Multiple Microsoft Operating System
Installation Rules & Procedures [ 7 OS ]
By Michael Daoud [ michaeldaoud@hotmail.com ]

 

Synopsis : This document explains how to install multiple operating systems on the same hard disk drive using DOS and Windows tools only. The following operating systems will be installed:

  1. MS-DOS Version 6.22
  2. Windows 95
  3. Windows 98
  4. Windows ME
  5. Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  6. Windows 2000 Professional
  7. Windows XP Professional

Disclaimer : In no event unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing will the copyright holder or any other party who has contributed to this text be liable to you for damages out of the use or inability to use the instructions contained in this text. This includes but is not limited to:

  • the loss of data
  • data being rendered inaccurate ( corruption )
  • losses sustained by you or third parties
  • a failure of the text instructions to produce the desired outcome
even if the copyright holder or other party has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Rules : Before starting, the following very important rules must be observed:

  1. If for any reason - technical or functional - your Master Boot Record (MBR) becomes corrupted or is rendered inoperational, neither the re-installation of DOS nor the re-installation of Windows NT nor the full reformat of the whole hard disk is going to restore or repair the MBR.
    So, you can either:
    • Boot the system from a floppy MS-DOS bootable diskette:
      A:\>sys c:   ;   A:\>fdisk /mbr
    • Re-install Windows 95 or 98 or ME on the C: drive

  2. The sign of a healthy MBR - even when it doesn't have any OS's boot sector written to it - is the following 2-line message on the screen when you try to boot up your system:
    	Invalid disk
	Replace the disk and then press any key

  3. The sign of a damaged MBR - even when it has many OS's boot sectors written to it - is a BLANK screen every time you try to boot up your system.

  4. MS-DOS and Windows 95 can functionally co-exist and live very well on the same primary active partition.

  5. Windows 98 or Windows ME will totally overwrite any previously installed version of DOS or Windows 95. They overwrite each other, too.

  6. Windows NT, 2000 and XP will neither overwrite each other nor overwrite any other operating system previously installed.

  7. On a single hard disk, you can create the following partitions:
    • 4 primary partitions
    • 3 primary partitions and 1 (or none) extended partition
    • 2 primary partitions and 1 (or none) extended partition
    • 1 primary partition and 1 (or none) extended partition

  8. On the extended partition, you can create as many logical drives as you have drive letters left (up to Z) depending on the last drive letter assigned to your primary partition(s).

  9. The FDISK command-line utility provided with all Microsoft operating systems - so far, Windows XP is the latest of Bill Gates at the writing of this document - DOES NOT allow you to create more than ONE primary partition. For this purpose, you need to use a third party utility such as PartitionMagic or PDISK (PDISK is downloadable).

  10. Among the primary partitions that you have, ONE and ONLY ONE of them can be set as active partition.

  11. In case you have two hard disks, NONE of your primary partitions on your second hard disk (either you connected it as Secondary Master or Secondary Slave) can be set as active partition. Only on the first hard disk (either you configured it as Primary Master or Primary Slave) you can set one primary partition as active.

  12. In this procedure, - and as mentioned in rule 5 above - we will be installing DOS and Windows 95 on one primary partition, Windows 98 on another primary partition, and Windows ME on a third primary partition. We won't - though we can - create a fourth primary partition because we need instead one extended partition that will be divided up into three logical drives for the installations of Windows NT, 2000 and XP each separately.

  13. Note the naming convention of the partitions:
    • C is always and forever the drive letter for the "Active" primary partition.
    • D will be the first logical drive letter, E will be the second, and so forth.
    • The second primary partition's drive letter will the one following the last logical drive letter.
      For example, in our case, the drive letters will be:

    14. Drive Letter Partition Type Operation System Volume Name
    C: Active Primary DOS 6.22 & Win 95 Windows_95
    D: Logical Win NT Windows_NT
    E: Logical Win 2000 Windows_2K
    F: Logical Win XP Windows_XP
    G: Primary Win 98 Windows_98
    H: Primary Win ME Windows_ME

  14. Further to rule 12 above, for the sake of installing and running either Windows 98 or Windows ME, we will have to set and reset the active partition alternatively. The system automatically does the name swapping for you. For example, when you set the G: drive to active, it will become C; and consequently the C: drive will become G. The only way to differentiate or distinguish between them is either by their volume name or size. Anyway, you shouldn't worry about this internal system logic, it's a bit complicated; just follow the procedures' steps carefully.

  15. Have a DOS bootable floppy disk with CD-ROM support, to which we will refer as BootDiskCD. The creation of such diskette is outside the scope of this document.

  16. A word of advice: if you are NOT an experienced administrator, then put this document aside and step away for the computer, otherwise you are putting your computer and data at risk! ... Honestly!

Multiple Microsoft Operating Systems
on small hard disks drives (<= 8GB)
[successfully implemented and tested on a 6 GB drive]

Procedure :

  1. Using an appropriate partition utility make 3 primary partitions sized as 100MB, 300MB, and 600MB consecutively, and 3 logical partitions sized as 1GB, 2GB, and 2GB consecutively.

  2. After you are done partitioning, restart the computer.

  3. Reformat every partition you created.

  4. Insert the Windows NT Workstation Setup CD-ROM and restart the computer.

  5. Install Windows NT on drive D:

  6. Install DOS though the system will recommend you to exit the setup but instead choose to replace the current version of OS as it will prompt you. Here you don't have a choice to pick a certain drive for the installation. DOS goes right away by default to the active primary partition, which in this case is drive C:

  7. After the installation is complete and the system is rebooted, insert the Windows NT Workstation Setup CD-ROM, and restart the computer. Note the following steps:
    1. When prompted, choose R to repair Windows NT.
    2. Select ONLY the "Inspect Boot Sector" option.

  8. After the repair is complete, the system will reboot. At the C:\> prompt, you will find a newly created file called: "BOOTSECT.DOS". Rename it to: "BOOTSECT.622"

  9. Insert the BootDiskCD and restart the computer.

  10. Install Windows 95 on drive C:. Note the system will default to C:\Windows, you don't have to change this for the time being, but later you will. You can create a startup diskette when prompted, but it will be of no use for the explanation in this document.

  11. After the installation is complete and the system is rebooted, insert the Windows NT Workstation Setup CD-ROM, and restart the computer. Note the following steps:
    1. When prompted, choose R to repair Windows NT.
    2. Select ONLY the "Inspect Boot Sector" option.

  12. After the repair is complete, the system will reboot. At the C:\> prompt, you will find a newly created file called: "BOOTSECT.DOS". Rename it to: "BOOTSECT.W95" REMARK: Note that both Windows 98 and Windows ME are NT-aware, but neither MS-DOS nor Windows 95 is; Therefore we had to repair the boot sector every time they are installed.

  13. At the C:\> prompt, make the BOOT.INI file editable using this command:
    	C:\>attrib -s -h -r boot.ini

  14. Append the following 2 lines to the end of the BOOT.INI file:
    C:\BOOTSECT.622="MS-DOS Version 6.22" /win95dos
    C:\BOOTSECT.W95="Microsoft Windows 95" /win95

  15. Save the BOOT.INI file and reset its original attributes using this command:
    	C:\> attrib +s +h +r boot.ini

  16. Restart the computer with NO floppies. Now you should see this startup menu:
    Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00
    Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00 [VGA mode]
    MS-DOS Version 6.22
    Microsoft Windows 95

  17. Using FDISK at the DOS prompt, set the second primary partition (drive G:) to active. It will automatically become drive C: as explained earlier in rule #14.

  18. Restart the computer with NO floppies.

  19. Since your G: drive was previously formatted, and still blank; you will get the following error message as long as drive G: is not bootable yet and has no operating system on it:
    	Non-system disk or disk error
	Replace and press any key when ready

  20. Insert the BootDiskCD, and press any key.

  21. Install Windows 98 on drive C: (currently named as such). Note the system will default to G:\Windows, you have to change that to C:\Windows. You can create a startup diskette when prompted, but it will be of no use for the explanation in this document. Proceed with the installation events till it is complete and the system is properly configured and rebooted in Windows 98.

  22. Using FDISK at the DOS prompt, set the third primary partition (drive H:) to active. It will automatically become drive C: as explained earlier in rule #14.

  23. Restart the computer with NO floppies.

  24. Since your H: drive was previously formatted, and still blank; you will get the following error message as long as drive H: is not bootable yet and has no operating system on it:
    	Non-system disk or disk error
	Replace and press any key when ready

  25. Insert the BootDiskCD, and press any key.

  26. Install Windows ME on drive C: (currently named as such). Note the system will default to G:\Windows, you have to change that to C:\Windows. You can create a startup diskette when prompted, but it will be of no use for the explanation in this document. Proceed with the installation events till it is complete and the system is properly configured and rebooted in Windows ME.

  27. These last 2 installations of both Windows 98 and Windows ME won't appear in the startup menu shown in step #16 because they belong to different partitions each. Now here is how your system finally works:
    • When you want to boot your system in MS-DOS, Windows 95, or Windows NT, set the first primary partition as active then restart the computer with NO floppies.
    • When you want to boot your system in Windows 98, set the second primary partition as active then restart the computer with NO floppies.
    • When you want to boot your system in Windows ME, set the third primary partition as active then restart the computer with NO floppies.

  28. Insert the Windows 2000 Professional Setup CD-ROM and restart the computer.

  29. Install Windows 2000 Professional on drive E:

  30. Insert the Windows XP Professional Setup CD-ROM and restart the computer.

  31. Install Windows XP Professional on drive F:

Hints: MBR Restore & Backup

If you want to have the ability to backup and restore the MBR of your Linux installation, then do this:

  1. To backup your MBR while running Linux, insert a new floppy disk and enter the following command:
    	dd if=/dev/hda of=/dev/fd0 bs=512 count=1
    This will backup your current MBR.

  2. To restore the MBR, boot using something like Tom's Emergency boot disk, insert your backup copy of the MBR floppy disk and enter the following command:
    	dd if=/dev/fd0  of=/dev/hda bs=512 count=1
    This will restore your saved MBR to the hard disk.

Multiple Microsoft Operating Systems
on large hard disk drives (> 8GB)
[successfully tested and implemented on a 19 GB drive]

Procedure :

  1. Boot the system with a Windows98 startup disk.

  2. Using FDISK, delete all partitions.

  3. Reboot the system with a Windows98 startup disk.

  4. Using FDISK, create exactly one primary partition of 1028MB (= 1GB).

  5. Reboot the system with a DOS (6.xx) startup disk (to allow FAT system support).

  6. Format C:

  7. Install DOS

  8. After the installation is complete and the computer is properly restarted, configure your MS-DOS startup files for CD-ROM support and SMARTDRV (to speed the copy process) and that's by editing "Config.sys" and "Autoexec.bat" as follows:
    • In "CONFIG.SYS" add the following 2 lines:
      	LASTDRIVE=Z
	DEVICEHIGH=[path] OAKCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD001
      (provided that you have downloaded the driver OAKCDROM.SYS or anything similar).
    • In "AUTOEXEC.BAT" add the following 2 lines:
      	LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /L:X
	LH C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE /X
      (This line should have been added by the MS-DOS installation but you have to add the LH command to it to load it in the high memory area and save conventional memory).

  9. Reboot the system from the hard disk.

  10. Download the latest ATAPI.EXE file from Microsoft's FTP server:

    ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-unsup-ed/fixes/nt40/atapi/atapi.exe

    Copy that file to a blank floppy disk. Run ATAPI on the floppy disk itself and the ATAPI.SYS file will be extracted to the floppy disk. Label it "Microsoft ATAPI Service Pack 4 IDE Driver".

  11. Insert the Windows NT CD-ROM and run WINNT from the DOS prompt.

  12. After the 3 floppy diskettes are created by the Windows NT installation, and when asked if you would like setup to detect your mass storage devices; press "S" so that detection is skipped.

  13. When setup list devices found, which should list < none >, press "S" again, then press ENTER.

  14. When prompted to insert the "Manufacturer-supplied hardware support" disk, insert the "Microsoft ATAPI Service Pack 4 IDE Driver" disk instead and press ENTER.

  15. After setup reads the disk and lists the Microsoft ATAPI Service Pack 4 IDE driver, press ENTER to accept the driver.

  16. Setup now lists Microsoft ATAPI Service Pack 4 IDE Driver as an installed driver. If you have additional drivers for other mass storage devices, press "S"; otherwise press ENTER to continue through setup.

  17. Setup should continue through normally, but it prompts you to re-insert the disk labeled "Microsoft ATAPI Service Pack 4 IDE Driver" at the copy phase after you have chosen or formatted a partition for the Windows NT installation.

  18. After the installation is complete and the computer is properly restarted, carry out the following DOS commands from the DOS prompt:
    	C:\> ren c:\bootsect.dos c:\bootsect.622
	C:\> attrib -s -h -r boot.ini
	C:\> edit boot.ini
    • Add the next line to the BOOT.INI file:
      	C:\BootSect.622="MS-DOS Version 6.22"
    • Save the BOOT.INI file, close it, and restore the attributes:
      	C:\> attrib +s +h +r boot.ini

  19. Reboot the system from the hard disk in Windows NT ( as it comes in the startup menu ).

  20. From a CD-ROM and ONLY from a CD-ROM, install Service Pack 5 or later for Windows NT for the following 2 critical reasons:
    • It is required for the installation of Internet Explorer 5 or later because Windows NT installation comes with Internet Explorer 2; which is good for nothing at all.
    • It is recommended by the installation of Windows XP later on, which will detect the current Service Pack version installed for Windows NT.

  21. Insert the Windows 95 CD-ROM and run SETUP from the DOS prompt.

  22. Install Windows 95.

  23. After the installation is complete and the computer is properly restarted, insert the Windows NT Workstation 4.0 CD-ROM and reboot the system with no floppies.

  24. Repair Windows NT (by pressing R when prompted).

  25. After the repair is complete and the computer is properly restarted, carry out the following DOS commands from the DOS prompt:
    	C:\> ren c:\bootsect.dos c:\bootsect.w95
	C:\> attrib -s -h -r boot.ini
	C:\> edit boot.ini
    • Add the next line to the BOOT.INI file:
       
	C:\BootSect.W95="Microsoft Windows 95"
    • Save the BOOT.INI file, close it, and restore the attributes:
       
	C:\> attrib +s +h +r boot.ini

  26. Reboot the system with no floppies. You should see the following menu:
    Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 [VGA mode]
MS-DOS Version 6.22
Microsoft Windows 95

  27. Reboot the system with a Windows98 startup disk to allow large disk support (FAT32 only).

  28. Using FDISK, create one logical partition of 2055MB (=2GB) exactly.
    Note: Creating any other partitions that are NOT FAT16-supported will crash Windows NT even after being successfully installed.

  29. Reboot the system with a Windows98 startup disk.

  30. Format D:

  31. Restart the computer in Windows 95 or Windows NT

  32. Insert the Windows 2000 CD-ROM.

  33. Install Windows 2000 as "Clean Install" and choose partition D for the installation if not already chosen automatically by the system.

  34. After the installation is complete and the computer is properly restarted, insert the Windows XP Professional CD-ROM.

  35. Install Windows XP Professional as "New Installation". Windows XP Professional will let you create a partition for itself in the unpartitioned (unallocated) space that you have leftover on your hard disk. At this point, you can create as many other partitions as you want and choose one of them for the Windows XP installation.

  36. After the installation is complete and the computer is properly restarted, reboot the system with the PartitionMagic boot disk.

  37. On the free disk space, create 2 primary partitions of 400MB and 600MB for the installation of Windows 98 and Windows ME respectively. Note that the newly created primary partitions are "Hidden" by default. Leave them that way. Format them and set one of them to "Active"; this will automatically hide the original primary partition, and the active partition becomes C: drive.

  38. Reboot the system with a Windows98 startup disk that has CD-ROM support

  39. Insert the Windows 98 CD-ROM and run SETUP from the DOS prompt.

  40. Install Windows 98. The installation defaults to "C:\WINDOWS".

  41. After the installation is complete and the computer is properly restarted, reboot the system with the PartitionMagic boot disk.

  42. Set the third primary partition to "Active". (Now the second one will become hidden).

  43. Reboot the system with a Windows98 startup disk that has CD-ROM support

  44. Insert the Windows ME CD-ROM and run SETUP from the DOS prompt.

  45. After the installation is complete and the computer is properly restarted, reboot the system with the PartitionMagic boot disk.

  46. Unhide all primary partitions to make them accessible from DOS by using the FDISK command.

  47. Set whichever primary partition you like to "Active", or you can use a third party boot manager to let you to decide which partition you want to make bootable every time you start your system. Examples of such utilities: [OSL2000, ZBOOT, SYSTEM COMMANDER or XOSL].

Configuring Windows/Office 2000 and XP
for Arabic support.

Procedure :

  1. Select Start >> Control Panel >> Regional Options

  2. In the General tab, mark the Arabic checkbox, and then click Apply. (This step requires the Windows CD-ROM).

  3. After the system is rebooted, re-select Start >> Control Panel >> Regional Options

  4. In the General tab, change Your Locale (location) to Arabic (Egypt) from the dropdown list.

  5. In the Input Locales tab, remove one of the two Arabic keyboard layouts (keep 102).

  6. Select Start >> Programs >> Microsoft Office Tools >> Microsoft Office Language settings. (This step requires the Office CD-ROM).

  7. Choose Arabic from the list (either dropdown or checkbox).

  8. Select Start >> Microsoft Word >> Tools >> Options

  9. In the Right-to-left tab, in the Numeral field, specify "Context" from the dropdown list.

Hardware Detection in Windows NT

Hints :

  1. Since Windows NT does NOT have an "Add/Remove Hardware" icon, it won't allow you to configure your hardware devices manually unlike all other Windows versions. The only solution to this issue is to activate the PnP functions in Windows NT.

  2. How to activate the PnP functions in Windows NT?
    • Insert your Windows NT installation CD-ROM and locate the file:
      	\drvlib\pnpisa\x86\pnpisa.inf
    • Select that file, right-click it and then from the hot menu select either the "Setup" item or the "Install" item depending on whichever is present.
      • The Windows NT system PnP functions will start to activate, and the system will ask you to restart the computer.

  3. After rebooting the system, Windows NT will prompt you to provide or browse the location for the appropriate driver files for each piece of hardware detected.

  4. If after all, Windows NT still does not detect the hardware, then the ONLY and LAST solution to this situation is:
    • Access your BIOS setup.
    • Carefully look for feature "PCI and PNP setup" or anything similar about Plug and Play.
    • Under that feature there should be an item: "Plug and Play aware O/S"
    • Set this item to "NO" to enable the BIOS PnP functions.
    • Save this new setting and exit the BIOS setup.

  5. After rebooting the system, Windows NT will prompt you to provide or browse the location for the appropriate driver files for each piece of hardware detected.

  6. If after all, Windows NT still does not detect the hardware, I am very SORRY! That's all I have!

  7. On a dual-boot or a multi-boot system, you don't have to make this BIOS change for the other Windows versions because all of them are hardware-aware. They all possess the "Add/Remove Hardware" icon in the Control Panel, as well. So, if the hardware configuration is not plug-and-play-triggered, you can trigger it manually through that "Add/Remove Hardware" icon.

 

Copyright 2002 [ Michael Daoud ]
HTML version [ Mario Chamorro ]