[Help] Boot Loader doesnt Like SATA :(

[slax]

[sorry mods if i have posted this in wrong section... plz move to proper section]

i have to start this with some background information so that everyone understands properly.

well let me start with my situation from Past 4-5 years. i have been using multiple operating systems from the time i got my first PC [P-III]. in the inital days things were easy, Win 98 and Win 2000 used the ntldr and it was pretty smooth...

later even with linux it was smooth with lilo but then i started facing problems cos if any particular OS is corrupted i have to take lot of pains to reinstall it and use lilo again then i came across the best Tool on the planet XOSL [eXtended Operating System Loader, free utlity] which almost sloved all the problems, not before i take care of some precautions.

with Windows NT based Operating systems ntldr [NT Loader] takes care of the boot loader/boot menu but it is also a big cause of problem when you want to keep all Operating System independent.

so this was the solution i came across..

Situation: 3-4 OS's to Install

Interface: IDE

HDD: 1

OS: Windows 98 SE, Windows XP, Linux [any Distro]

> first make 3 primary partitions and remaining extended on the first Primary partition.

> install Win 98SE [extract XOSL in a directory in first partition]

> then use a linux disc [i used slackware linux], go to prompt.. and use cfdisk and change the boot flag to second partition... [if we dont do this.... Win XP will dump ntldr to win98 partition]

> use Win XP Disc... and install Win XP on second Partition....

> then use a linux disc, go to prompt.. and use cfdisk and change the boot flag to Third partition...

> then install Linux on the third partition.... install lilo in the same partition/root partition...

> then use a linux disc , go to prompt.. and use cfdisk and change the boot flag to first partition... and boot into win 98 ... hit F8 and go to Command Prompt .. then go to the XOSL directory and install XOSL ... restart ..configure all Operatiing systems... and use it happily...

Later when i had problems with any OS ... win98 or Win XP or linux...

> just go to command prompt on win98 uninstall XOSL then... just use a linux disc, go to prompt.. and use cfdisk and change the boot flag to the particular OS partition... and reinstall that particular OS.... after that.. go to Win98 command prompt install XOSL... configure ... reboot...live happily...

well that was past.... and now the situtation with me has change... i got myself a 160GB SATA.... and i come across all kind of problems...

Situation: 4 OS's to Install

Interface: primary SATA secondary IDE

HDD: 2

OS: Win 98 SE, Win XP SP2, Win 2003 Server SP1, Slackware 10.2

MotherBoard: Intel 865GBF

Win98 doesnt have SATA drivers... still i installed Win 98 SE on SATA drive 1st partition [3GB]... it doesnt boot normally.. but the safe mode is working properly... this made me go ahead and install the other operating systems...

Win XP [sATA Partition 2, Primary],

Win 2003 [sATA Partition 3, Primary],

Slackware Linux 10.2 [iDE Partition 1, Primary]

after all the installations .... i came to Win 98 command prompt.. installed

XOSL... rebooted... and XOSL just doesnt start... sad.gif sad.gif

now the situation is i have to use all the 4 OS's .... [i can ignore win 98 , its basically for XOSL... ] ... i dont know any other alternative way to get everything working... all the OS's are installed and are sitting in there own partitions... i just cant access them to work sad.gif .... XOSL works on DOS based OS... DOS doesnt support SATA... bottom line..

XOSL doesnt work with SATA...

[im typing this from my Win XP OS ... i used windows XP disc .. repair... fixMBR ... it wrote MBR again... and i can access win98... used linux disc... and changed boot flag... using Win XP since then]

thx for reading

[Martin L]

i understand that this problem only happens when running 98... so i move this topic to the windows 98 forum, if you think it should go to another forum just let me know and i'll move it again. It at least doesnt fit in general discussion

[slax]

well if you move this to win98 section.. not many will look at it.. since i dont have my priorities on win 98 and my basic need for OS is XP and 2K3... plz move it to XP... if someone can get me a bootloader which works with NT based OS.. then im ready to give up win 98.. win 98 is only there becos of that.. bootloader which is dos based .. XOSL....

plz move to XP / 2K3 section...

[sator_arepo]

I use XOSL too. Fantastic app!

It work flawlessly in my PC, but my hard disk is ATA/100.

XOSL is installable in a separate partition with his own filesystem. Just create a 20-30 MB partition and in the install process indicate that partition as target.

You can try this method with your SATA HD.

Hope it helps

[Crash&Burn]

Bah you weren't supposed to help, he claimed he wouldn't get any help in the Win98 section

[jaclaz]

Well, I too have XOSL installed on a few system, but if you just need to boot NT/2K/XP, Win9x and some flavour of linux the "normal" NT bootloader is enough.

If you use BOOTPART:

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

and have an even minimal FAT16 FIRST PRIMARY ACTIVE partition you can have all of them allright.

All you need on First Primary Active Partition is:

NTLDR (from NT/2k/XP)

NTDETECT.COM (from NT/2k/XP)

NTBOOTDD.SYS (driver for non-ATA disks)

BOOT.INI (from NT/2k/XP)

AUTOEXEC.BAT (from win9x)

CONFIG.SYS (from win9x)

COMMAND.COM (from win9x)

IO.SYS (from win9x)

MSDOS.SYS (from win9x)

BOOTPART.EXE (just in case you have to rebuild the bootsectors)

So even a 32 Mb partition is more than enough.

ALL other Operating Systems can be installed on logical volumes inside Extended Partition, with the exception of Win9x, you will have to use the XOSL workaround:

http://www.allensmith.net/OS/XOSL/II.htm#II1

or install Win9x on a (larger) C: primary partition.

If you want to mantain a "hide unused partitions during boot setup" you can shift to PARTITA:

http://www.pedrofreire.com/crea1_en.htm

as it is entirely self contained in the first 512 bytes (MBR) it won't have any problem with SATA, etc.

jaclaz

[slax]

sorry guys havent looked into the forum lately.... i subscribed to

topic... but i didnt recieve any email ...

I use XOSL too. Fantastic app!

It work flawlessly in my PC, but my hard disk is ATA/100.

XOSL is installable in a separate partition with his own filesystem. Just create a 20-30 MB partition and in the install process indicate that partition as target.

You can try this method with your SATA HD.

Hope it helps

well i never observed that part will look into that.... thx for the reply

Bah you weren't supposed to help, he claimed he wouldn't get any help in the Win98 section

thx for the lovely reply crash&burn ..

Well, I too have XOSL installed on a few system, but if you just need to boot NT/2K/XP, Win9x and some flavour of linux the "normal" NT bootloader is enough.

If you use BOOTPART:

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

and have an even minimal FAT16 FIRST PRIMARY ACTIVE partition you can have all of them allright.

All you need on First Primary Active Partition is:

NTLDR (from NT/2k/XP)

NTDETECT.COM (from NT/2k/XP)

NTBOOTDD.SYS (driver for non-ATA disks)

BOOT.INI (from NT/2k/XP)

AUTOEXEC.BAT (from win9x)

CONFIG.SYS (from win9x)

COMMAND.COM (from win9x)

IO.SYS (from win9x)

MSDOS.SYS (from win9x)

BOOTPART.EXE (just in case you have to rebuild the bootsectors)

So even a 32 Mb partition is more than enough.

ALL other Operating Systems can be installed on logical volumes inside Extended Partition, with the exception of Win9x, you will have to use the XOSL workaround:

http://www.allensmith.net/OS/XOSL/II.htm#II1

or install Win9x on a (larger) C: primary partition.

If you want to mantain a "hide unused partitions during boot setup" you can shift to PARTITA:

http://www.pedrofreire.com/crea1_en.htm

as it is entirely self contained in the first 512 bytes (MBR) it won't have any problem with SATA, etc.

jaclaz

really interesting... i surely give a try soon...

well guys... i found this tool BootIt

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html

works pretty well... i had to use the floppy drive to install this.. but its a shareware... i guess it will expire in some time... will try the above methods... after it expires....