prompt and do change to your root directory of the drive where the operating systems are located.
type:
attrib -s -h -r msdos.sys
edit(or whereever your dos editor is) msdos.sys
find where it says bootmulti=0 (if bootmulti=1 skip this) and change 0 to 1
then find bootgui and change it to bootgui=0
Do not change anything else in the file and press alt then f then x then yes (to save changes) and exit editor
type:
attrib +s +h +r msdos.sys
now you're done enabling your multiple boot.
Now you can boot separately to dos and windows 95.
As I know windows 95 and Nt 4.0 upgrade their dos operating system version to 7.00
so, you can run either one from the same dos prompt.
that means you can have menu to which one to boot in the config.sys file and create the appropriate sections in the autoexec.bat
I am not sure if I can spit all the instructions out of myself right on here so, in case I make a mistake you can search the web for keywords config.sys & multiple configurations.

in dos or in windows notepad open your config.sys file

and do this
[menu]
menuitem=win95
menuitem=winnt

[common]
rem here you put the drivers which you would like to load in both windows 95 & nt and are the same for either one
devicehigh=c:\windows\himem.sys
dos=high, umb
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe
device=line in config.sys where your cdrom driver is being loaded
[win95]
your windows 95 drivers and all you  need to load for windows 95
[winnt]
your windows nt drivers and all you need to load for windows nt

after you're done with that exit, save changes and go to editing your autoexec.bat
first, you go with things common for both windows 95 and nt
like
lh mscdex /l:d /d:idecd001 <or whatever different params your mscdex requruires>
lh mouse<or something different>
now we go to our multiple configurations:
goto %config
[win95]
your win95 things go here like:
set path=c:\win95;c:\win95\system;c:\smthelse
set temp=c:\jnk
set somethingelse=somethingelse
rem and so on, go on with things that you wanto to load on windows 95 startup
c:\win95dir\win.com
[winnt]
rem here you put all the things you want to load when nt starts.up
c:\directorywherentisinstalled\winntexecutable
here are sample windows 3.1 & windows 95 config.sys & autoexec.bat for that case.

-----------------------------------------Config.sys

[MENU]
menuitem=DOS
menuitem=Windows


[common]
device=c:\qemm\dosdata.sys
DEVICE=C:\QEMM\QEMM386.SYS RAM ST:F R:1
device=c:\qemm\dos-up.sys @c:\qemm\dos-up.dat
device=c:\qemm\loadhi.sys /r:1 /size=11248 c:\QEMM\QDPMI.SYS SWAPFILE=DPMI.SWP SWAPSIZE=3584
fileshigh=60
DOS = HIGH, UMB
DEVICE=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS /R:1 /SIZE=15568 C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\CPQDRV\CPQIDECD.SYS /D:IDECD001
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:2048 /P
DEVICE=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS /R:2 /SIZE=18736 C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.EXE
DEVICE=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS /R:1 /SIZE=4000 C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS

[DOS]
buffershigh=40

[Windows]
buffershigh=20

------------------------------------------Autoexec.bat

ECHO OFF
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\HF;
SET DIRCMD=/V/P
BREAK ON
 GOTO %CONFIG%

:DOS
LH MOUSE /A0
LH MSCDEX /D:IDECD001 /E /M:524288
CLS

:WINDOWS
---------------------------------------------------------


so, for your windows 3.1
you have f8 option at startup and choose "previous version of MS-DOS"
for windows 95 or nt you will create menu in your config files
if in any case you will have problems with some operating system not working in any version of dos:
right after the error run msd to determine the version of dos
and then type:
setver youroperatingsystemexecutablefile=dosversionnumber
you need to load setver device as one of the common drivers for windows 95 and nt (in the common section-- device=c:\windows\setver.exe
after setting the version restart the computer and try again.  Should work
If there are any problems configuring this let me know at krueger@iname.com
This may take you some time in case you screw up with configurations (don't change your original config.sys & autoexec.bat before you make a copy of both to replace the spoiled ones with it in case you screw up!!)
But this is better comparing to any reinstallation of the operating system.
check the MS knowledgebase for article Q157992
How to Triple Boot to Windows NT, Windows 95, and MS-DOS
http://www.microsoft.com/kb/articles/q157/9/92.htm
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Wouter Wolkers
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jlu is exactly correct.  Installing 95 on an NT machine can be done, but it's very, very, time consuming and difficult.  On the other hand, installing NT on a 95 machine is very easy.

If you want to know how to install 95 on an NT machine w/o alot of trouble it is outlined perfectly in the June 1997 edition of Windows Magazine on page 275-276.  Look at that, it will answer all your questions and tell you how to do it.
According to the MS knowledgebase it is not possible.....
what I think, is that the setup of win95 olny complains about the fact that your primary dos partition allready contains an operating system.....you could try to remove it, and then run the setup of win95.... I'm not sure if this will work, but if you're going to reinstall your entire system, this might be faster, cause you don't need to install NT again...
Avatar of akb

ASKER

Thanks for all the help.  I don't think there is an easy way to do this.  I'm going to attempt one or two of the suggestions and see what happens.  It may take a few days.  I'll let you know how I go.