Create a Multi-Boot System in Windows XP

Reformatting and Repairing the Hard Disk

You may need to reformat and repartition your hard disk if:

  • You have only one volume.
  • You
    have to install each operating system on a separate volume of your
    computer so that each installation can retain its own files and
    configuration information.
  • The boot volume is not formatted with the correct file system:
    • If
      you want to create a multiple-boot system by using Windows 95, Windows
      98 or Windows Me along with Microsoft Windows XP, you have to format
      the boot volume by using FAT16 because Windows 95, Windows 98 and
      Windows Me do not support the NTFS file system.
    • If you want to
      install Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me with Windows NT 4.0,
      Windows 2000, or Windows XP, you can format the boot volume by using
      FAT16 because Windows NT 4.0 does not support the FAT32 file system.
    • If you want to create a multiple-boot system using Windows 98 or
      Windows Me with Windows 2000, or Windows XP, you can format the boot
      volume by using FAT32.
      NOTE: If you format a
      Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP volume with any file system
      other than NTFS, you will lose all NTFS-specific features. This
      includes some Windows XP features such as file system security,
      Encrypting File System (EFS) settings, disk quotas, and Remote Storage.
      Likewise, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me do not recognize an
      NTFS partition and identify it as unknown. Therefore, if you format a
      Windows 98 or Windows Me partition as FAT, and a Windows XP partition
      as NTFS, any files on the NTFS partition will not be available or
      visible if you try to access them while running Windows 98 or Windows
      Me.

Supported File Systems

The following table lists the supported file systems for Microsoft operating systems:

  • MS-DOS FAT
  • Windows 3.1 FAT
  • Windows NT FAT, NTFS
  • Windows 95 FAT
  • Windows 95 OSR2 FAT, FAT32
  • Windows 98 FAT, FAT32
  • Windows Me FAT, FAT32
  • Windows 2000 FAT, FAT32, NTFS
  • Windows XP FAT, FAT32, NTFS

Precautions

Before creating a multiple-boot configuration with Windows XP and another operating system, review the following precautions:

  • Before attempting to create a multiple-boot system, be sure to back up your current system and all data files.
  • Each
    operating system must be installed on a separate volume. Microsoft does
    not support installing multiple operating systems on the same volume.
  • If
    you have only one volume on your computer, you have to reformat and
    repartition your hard disk to contain multiple volumes before you begin
    creating a multiple-boot configuration, unless you are simply
    installing another copy of Windows XP.
  • Do not install Windows XP on a compressed drive that was not compressed using the NTFS compression utility.
  • You
    have to use a different computer name for each operating system if the
    computer is on a Windows 2000 or Windows XP secure domain.

Install the operating systems in the following order:

  • MS-DOS
  • Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me
  • Windows NT
  • Windows 2000
  • Windows XP

To Create a Multiple-Boot System with Windows XP and MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me

NOTE:
You cannot install both Windows 95 and Windows 98 in a multiple-boot
configuration. Windows 98 is intended as an upgrade to Windows 95 and
it will try to use the same boot file.

You have to install Windows XP only after installing MS-DOS, Windows
95, Windows 98, or Windows Me to prevent these operating systems from
overwriting the Windows XP boot sector and the Windows XP startup files.

To create a multiple-boot system with Windows XP and MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me:

  1. Ensure that your hard disk is formatted with the correct file system.
  2. Install
    the multiple operating systems into separate volumes, in the following
    order: MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, and then Windows XP.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • If
      you want a multiple-boot system with MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98 or
      Windows Me along with Windows XP, install MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows
      98 or Windows Me, and then install Windows XP.
    • If you want a
      dual-boot system with only Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me,
      install Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me, and then install Windows
      XP.
  4. Install each operating system according to the standard installation procedure.

To Create a Multiple-Boot System with Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP

Using a multiple-boot system with both Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP is
not recommended as a long-term solution. The NTFS update in Service
Pack 5 (SP5) for Windows NT 4.0 is provided only to help you evaluate
and upgrade to Windows XP.

To create a multiple-boot system with Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP:

  • Ensure that your hard disk is formatted with the correct file system.
  • Install Windows NT 4.0 and apply SP5, and then install Windows XP to a separate volume.
  • Install each operating system according to the standard installation procedure

NOTE:
If you intend to install more than one operating system consisting of
some combination of Windows NT 4.0, with either Windows 2000, or
Windows XP as the only installed operating systems, you must ensure
that you have installed SP5 for Windows NT 4.0. Windows XP
automatically upgrades any NTFS partitions that it finds on your system
to the version of NTFS that is used in Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
However, Windows NT 4.0 requires SP5 to read and write files on a
volume that is formatted with the version of NTFS used in Windows 2000
and Windows XP.

Installing Programs on More Than One Operating System

If you are installing programs on more than one operating system, you
have to treat each operating system as a separate entity. Any programs
and drivers that you want to use must be installed under each operating
system under which you want to use it. For example, if you want to use
Microsoft Word on the same computer under both Windows 98 and Windows
XP, you have to start Windows 98 and install Microsoft Word, and then,
you have to restart your computer under Windows XP and reinstall
Microsoft Word.

NOTE:
Windows 95 or Windows 98 might reconfigure hardware settings the first
time you use them, which may cause configuration problems when you
start Windows XP.

Specifying the Default Operating System for Startup

If you have more than one operating system on your computer, you can
set the operating system that you want to use as the default one for
when you start your computer:

  • Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
  • On the Advanced tab, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
  • Under
    System startup, in the Default operating system list, click the
    operating system that you want to start when you turn on or restart
    your computer.
  • Select the Display list of operating systems for
    check box, and then type the number of seconds for which you want the
    list displayed before the default operating system starts automatically.
  • To
    manually edit the boot options file, click Edit. Microsoft strongly
    recommends that you do not modify the boot options file (Boot.ini),
    because doing so may render your computer unusable.

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