Best way to run multiple OS's on same machine

Mike LS · 08-12-2003, 02:35 PM

What's the best way to go about having multiple OS's on the same PC?
If I wanted to run WinXP and some type of Linux OS? I'm planning on reformatting my computer fairly soon and could do anything that was needed.

Rob Gillespie · 08-12-2003, 02:55 PM

You need to be familiar and comfortable with partitioning.

I don't bother multi-OSing any more (would rather multi-PC) but a while ago I had one machine running Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, RedHat and Slackware linux all on the same box.

Not sure why. Just wanted to!

Anyway, approach it like this: Decide how many Windows partitions you want and get it installed. This will be your own preference but myself I like to keep the OS and apps on a separate partition to the rest of my data.

For Linux you'll need at least two partitions - Swap and Root (/). You can create them in the Linux setup or you could create the partitions at the very beginning of the project and just format them by Linux later on. You can have more. If you want to keep your Linux data away from the OS, you'd have a separate /home partition.

Say, for example:

Primary (Active): Windows XP.
Extended Partition, into which is...
Logical partition: Data (you're own stuff for Windows)
Logical partition: Swap
Logical partition: /
Logical partition: /home

There are several ways of tackling the multi-boot between Windows and Linux. My favourite is to install LILO to the root partition and then copy the boot block to small binary fine. It's then possible to choose Windows or Linux from the standard XP bootup menu. But that's a bit further down the line so I wont elaborate here.

JamesHl · 08-12-2003, 02:57 PM

Make a windows partition, leave however much space you want for linux. Install windows, then install linux and let it handle the patitioning, use grub as your boot loader. It couldn't be easier.

Kimmo Jaskari · 08-13-2003, 12:54 PM

Buy VMWare Workstation 4.0.

It will set you back $300 but it is a fantastic piece of software. Creates virtual machines and you can run several OS's at the same time, like running a Windows 2000 installations over a Linux, or vice versa.

You can run both operating systems at once, that is. In fact, given the hardware resources, you can run several different virtual machines at once; using bridged networking you can even give them all their own IP addresses.

John_Berger · 08-13-2003, 02:10 PM

Take it from someone who has done multiple-booting since the days of OS/2 - buy a 5.25" removable hard drive rack kit and use separate hard drives. When you want to use another operating system, shut the system down and take 10 seconds to unlock the drive, pull it out, put in the other drive, lock it, and turn the computer back on.

(A) You don't have to worry AT ALL about partitioning. Each O/S has its own drive.

(B) You don't have to worry about reinstalling both operating systems when you decide to get a bigger hard drive. Just get a new drive for the O/S that needs more space.

(C) You don't have to worry about losing two operating systems and two sets of data because of one hard drive crash.

Three of my PCs have removable hard drive kits and I will never EVER go back to partitioning. There are too many potential problems and unnecessary headaches involved.

You can get a complete kit for as little as $25 with additional "cartridges" for as little as $15 each, depending on which company you go with.

**HTF Ads**

Julian Reville · 08-13-2003, 04:45 PM

Quote:

put in the other drive, lock it, and turn the computer back on.

Don't you get a BIOS mismatch at boot up, unless all of the HDs are exactly the same?

John_Berger · 08-13-2003, 04:53 PM

All good motherboards for the past several years have had an AUTO setting for hard drives so that the drives are detected every time that the system boots. Even my old Athlon 450 has this capability. I'm sure that some motherboards don't and REALLY old motherboards most certainly don't, but I haven't run across a motherboard in the past four or five years that didn't have an AUTO setting.

Julian Reville · 08-13-2003, 04:56 PM

Quote:

an AUTO setting for hard drives so that the drives are detected every time that the system boots

That makes sense. I have a P2 350Mz that I'd like to try this on. Where can I get some of these handy-dandy kits?

John_Berger · 08-13-2003, 05:07 PM

Here is a Google search.

I use products by a company called Lian Li. They're inexpensive and they work fine. I've seen others by a company called (I believe) StarTech, but they were almost twice the price when last I looked.

Craig R · 08-17-2003, 07:22 PM

Another option would be the Romtec Trios hard drive selector. Several places sell these, but Tiger Direct is the only one that comes to mind right now. Here's a link.
Romtec Trios at TigerDirect