Clone easily Windows 98 and XP in the same computer.

[submix8c]

@TheStarman -

Excellent info on your pages! Also found this -

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/index.htm

which acknowledges and links to your work.

Between you and them (among others), I have finally figured out how to transfer my old PC to my new PC ( multi-booting, of course ). Still a work-in-progress, but well on the way now, with your help!

And Welcome to the Fray!!!!

[jaclaz]

If you make active partition 2 instead of partition 1 the letter is reversed, that is, partition 1 is renamed with the last letter and partition 2 takes the letter C.

HTH

Unless you use Letter Assigner :

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System...-Assigner.shtml

Homepage is no more:

http://www.v72735.f2s.com/LetAssig/index.html

but can still be found on the Wayback Machine:

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.v7...ssig/index.html

jaclaz

[MDGx]

If any1 cares:

In 98SE2ME options 1 + 2:

http://www.mdgx.com/9s2m/

To backup Windows 98 SE I use a DOS style batch file [CLONE98.BAT] and the DOS based tool XCLONE.EXE [free] which backs up the entire %windir% [usually C:\WINDOWS] folder + all subfolders + all files to any destination [requires editing the BAT] with 1 click.

Details here [the "BACKUP + RESTORE WINDOWS 98 SE" + "TESTING... CLONE98.PIF + 98RESTOR.BAT" sections]:

http://www.mdgx.com/9s2m/read1st.php

To restore Windows 98 SE from the backup [created by CLONE98.BAT] I use 98RESTOR.BAT which uses Win98SE's own MOVE.EXE native DOS mode tool.

These 2 BAT files must be executed from within Windows.

Some of these backup/restore operations require re-booting to native DOS mode.

HTH

[cannie]

Moved to the first post of this thread.

Edited March 29, 2009 by cannie

[cannie]

Moved to the first post of this thread.

Edited March 29, 2009 by cannie

[jaclaz]

[- The program Bootpart.exe, freeware, into a DOS boot floppy. You may download it from here:

http://www.brothersoft.com/bootpart-download-13101.html

Why not on it's homepage?

http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm

A few (needed in my view) corrections you may want to consider:

- Delete the old mbr:

BOOTPART WIN98 BOOT:C:

This WON'T affect the MBR, it will only replace the CODE of the bootsector, previously set to the XP one that invokes NTLDR, to the Win98/DOS one that invokes IO.SYS.

BOOTPART WINXP BOOT:C:

....

BOOTPART WINNT BOOT:C:

....

BOOTPART WINNT BOOT:C:

Though in this specific context it doesn't make a difference, you should "make your mind" about using WINNT or WINXP parameter.

Just for the record, and this is not at all a critic to your post , the method you describe is a bit "old-style" .

BOOTPART.EXE was born more than 15 years ago, and while at the time there were no alternatives, today using grub4dos and it's feature of directly chainloading system files, it is not necessary to fiddle with bootsectors.

jaclaz

[cannie]

The mentions to WINNT instead of WINXP were transcription errors with no consequences at all. I wrote it direct from my mind. I have edited the post and rectified it, and also substituted the mention to "delete" by "change the XP mbr", to make it easier the understanding of it to any reader.

I've also rectified the download adress.

This is the way I knew and so is how I did it. Well, in fact the essential thing is that it works perfect. But it is always good to know that there are better ways for doing things. I like learning.

Thank you for your help, jaclaz!

Edited February 7, 2009 by cannie

[jaclaz]

I have edited the post and rectified it, and also substituted the mention to "delete" by "change the XP mbr", to make it easier the understanding of it to any reader.

The point was that bootpart does NOT touch the MBR (Master Boot Record), it changes the PBR (Partition Boot Record) or bootsector.

The MBR is first sector of the whole hard disk or PHYSICAL DRIVE, CHS 0/0/1, LBA 1

The PBR is first sector of the active partition, usually first one, first sector of LOGICAL DRIVE, usually CHS 0/1/1, LBA 64.

Thank you for your help, jaclaz!

You are welcome, just trying to avoid possible misunderstandings of less experienced users.

jaclaz

[dencorso]

Although I've been messing with bootsectors for more years than I can remember, I confess I'd never seen them referred to as PBRs (Partition Boot Records), although it makes perfect sense, and creates a nice symmetry with MBRs.

Thanks, jaclaz! I always learn something new by reading your posts!

[jaclaz]

Thanks, jaclaz! I always learn something new by reading your posts!

I'll surprise you with yet a new notion :

EMBR:

(Extended Master Boot Record)

http://www.ranish.com/part/primer.htm

or

EPBR:

(Extended Partition Boot Record):

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/ptedit.htm

jaclaz

[Ponch]

just trying to avoid possible misunderstandings of less experienced users.

So we could also replace all those "main" partitions used in this thread by "primary" partitions.

[jaclaz]

just trying to avoid possible misunderstandings of less experienced users.

So we could also replace all those "main" partitions used in this thread by "primary" partitions.

Yes we could , it would be more accurate, though I have already seen the term "main" as used instead of "primary", as they are synonyms:

http://encarta.msn.com/thesaurus_561584400/primary.html

http://www.synonyms.net/synonym/primary

In any case it won't change the sense of the tutorial, the distinction between "main" (or "primary") and "logical unit of the extended partition" is clear enough , while exchanging MBR with bootsector appears as more confusing, and particularly on a topic where a lot of people appear to have not a deep enough knowledge.

FYI:

http://neosmart.net/blog/2007/bootsectexe-...or-not-the-mbr/

even the good MS guys sometimes happen to add to the confusion:

Just for the record, the misunderstanding could also be due to the fact that there is an article:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista...3.mspx?mfr=true

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749177.aspx

that misrepresents at first sight what bootsect.exe does, using the terms "master boot code" for the bootsector code: Bootsect Command-Line Options

Bootsect.exe updates the master boot code for hard disk partitions to switch between BOOTMGR and NTLDR. You can use this tool to restore the boot sector on your computer. This tool replaces FixFAT and FixNTFS.

Though accurate in the sense that it makes the distinction between the "boot code part" (which is changed by bootsect.exe) and the "volume data" (which is left unchanged by bootsect.exe) using the "master" adjective to describe the "boot code" probably creates the misunderstanding.

jaclaz

[cannie]

jacklaz, ponch and dencorso: I have edited again the tutorial collecting your contributions.

It is commonly said "Four eyes see more than two". In this case there are more than four.

I also added something concerning disk maintenance at the end of the post.

IMHO the important thing is making the tutorial useful for anyone who needs it.

Any other improvement will be welcome.

Thank you very much.

Edited February 8, 2009 by cannie

[jaclaz]

IMHO the important thing is making the tutorial useful for anyone who needs it.

Yes.

However my guess is that ponch won't like latest corrections :

he suggested to use "Primary" instead of "Main", which is correct, where does "Principal" come from?

jaclaz

[cannie]

IMHO the important thing is making the tutorial useful for anyone who needs it.

Yes.

However my guess is that ponch won't like latest corrections :

he suggested to use "Primary" instead of "Main", which is correct, where does "Principal" come from?

jaclaz

It is clear that infalibility is not my strong point. I've rectified it.

Thanks again, jaclaz.