Shadowman0000

Im setting up my system in a dual boot config with XP pro... It seems when I try to install certain apps itll bsod, or in the case of Tiny Personal Firewall, crashes at OS load and reboots. Could there be a conflict with having 2 XP pros installed?

1 more thing that may or may not have anything to do with it... when I boot into 1 OS, the drive letters are different than they are when I boot into the other OS (except for the C drive). Heres a breakout of what I mean:

Boot into Gaming (F:)

C: Workstation
F: Gaming

Boot into Workstation (C:)

C: Workstation
H: Gaming

thx guys

Joose

looks like you installed the OS on the same partition. That would be why you're getting those kind of errors.

CRE

The only times I've had success with dual booting Windows is when each OS is on it's own partition or HD. putting multiple installs on the same partition causes them to share several common directories and files, such as c:\Temp, c:\program files, a couple registry files, a couple sys config files and so on.... I think that's probably your number one problem.

Shadowman0000

No they are definately on separate partitions.

Joose

If you boot into both installs, and the SAME partition is drive C: on both installs, then you have installed BOTH on the same partition.

Maybe I got it twisted from what you originally posted, but I still think you've installed on the same partition.

Maybe you could post a screenie of the Disk Management applet, along with screenies of each partition...

Shadowman0000

OK ill do that when I get home.

CRE

Quote: Originally posted by Shadowman0000 Boot into Gaming (F C: Workstation F: Gaming Boot into Workstation (C C: Workstation H: Gaming

Oh, ok I gotcha, you've installed one copy to yer C partition and the other to the F partition... they still may be fighting for some common directories and changing eachother's files such as files in the root (c:\) files in the Program Files folder (most apps force their install to go to the Programs folder on the C partition regardless of the actual boot partitions location) the Common Files folder inside of the Program Files folder and so on. I generally spend a while doing some tweaking in regedit long before trying to install any apps in whatever OS does not reside in my C partition to ensure against such issues.

But, like the M$ warning about dual boot systems... they don't recommend it because the OS is not intended for it. Granted that won't ever keep me from doing it.

I've never tried installing two copies of Win XP before though, I keep Win2K and WinXP on seperate partitions and just take the forementioned precautions.

If you have a copy of another Windows versions around limke Win2K you might try installing that first.... that may help to see whether it's a problem that's just due to the two copies of XP.

Shadowman0000

I think I know what happened... when I installed the 2nd XP to the 2nd partition, on the install reboot XP continued loading into the first partition. Here are the screenies from the DM window:

Gaming drive:



Workstation drive:



I wasnt prompted to continue the install into the 2nd partition, so I assumed it all went to plan. I guess the question now is, is it possible?

CRE

you'd need to edit the boot.ini file so you have the option of which partition to boot boot from.... then so long as there are no conflicts it'd probably install fine.

Shadowman0000

awesome... how do i do that?

goodman123

Well this is the first time i ever heard someone installing the same OS on 2 partition , why? not practical other then taking more space for nothing , i mean if you use the same OS for games & work you should only use one (they are the same)
(No insults intended)

I use dual booting for nearly 2 years now
C: Win98se (Gaming only) mostly old dos games & some window games that doesn't work in XP

d: Win XP Pro. for work (Tapping , printing etc..) , video editting , gaming (new & old)

So basically i only still using 98se for games that won't work in XP like those Dos games that use those ADD: 220 ,IRQ 5 , DMA 1 for sound & some Windows games like the fifth element.

Anyways if only i could play all those games in XP i would only have one OS (XP) but i will still have 2 partition one for the OS the other for Games & Back-up programs.
HO ! well , thx to dual booting.

CRE

Well, You'd write something like this:

***************

[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="Microsoft Windows XP Professional - Gaming" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional - Work" /fastdetect

**********
Just put that in a text file in C:\ and title the file boot.ini.

If you're trying to boot into the new OS partition to continue the setup, WinXP's installer should appropriately modify the boot.ini file to point to the second entry as the default. if not just go back into the file and change the timeout from 0 (which won't cause it to prompt you to however many second you want it to wait for an answer before it boots into the default OS.

You'll need to set the disk,rdisk,and partition numbers appropriately for your system. Though I think those settings are correct for what you've posted. Quite similar to mine actually, but as I said I use Win2K and XP.

Then each time you boot it will prompt you which OS to boot from.

If there's another conflict then I couldn't tell ya what or where other than what I've already suggested.

Shadowman0000

Cre thanks so much... I give it a shot tonight and let you know how it works out.

Goodman the reason why I run a dual boot of the same OS is to keep the driver caches separate, as well as have a smaller prefetch for both OSs. I run a ton of workstation programs, and I dont want to have anything interfering with my games. Also, since I dont check email on the gaming drive I dont run antivirus on it which frees up memory and cpu cycles.

Joose

Another thing I noticed from your screenie of Disk Management...

Are you installing your programs in the same folders for both OS's on the 'Shared Programs' partition? If so, then that may be the source of your conflicts too, if what CRE reccomends doesn't work.

Programs for different operating systems need to be installed to separate folders. You can't 'share' a program between two separate OS installs, even if the OS is the same.

CRE

Joose is quite right. As I said earlier, you also need to be aware that many installers will still install their shared libraries in the C: drive regardless of which partition your are booted from.... i had a couple problems with XP replacing files for apps installed for Win2K..... and it a major pain in the @$$ to correct.

quilal

I noticed that your data drive is disk0. Is this the first drive physically? If so, try making your drive with the OS your primary drive physically. I've had problems with XP when installed on a slave hard drive.

hawklen

Its best, if you are dual booting two of the same OS', on a sperate harddrive. If they are on the same hd, but different partitions, they'll use common folders and shiat like joose said.

When you install the 2nd new install of winxp, it should detect the other version, and add the option up at boot time.

Here, right click my computer, then properties, you should get a box, like the pic I posted. Go to the advanced tab, then starup and recovery. You boot options are there. You should enable it like Ive shown there. Hope this helps

Attached Thumbnails

godfoot

Hey Hawklen, what skin/software are you using? That kicks ass!

hawklen

The latest stylexp, xbox extreme theme (blue), cursurxp, with chaninja star theme

Shadowman0000

Yeah I found out pretty quick the "shared programs" idea wouldnt work... Ive since reformatted the entire drive and eliminated that partition.

Disk 0 is 2 drives in a RAID1 config... Im using that for raw data. The entire setup is SATA so the is no master/slave configuration (or primary/secondary for those offended by such terminology... i dont feel like getting sued)