How to dual-boot winxp,win2k,winme,win98se?

Boot Managers

OSL2000
http://www.osloader.com/

XOSL
http://www.xosl.org/

Master Booter
http://www.masterbooter.com/main/news.php?lang=en

MSTBOOT
http://www.mstboot.com/en/index.htm

POWER BOOT
http://www.boot-manager.com/

Multiple Boot Manager
http://elm-chan.org/fsw/mbm/mbm_e.html

BootStar
http://www.star-tools.com/bootstar/english/

Smart Boot Manager
http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/

Ranish Partition Manager
http://www.ranish.com/part/

BootMagic comes with Partition Magic
http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/

System Commander
http://www.v-com.com/product/sc7_ind.html

Repair
How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

Visual aid to the above procedure
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm
Click on How To Run a Repair Install

Repairing the Windows® XP Boot Loader
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_9x.htm 

Thankx V.much another thing tho! how will i install win98se with winme installed because when ive tryed it keeps getting so, far then coming up with a vxd error?

Thanx for all the boot loader links as i chosen OSL2000 as a matter of interest.

Hmmm I haven't really tried putting both of those OS's on the same drive so I am not sure of the cause of your problem. But I do think you need to use a partition manager to setup your disk so Win98 doesn't see ME while it is being installed.

Ok, i have winxp and win me working still but, i cant get win98 on at all ? Plus with win2k it says that drive f: is corrupted and the installation cant continue but i know its not corrupted.

any appreciated Help!

Thanx again

oh and another thing i have partitionmagic but, i dont have bootmagic have you got any help with which boot manager/loader to choose? coz ive tryed OSL2000 and bootstar but, i dont think much of them... thanx

Rob,

I have done this correctly. This is just an additional info for what CrazyOne is telling you. I assume you only have 1 harddisk. I will also assume this is a clean hdisk (no partitions exists). If you don't want to remove all existing partitions, follow the steps to see where you are now and try to continue. Partition the following (using fdisk):

ex. in a 40Gb Harddisk (just an example, my set-up)

C: Primary (8Gb)
D: Extended w/ logical drive (8Gb)

1. Set C: to be the active partition, format and install WinMe (also format the D:)

2. Install partition magic to winMe and create the additional partitions.

E: Primary (8Gb)
F: Primary (8Gb)
G: Primary (8Gb)

3. Set G: to be the active partition, install win98se
4. Boot from CD, install Windows2000
5. Boot from CD, install WindowsXP

I have done this (I have a clean install for all os because the harddisk is new) and it worked well. Unfortnately, if you would rather not choose to remove all partitions and start clean. It would be easier to use a Boot Manager (ex. Boot Magic)

The key here is to set the correct partition to be active before installing the OS.
Best Regards.

Thank You for the response ! I have a sucessful dual-boot menu of:

C: waiting for winme to be put on. 6GB
D: Filled with my msuic and backup (second hard-disk)
E: WinXP 40GB
F: Win2k 6GB
G: Win98se 6GB

the problem is that i cannot put winme without it overwriting win98's files. now that ive got the other drives as i want them to i am in some ways stuck for ideas on how to put winme on drive c. Could i somehow hide the other partitions so winme can go on without getting annoyed. also the startup info is on drive c so i cant really format c. im confused!


personally winme is the most annoying os ive ever came accross, but for that reason i want to get it on here.

plus the boot managers ive used so far have bin rather crap and have ended up corrupting the startup files.

thanx for your help rob

Hi, did you make more progress on this?

er... nope im still stuck on installing winme and how i'd do it without losing the rest of my data at the moment i have a successful boot of :

C: (Current drive with all the startup files on it)
D: Music and Backup
E: WinXP
F: Win2000
G: Win98SE

i am using the winxp boot loader rather than anyother program. i want to put winme on drive C: is there a way to do it without losing all the rest of my startup files and winme not overwriting win98, i know ive asked this numerous times but so none have worked. i think i'll give up soon. : - (

Thanx to every1 who has tryed to help Rob (if anyone has a definate solution can they tell me with somekind of guide please)

er... nope im still stuck on installing winme and how i'd do it without losing the rest of my data at the moment i have a successful boot of :

C: (Current drive with all the startup files on it)
D: Music and Backup
E: WinXP
F: Win2000
G: Win98SE

i am using the winxp boot loader rather than anyother program. i want to put winme on drive C: is there a way to do it without losing all the rest of my startup files and winme not overwriting win98, i know ive asked this numerous times but so none have worked. i think i'll give up soon. : - (

Thanx to every1 who has tryed to help Rob (if anyone has a definate solution can they tell me with somekind of guide please)