From owner-freebsd-questions Sat Jun 29 12:40:17 2002 Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.FreeBSD.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C37AB37B401 for ; Sat, 29 Jun 2002 12:40:01 -0700 (PDT) Received: from adsl-64-174-159-18.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net (adsl-64-174-159-18.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net [64.174.159.18]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CF78643E0A for ; Sat, 29 Jun 2002 12:40:00 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from bmk@adsl-64-174-159-18.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net) Received: from adsl-64-174-159-18.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by adsl-64-174-159-18.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net (8.12.3/8.12.3) with ESMTP id g5TJe0tt000377 for ; Sat, 29 Jun 2002 12:40:00 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from bmk@adsl-64-174-159-18.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net) Message-Id: <200206291940.g5TJe0tt000377@adsl-64-174-159-18.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net> X-Mailer: exmh version 2.5 07/13/2001 with nmh-1.0.4 To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Multibooting FBSD, WinME and WinXP -- how do you do it? In-reply-to: Your message of "Sat, 29 Jun 2002 13:37:28 EDT." Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 12:40:00 -0700 From: "Brian M. Kincaid" Sender: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk List-ID: List-Archive: (Web Archive) List-Help: (List Instructions) List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG OK, thanks to all for the help! I now have a triple-boot system with WinMe, WinXP (NTFS), and FreeBSD 4.6. I started with the following configuration: disk 1: Win XP disk 2: FreeBSD disk 3: FAT32 data disk disk 4: FreeBSD data disk This arrangement could not be converted into a multi-boot environment, so I first unplugged both FreeBSD disks to prevent them from being munged by any Microsoft installation software. I then made sure I had adequate backups of the Win XP stuff (I copied the Win XP disk to another (blank) disk and unplugged it to prevent accidental damage). disk 1: Win XP disk 2: FAT32 data disk disk 3: none disk 4: none I then blew away Win XP, installed Win Me on disk 1, and installed Win XP on disk 2, using the "choose drive letter for install" option to get a multi-boot system. I then put back my FreeBSD disks: disk 1: Win Me disk 2: Win XP disk 3: FreeBSD system disk 4: FreeBSD data After installing the FreeBSD boot manager on disk 1 (it was already on disk 3), everything worked. Since I only have four physical slots for disks on my Dell 8200, I then pulled out the FreeBSD disks, installed my Win XP original copy, and copied over everything I needed to my new Win XP installation. I then replaced the FreeBSD disks. A bit convoluted, but it worked. Thanks again, Brian In message , Jud writes: >6/28/2002 10:46:52 PM, Miroslav Pendev >CM00109515bc65.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com> wrote: > >>On Fri, Jun 28, 2002 at 07:04:02PM -0700, Brian M. Kincaid wrote: >>> Hello, >>> >>> I need some help in setting up a multiboot environment with >FreeBSD, WinME, >>> and WinXP. I have separate disks available to be dedicated to each >operating >>> system. > >>Hi Brian! >> >>I have triple boot Win2000 - Win XP and FreeBSD 4.6 on my work >system. >>I need XP and 4.6 basicaly for tests and builds :-> >> >>I would recommend you to install WinME first - on FAT32 partition, >>then Win XP, on other FAT32 partition and then FreeBSD 4.6 ;-) >>with the boot manager!!! >>Just be shure to choose to install the boot manager on the booting >disk. >> >>If you do not need some NTFS special 'crap' you can live with FAT32. >>FAT32 is not good for large drives - but anyways... you can access it >from >>FreeBSD. > >I'm quad-booting W2K, Win98, FreeBSD and QNX. I prefer NTFS for >W2K - the stability is excellent. To move files between FreeBSD and >W2K I use Win98 as an intermediary. If that feels too slow and clumsy >to you, then take Miroslav's advice to use FAT32 for WinXP. > >Read MS's knowledge base regarding dual-booting XP and ME - that will >likely be far more difficult than adding FreeBSD to the mix. > >You should be able to use XP's or FreeBSD's bootloader to boot all >three operating systems. Regarding how to use XP's bootloader to do >this, read the FAQ at the FreeBSD web site. I happen to think grub >(/usr/ports/sysutils/grub) is a great bootloader. It's free, and you can >configure your boot menu just the way you like it. Read the grub >documents very carefully first, however. After all, if you mess up your >bootloader, you've got an unbootable PC (at least for a while, until you >recover it - but why not be careful and avoid that?). > >If you want a product that just does everything for you, Partition Magic >with BootMagic is often recommended. I use and like BootItNG >(http://www.terabyteunlimited.com), which is smaller, less expensive, and >IMHO very high quality. (I'd actually prefer grub, but grub doesn't grok >my RAID-0 array.) > >Jud > > > -- Brian M. Kincaid PGP Key: http://wwwkeys.pgp.net:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x33656401 To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message