How to add Win98 into Boot.ini ?

[ruthan]

Hello,
how to add Win98 / Dos 7.1 into Windows XP boot menu?

 I have this with 4 partitions (all are primary):
Win98 (readable fine from modern Windows..), Data-FAT32,WIn2000 and Windows XP.

  Windows XP were installed last. Boot loader is on first partition, its set as active.

  I tried bootcfg /rebuild from WinXP boot cd, but its ignoring Win9x at all. Also tried DualBoot repair but it seems to be XP+ too, same as Paragon tools.

  I tried couple commands at the bottom of boot.ini.. these bootsec files are exist, how where created i dunno - probably by install of later Windows:

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 Pro" /fastdetect
c:\Bootsect.dos="Win95" /win95
c:\Bootsect.w98="Win98" /win98
C:\=

But im getting:
 

just blinking cursor or..  This message: 
Starting Windows 98...
Type the name of Command Interpreter (e.g, C:\Windows.command.com) 
A>

.. Windows 98 are installed in Windows folder, command com is there, im using custom msdos.sys from Windows 98 boot menu, but it seems that it was never started. I when installed later Windows i always hid all one partitions, so all system are using C:

[pangoomis]

Check this site, it might help:

http://starman.vertcomp.com/asm/mbr/bootini.htm

[ruthan]

Thanks, to Boot.ini si not main issue.

  From article there is not MS way, how to fix it, but with boot part it should be easy.

 But is not working for me for some reason.. Here is my bootpart output:
  https://www.dropbox.com/s/2yc2ajwkznyt6tq/BootPart.png?dl=0

  After that i run:

bootpart 0 C:\BOOTSECT.DOS Windows 98

from Windows XP and copied boot.nit line and bootsect.dos to right start first partition, im sure that it is used for booting and has boot.ini and boot loaders installer they are starting WIn2000 and WinXP fine.

  But im getting this error message:
   Windows could not start becaue of computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from selected boot disk.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tv180ztpft5dfdg/BootError.jpg?dl=0

 I can upload used bootsec, if someone is able to check it.

Machine is capable to boot Win98 (with other disk - 8GB Sata, SSD), its PIII im using 120 GB SSD through IDE to SSD adapter.

  What next? I can try to reinstall Win98 but, after that how to create WinXP booting, from boot CD bootfixc command will copy right files to first partition.. after what would be different? I guess nothing i would getting same error.
   I finally had to time to play with Grub4dos at least within Virtual machine with Freedos, if would make Win98 bootable and install it to Grub code to MBR, it could be way too.

Edited June 15, 2020 by ruthan

[ruthan]

I check Grub4dos tool, its really great, i can sideload it from boot.ini, same as install it to MBR in DOS / Win98.. but i would like to use it as full ntldr replaced on NTFS, its possible reading to documentation. So far i tested all in virtual machine, i will try sideload on PIII machine, is Grub would be able to load Win9x would have some problem too.

There are 2 methods mentioned is some guide:

http://microsaint.narod.ru/_Info_Grub4Dos/files/install.htm#method8

Problem is that:
1) Method 1 - i can find that patcher for ntldr to grldr replacement, link is dead, and im not able to google it.
2) Method 2 - i can rename grldr to ntldr - which is working and gldrt is starting, but im missing info, what to do with renamed ntldr,
because when im not trying to boot WinXP, it wants to ntldr, which is now grldr - so im looped. 
  I tried rename ntldr to ntldr2 and edit menu.1st to ntldr2.. but im not successfull so far.  There seems to be only half of info, or its mentioned for GLDRT to load older OSes, or i simply dont get..

In menu.lst is this:
 

Quote

title find and load NTLDR of Windows NT/2K/XP
fallback 1
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /ntldr
chainloader /ntldr
savedefault --wait=2

  Boot it seems to be not clever enough to enable change /ntldr string to /ntldr2 or something like that and search for such file to load Win2k/Xp..

Edited June 15, 2020 by ruthan

[jaclaz]

The bootpart output says that the volume is NTFS (partition type 7).

It won't ever work, you need FAT16 or FAT32.

READ:
https://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm

Quote

The only thing I highly suggest is : your active partition on your first hard disk must be a FAT16 primary partition. This may be a small partition.

 Later of course FAT32 compatibility was added.

It is possible that your volume is actually FAT16 or FAT32 and that any of the tools that you (mis-)used lately changed the Partition ID in the MBR to 0x07.

In any case this command line is not valid:
 

Quote

bootpart 0 C:\BOOTSECT.DOS Windows 98

The normal command is:

bootpart <option> <fullpath\filename> "<description>"

Option means the TYPE of bootsector to create, they are:

dos
win95
winnt
win98

etc.

Description is what will be added to the boot.ini as descriptive line and needs to be enclosed in double quotes.

This would be a valid command line:

Quote

bootpart.exe win98 C:\BOOTSECT.DOS "Windows 98"

The volume that has an asterisk in bootpart output  (meaning that is the active partition) is the one in use.

About grub4dos, its menu.lst (it is a small L not the number 1)  is editable just fine, no idea why/how it does not work for you.

In any case you do not rename menu.lst (it is a small L not the number 1) to another name as the menu.lst name is embedded in grldr (you can change its name but you need to change it alo in the embedded menu in grldr).

jaclaz

[jaclaz]

BTW, guess who wrote the little batch that you couldn't find on:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2362

and that is on:

http://reboot.pro/topic/2362-

http://reboot.pro/topic/2362-makebscmd-alpha-release/

Possibly get the LATEST version:

http://reboot.pro/topic/2362-makebscmd-alpha-release/?p=38195

jaclaz

[ruthan]

Lots of info, i tried patch for quick victory, in victor.. but im not sure that right one. I need to replace in MBR NTLDR for GRLDR.

So i tried:
 

Press any key to continue . . .

C:\>
C:\>MAKEBS C:\GRLDR /w

A file named BackupBS.ori already exists on drive C:, though it's contents are
DIFFERENT from current bootsector.
Are you sure you want to overwrite it?

[Please enter YES in capital letters to confirm]YES
...
Current bootsector of drive C:\ backed up to C:\BackupBS.ori
...
...
...
...
...
Current bootsector appears to be NTFS
...
...
New bootsector C:\grldr.bs created succesfully
....

C:\>

  Its creating some botsec files, but i dont thing so that it replace MBR code, or at least still NTLDR is started after reboot, not GRLDR.

  I need this:

Quote

If the active partition contains a Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 bootsector (boot sector loads "NTLDR") an alternative method of installing Grub4dos to the partition boot sector is possible. Hex edit the bootsector and replace the text string NTLDR with GRLDR. A batch file for replacing the text string is available here.

 I just need to start GRLDR after machine boot and from it has possiblity to start NTLRD - which is not possible with method 2, or i dunno how.

 Yeah i had problem with menu.*st name in the past, that way im just coping it, grub.cfg is better idea. Before i tried it though that its much newer version of grub, this one from 2009, do for thing i need its enough.

 Bootpart
- well i copied syntax from guide, i created bootsec file so i excepted that is working,  im trying to question everything, i will recheck it.

 You are right bootpart output are showing all NTFS partions, first 2 should be FAT32 for sure, i have to check it. I didnt notice that. True is that i had some issue in the past with disk imaging this parition layout is for reason problematic (im making whole disk image) with R-Drive Image it recreate only some partitions and now i tried Acronis all partitions where created - but again, i never checked if there are actually using right filesystems - i they have right labels (which include FS names)..

[ruthan]

It seems that bootpart is lying patitions are FAT32:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rqb1ibfnytjtw9l/PIII-DiskMap.png?dl=0

  

[jaclaz]

Just now, ruthan said:

It seems that bootpart is lying patitions are FAT32:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rqb1ibfnytjtw9l/PIII-DiskMap.png?dl=0

  

Try re-reading, this time slowly,:

2 hours ago, jaclaz said:

The bootpart output says that the volume is NTFS (partition type 7).

...

It is possible that your volume is actually FAT16 or FAT32 and that any of the tools that you (mis-)used lately changed the Partition ID in the MBR to 0x07.

 

Very likely partitions ARE FAT32 BUT they have a NOT CORRESPONDING to FAT32 partition type in the MBR.

This will prevent bootpart (and possibly makebs) to work correctly and won't allow booting DOS from that volume.

The partition type 0x07 that traditionally corresponds to both HPFS (used in OS/2) and to NTFS (and nowadays corresponds also to exFAT) is a "protective ID" meaning essentially "something that DOS (and Windows 9x/Me do not understand and that should not even think of accessng".

Check the partition type in the MBR, it surely NEEDS to be correct for DOS/Win9x/Me usage and most probably it needs to be correct for bootpart and makebs use.

jaclaz

 

[ruthan]

I read thats, but it expected that if disk managment show it right, that it would be right.  This too low level how to check it and how to fix it?

[ruthan]

Ok i found working Partition Manager with Win2000 and not SSE2 CPUs, which i was given licence in the past.

  Partition id was NTFS, question was to use FAT32 or FAT32 LBA? 
 https://www.dropbox.com/s/ltls648f2gihvmg/PartitionID.png?dl=0

MakeBS is not working with Vmware virtual machine with one big NTFS partition - 200 GB or so, not this physical one - here this thing is untested so far.

Edited June 15, 2020 by ruthan

[ruthan]

Some good news Grub4dos.. sidebloaded to boot.ini seems to be more clever than my other fixes and its starting Win9x fine.

True is that i changed Partition type ids between (i used that with FAT32 LBA), but old ways are still not working.. but i have to create that bootsec with right ids and we will now.

[jaclaz]

33 minutes ago, ruthan said:

I read thats, but it expected that if disk managment show it right, that it would be right.  This too low level how to check it and how to fix it?

Yep, but the whole stuff about double/triple booting is "low level", you need to understand and learn the basics to be able to correct issues or change settings.

Get Tinyhexer here:

http://reboot.pro/topic/21999-tiny-hexer-mbr-backup/

http://reboot.pro/files/file/595-tiny-hexer-mbr-backup/

that one already contains my Structure Viewer scripts, you want to install the "full" version.

Alternately, if you can actually run grub4dos, it can be checked (and corrected) in grub4dos as well.

At the grub> prompt (press c to get to it from a menu) run:
geometry (hd0)

parttype (hd0,0)

Get the (now old but still good) diddy's guide (the downladable .chm version) here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20110723032750/http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/grub4dos_chm.zip

read about the above commands.

The screenshot you posted is about a disk that is not first disk (disk 0) unless for *whatever reason* that tool names disk differently (or you changed disk order) and the partition ID is ALREADY 0x0C (which is correct)

jaclaz

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by jaclaz

[ruthan]

See posts above, i dont thing that is necessary, it seems that i found right tool in my arsenal.

[jaclaz]

Just now, ruthan said:

See posts above, i dont thing that is necessary, it seems that i found right tool in my arsenal.

Sure , using randomly a sufficient number of random tools before or later you will succeed , though you won't ever learn about the matter at hand  and occasionally you will botch something beyond recovery  .

jaclaz