Dual boot from Win2000 with NTFS

[knucklesandwich]

I am a total newbie and have never used Linux. I am about to install Windows 2000.My hard drive has two partitions.I would like to install Mandrake 8.0 on the second partition. If I install Windows with an NTFS will I be able to dual boot. :rolleyes:

[tallulah]

If I were about to start from scratch on both platforms and had two clean slates with which I could experiment, I would try the simplest way of doing what you want to do to see what happens. Install W2K first on the first partition, and then install Mandrake 8. Make sure you choose an "expert" install with Mandrake so that it lets you choose all your own options throughout the install. At the end of the Mandrake install, it lets you choose a bootloader (GRUB is really easy) and the place where it should be installed (which partition or hard drive). I don't know if GRUB will play nice with the W2K bootloader, but it would be interesting to try to find out. (I think that you may end up having to take text from Lilo and inserting it in the boot.ini file to get a Linux choice in the W2K bootloader, but you can TRY the most straight forward way first.) My family is so attached to their data on Windows that I haven't dared just trying the most obvious solution. But, hey, if you are beginning fresh on both platforms, you have nothing to lose but maybe some time. The Mandrake install is less involved and takes less time that the W2K install, too. Ellie


:)

[ 24 June 2001: Message edited by: ellie ]

[bdg1983]

Grub will have no problem dualbooting NT4 (ntfs4) or Win2000 (ntfs5). The Mandrake installer should detect the W2K partition and add it to the grub menu. If not, it's not that hard to do. Plenty of help around to get it done.

[knucklesandwich]

Replies much appreciated mdwatts and ellie :D

[SiliconSpuds]

Knuckle:

No offense to the others like Ellie who replied to you, but they are wrong!

If you are running NT or W2K, you are best advised to use the W2K bootloader.

I have a network with 300+ users running Linux on the backend and W 9x and W2k on the desktops. I also have a nice net at home which I use for test and development.

So, go ahead and follow their advice--and then wonder where W2K or NT went when you reboot.

My advice: read up on this by doing a search here or at http://www.linuxgazette.com

And shame on that ellie ... it's not nice to give advice when you are notqualified to do so. :)

[tallulah]

I thought it would be interesting to find out IF it would work and WHAT Mandrake COULD do... since he was working with two blank partitions. I think I clearly stated the spirit with which the idea was given in the post. A fun experiment! One NEVER has the opportunity to see the outcome when one is attached to data. If the fellow had a hard drive full of important data, my response would have been, "Research!" Where's the fun if you cannot take risks when there is nothing to lose?

:(

[ 24 June 2001: Message edited by: ellie ]

[SiliconSpuds]

Dear Miss Ellie:

This actually has nothing to do with attachment to data or any particular OS, but to partition tables on a Wintel platform.

One who has only one drive may not wish to experiment as you had suggested.

All of my data is mission-critical and my livelihood depends on all of this.

If I make a mistake I will be looking for a new job.

So, Please excuse my conservative approach.

[Bill]

I use Win2k Pro and Redhat 7 on my laptop (Company requires Win2k, it's their laptop :)) I use LILO and let her rip.

My job depends on my equipment too.

[ 25 June 2001: Message edited by: Bill ]

[RobMc]

Knuckle:
In the Linux HOWTO files there's a mini howto on dual-booting NT and Linux. I tried it and it works, as my NT bootloader on this system enables me to dualboot into Caldera if I want. I think the Mandrake sez "Do you want to create a bootdisk(a Get-Into Linux bootdisk, not an Install-bootdisk.)? Say yes, and have a floppy handy..as the Mandrake should have a section of HOWTO'S including that one, "Linux+NT-Bootloader-HOWTO".
The Mandrake 8 MIGHT ask you the question This way.."Do you want to create a Startup disk?"..instead of calling it a bootdisk.
The latest version of that miniHOWTO should be available on www.linuxdoc.org,too. (http://www.linuxdoc.org,too.)
Hope this helps :)

[RobMc]

OOOOOOOOOPs, Knuckle..you're using #@!! Win2k--I'm not sure if the NTFS has been altered from NT4 to Win2k, basically..But there's also System Commander, which is a bootmanager product that enables people to dualboot Linuxes and Windows products. That's another alternative. Sorry to point u toward that HOWTO without thinking of that
(agh)important detail.

[Craig McPherson]

Originally posted by RobMc:
<STRONG>I'm not sure if the NTFS has been altered from NT4 to Win2k</STRONG>

Win2K uses NTFS5, but it's a very small change from the version of NTFS that NT4 used.

[jask]

I installed win2k first and then mandrake 8.0 with lilo. (no problems) Now I am using red hat 7.1 with win2k. Still no proplems.

I would love to be able to read my ntfs partitions from linux, but I have not figured out how to load the ntfs module.