[RESOLVED] install second copy win98 on new partition

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October 3rd, 2000, 03:39 AM
jdwellssr

install second copy win98 on new partition

In an attempt to create a clean environment for video capture, I am trying to install a second copy of Win98SE on my hard drive in a new partition. Then I would use Bootmagic from Powerquest to select which partition to boot to. I originally built this drive from scratch using Win98SE for computers without an operating system. In addition to the primary active C partition, it has an extended partition with a logical drive E which I use for windows temporary files and some archiving. A second hard disk is installed, set as the D drive, and is used for storage of media files and manual backup of C drive files. My bios of course supports very large hard drives. Everything has run fine for a year until now. I cannot get Win98SE to install successfully on a new active partition in the first hard disk.

I used PowerQuest's Partition Magic for the procedures described below. Their usually God-like mastery of all things hard drive-like has not been able to find an answer to the problem -- ran all their diagnostic software and everything checks out ok. They think it is a Windows problem. Bootmagic is disabled throughout the process, as it should be.

Using available space at the end of the C drive partition, I made it into free space, and then partitioned it into primary, hidden, formatted FAT16. Rebooted, everything still runs fine. The hidden partition shows up just as it should under Partition Magic and the Powerquest diagnostics. Old drive letters still fine. Run Partition Magic to unhide the new partition and make it active (which automatically hides and makes inactive the other C partition), and upon rebooting, the system hangs with a blinking cursor in the upper left corner of a blank screen, just as it should.

Then I reboot to the Win98SE (for computers without an operating system) installation floppy, load CD drivers, and commence install from the Win98SE installation CD. Receive message that there is already an operating system installed on this drive (?), but select option to install anyway. Install seems to commence normally, but reports that drive is not formatted properly for Win98. I select for the install program to reformat, which it starts but then soon aborts (irrevocably) due to report of a format error (unspecified) on the hard drive.

I use Partition Magic rescue diskettes to switch back to the original C drive (unhiding and making it active). Everything is OK. The new but now hidden again partition shows up in diagnostics as it should (hidden, inactive, primary, FAT16). I try reformatting the new partition to FAT32, and back to FAT16, but in every case when I unhide and make active that partition and try to install Win98, I get the same result as described above.

Any ideas?
October 7th, 2000, 06:19 PM
The Doc 9277

I could be wrong, but don't you think the HDD may be screamig 'STOP!!!' I can't think of a single justification, if you don't mind me saying, for a second installation of the same O/S on a separate partition?
OR.. Have you EVER, formatted an NTFS partition on this drive? If you have, you will find it's the "I'm staying-put" 2mb of partiction info, of NTFS.
Incidentally (Curiosity really).. Why... a second O/S of the same type??
October 9th, 2000, 08:07 AM
shanff

as much as i have used partition magic, i don't think it will hide the partition enough to install a second version of the same OS. I use system commander to change the partition id to a "non dos" partition therefore totally hiding the partition from windows. once the OS is installed, changing the id's back will allow system commander to see the bootcode and allow both partitions to be bootable.
October 14th, 2000, 05:51 PM
enahs

when you say you've got a large hard drive and then that you're creating a primary active partition at the end of the drive, are you above the 1024 cylinder boundary? (in partition magic, there are a set of arrows on the drive graphic)
October 14th, 2000, 11:44 PM
pga

Quote:

Originally posted by The Doc 9277:
I can't think of a single justification, if you don't mind me saying, for a second installation of the same O/S on a separate partition?

He said his reason was for video capture.

One of our businesses it selling digital video editing equipment. these systems shouldn't be loaded with any software except the OS, the absolute neccessary drivers, and the editing software. even things such as the clock on the task bar should be disabled.

Having a dedicated digital video editing system ties up the entire system for just one purpose, having a dual boot with the same OS gives you 2 PC's for the price of one.

[This message has been edited by pga (edited October 15, 2000).]