But also , if you select the XP install on the C: drive and use these commands:


1.Boot with XP CD or 6 floppy boot disk set.
2.Press R to load the Recovery Console.
3.Type bootcfg <hit enter

then you don't have to change things in the bios to select an O.S. but you'll get a menu just as you get now but then only with the choice to select either XP or 98.


But how do you have the drives setup atm? In the bios and on the cables?

Joe - are you saying I should change the BOOT.INI file AND delete the BOOTSECT.DAT file AND do the Recovery Console bit? I would really like to be able to switch OS without having to dig into the BIOS every time.

I tried the first step (editing BOOT.INI) and it won't let me save - tells me "the file exists with read-only attributes".

Not sure what you mean by this:
- But how do you have the drives setup atm? In the bios and on the cables?

I know the XP drive is "master" and the other is "slave". I don't think they use cable select - I seem to recall setting jumpers.

- Bob

Joe - are you saying I should change the BOOT.INI file AND delete the BOOTSECT.DAT file AND do the Recovery Console bit? I would really like to be able to switch OS without having to dig into the BIOS every time.

Yup.


Except you can delete "$WIN_NT$.~BT" completly , not only "BOOTSECT.DAT ".


I tried the first step (editing BOOT.INI) and it won't let me save - tells me "the file exists with read-only attributes".


you can change the boot.ini in youre system properties , im not sure exactly where in Win 98 that is but in XP it is:

system properties/startup and recovery/settings/edit

Not sure what you mean by this:
- But how do you have the drives setup atm? In the bios and on the cables?

I know the XP drive is "master" and the other is "slave". I don't think they use cable select - I seem to recall setting jumpers.

The xp as master and win98 as slave is ok , but how are you selecting an O.S. in the bios to boot up atm?

OK - Progress...
Now I get two options:
"Microsoft Windows" - and -
"Windows (default)"

with the latter selected by default. If I let it boot up I get an error about a missing something or other, have to reboot


Except you can delete "$WIN_NT$.~BT" completly , not only "BOOTSECT.DAT ".

I don't have BOOTSECT.DAT, but I do have BOOTSECT.DOS.

I seem to also have $WIN_NT$.~ls - keep or delete?

The xp as master and win98 as slave is ok , but how are you selecting an O.S. in the bios to boot up atm?

I select the bootup order BIOS parameter and change it from "CDROM, A, C" to "D, A" (D being, actually E - or anyway, the drive with 98 on it). It's a very clunky process...

If you set the bootorder to start from 1 floppy 2 cd 3 HD (winxp) and use the bootcfg command , then the boot.ini on the XP install should be rebuilt to give you the option to choose between XP and 98.

OK - did that, ran bootcfg (but should I have run some command once IN bootcfg? - I tried typing "\(something - one of the commands that looked promising)" but it said it didn't know what I was talking about - obviously my typing what it said to type wasn't it). Anyway, restarted and it went straight to XP with no boot option appearing.

Looked again at the 98 drive's boot.ini and it is exactly as prescribed - no extra OS lines in there. So it's beyond me what's happening regarding that extra option.

Figuring I knew what I was doing (ha!), I decided to edit my boot.ini for the XP drive. Found a page on the web that suggested it end up looking like this (I added the last line only - rest is as it was):

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows" /fastdetect

which resulted in this error:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\System32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.
(and you can read about what that means here: http://www.windowsfordevices.com/art...556932034.html)

Then after more reading discovered the last line should be something like:
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
(apparently because it's an older OS)

So now I boot, get two options, choose the "Microsoft Windows" option and get:
I/O Errore multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\BOOTSECT.DOS

Now rdisk(0) is my XP drive, rdisk(1) should be my 98 drive. Seems like it's looking for BOOTSECT.DOS on rdisk(0) and it's either goofed up or not there or it's looking in the wrong place. Perhaps I need to copy BOOTSECT.DOS from the 98 drive to the XP drive?

I tried changing the drive letter to D:\ and to E:\ but both resulted in nothing, just a reboot - like there wasn't anything there.

And then I find this: http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windo...P-then-98.html
which suggests I could just (maybe) copy BOOTSECT.DOS from the 98 drive to the XP drive. So I do that and at least get past the I/O Error but just to a blinking cursor in the upper right hand corner. So a little farther but only a little.

What shall I try next?

And by the way - profuse thanks for all your help. Above and beyond the call of duty - I really appreciate it.

- Bob