Dual booted, 98 doesn't start up

**Ralck** · 02-23-2006, 02:35 PM

I have my computer dual booted with 98 SE and XP Pro. I recently got a new Maxtor harddrive, and used it's software to copy over my partitions so that I would not even have to reinstall either OS. However, it did not seem to copy over 98 right as it does not start up any more.
My configuration is:
98 SE on drive C
XP pro on drive D
1 DVD burner on drive E
1 CD ROM on drive F
3 virtual drives (only in xp, daemon tools) on G, H, and I

Xp seems to boot fine, but if I try to select 98 in the boot loader, all it does is go to a black, blank screen with the cursur blinking in the upper left corner of the screen.

I have read that if I tried to install 98 again, that it would mess up xp's partition and xp would not boot up any more.
So are there any ways to fix 98 so it boots again, or should I just start over, reinstall 98, then reinstall xp?

Dixie · 02-23-2006, 09:41 PM

I'm just guessing here, but did you partition the new hard drive before you copied the os's over? Because 98 and XP have to be on separate partitions and if you didn't partition the new one you might just have one partition.

**hwm54112** · 02-24-2006, 10:20 PM

I suspect your problem lies in your boot.ini file. Compare the file on old and new drives

Enigma-Jenova · 02-25-2006, 02:52 AM

if you partitioned it, make sure you have the right partition set as Active Partition, you can do this with for example; the partition magic boot disks:)

**oshwyn5** · 02-26-2006, 12:17 PM

Boot to XP and go to my computer and right click on the C: drive and choose properties.
Is it FAT32 as windows 98 needs or did you accidentally change it to NTFS when you installed XP?
In XP go to start / run and type msconfig hit enter and click on the boot.ini tab and click check all boot paths.
it will remove the win98 option if the boot path is invalid.

**Ralck** · 02-27-2006, 05:24 PM

To answer your questions:
There are two partitions (C and D)
C is Windows 98 SE, and is partitioned with FAT32.
I checked the boot.ini file using msconfig, and checked all boot paths, and it said everything there was okay (including the entry c:\="Microsoft Windows" for 98. I also opened up the boot.ini file from the old drive and it looks identical.

If the C drive was not an active partition, would the check paths button of msconfig say there was a problem with it? If this is the problem, where can I get the partition magic boot disks and how much do they cost?

**hwm54112** · 02-27-2006, 08:28 PM

It sounds to me as if you are missing some startup files in 98. And that it would be easier just to copy the drive over again rather than fight it. I’m not familiar with the Maxtor utility, but your post indicates that you “used it's software to copy over my partitions” and I take that to mean you copied the entire drive in one step. If you choose to copy the drive over again, I would use xp to partition and format the drive as needed. Then copy each partition individually using the Maxtor utility, if it allows you to copy the partitions individually. Doing it in three separate steps is the preferred way. You could use Maxtor for setting up the drive rather than XP. However, I avoid the drive utilities for initial setup because some of them install a dynamic disk overlay whether it’s needed or not and then you are unable to use any disk utilities

Chevy · 02-27-2006, 11:10 PM

Before wiping and restarting, boot to a 98 floppy. Run fdisk, and select Option 2. and set Partition1 c: as the active partition.

**oshwyn5** · 02-28-2006, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralck

To answer your questions:
There are two partitions (C and D)
C is Windows 98 SE, and is partitioned with FAT32.
I checked the boot.ini file using msconfig, and checked all boot paths, and it said everything there was okay (including the entry c:\="Microsoft Windows" for 98. I also opened up the boot.ini file from the old drive and it looks identical.

If the C drive was not an active partition, would the check paths button of msconfig say there was a problem with it? If this is the problem, where can I get the partition magic boot disks and how much do they cost?

http://vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/bootini.htm
Does your boot.ini look like this

Quote:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\ = "Microsoft Windows 98 "

(This is for a single drive with Win98 on C: and XP on D:
please post yours you can go in XP to control panel/ system/ advanced/startup and recovery/ settings / system startup/ edit
Copy the contents and post them here.

**Ralck** · 02-28-2006, 02:46 PM

I booted up with a 98 floppy and ran fdisk and set C as the active partition.
Now instead of just sitting there with a blank screen and a blinking curser, it just reboots if I select 98.
I'll try formatting the partition again and trying to copy everything again.

**Ralck** · 02-28-2006, 04:45 PM

I did the copying thing, now it has the blinking cursur again, but still doesn't boot up. I'm wondering if there was something wrong with 98 before. I hadn't booted up to it in a two or three weeks, and maybe xp did something to it.

**hwm54112** · 03-01-2006, 05:57 PM

Something is telling me this is an old dos error and could be your startup files or a hardware error. Try clearing your cmos either by removing the pin on mobo or just manipulating the settings in bios. Ie: enter bios and change floppy, cd and hdd settings to anything erroneous but do not save nor exit. go back and applying correct settings,then save and exit. Sounds hokey but it does seem to work and only takes a minute.

02-23-2006, 02:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ralck TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,454 OS: 98SE/XP PRO/FC4 My System	Dual booted, 98 doesn't start up I have my computer dual booted with 98 SE and XP Pro. I recently got a new Maxtor harddrive, and used it's software to copy over my partitions so that I would not even have to reinstall either OS. However, it did not seem to copy over 98 right as it does not start up any more. My configuration is: 98 SE on drive C XP pro on drive D 1 DVD burner on drive E 1 CD ROM on drive F 3 virtual drives (only in xp, daemon tools) on G, H, and I Xp seems to boot fine, but if I try to select 98 in the boot loader, all it does is go to a black, blank screen with the cursur blinking in the upper left corner of the screen. I have read that if I tried to install 98 again, that it would mess up xp's partition and xp would not boot up any more. So are there any ways to fix 98 so it boots again, or should I just start over, reinstall 98, then reinstall xp?

02-23-2006, 09:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dixie Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 28 OS: Win98 My System	I'm just guessing here, but did you partition the new hard drive before you copied the os's over? Because 98 and XP have to be on separate partitions and if you didn't partition the new one you might just have one partition. __________________ Do Unto Others Before They Do It To You

02-26-2006, 12:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
oshwyn5 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Dallas , Tx Posts: 1,435 OS: DOS,Win95,98,ME,XP, Fedora	Boot to XP and go to my computer and right click on the C: drive and choose properties. Is it FAT32 as windows 98 needs or did you accidentally change it to NTFS when you installed XP? In XP go to start / run and type msconfig hit enter and click on the boot.ini tab and click check all boot paths. it will remove the win98 option if the boot path is invalid. __________________ Hello and Welcome to TSF My name is Pete but call me Oshwyn Click here for the five steps for Malware Removal If we have been of assistance please consider Donating to TSF to keep the forum running.

02-24-2006, 10:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	I suspect your problem lies in your boot.ini file. Compare the file on old and new drives

02-25-2006, 02:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
Enigma-Jenova Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6 OS: XP	if you partitioned it, make sure you have the right partition set as Active Partition, you can do this with for example; the partition magic boot disks:)

02-27-2006, 05:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
Ralck TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,454 OS: 98SE/XP PRO/FC4 My System	To answer your questions: There are two partitions (C and D) C is Windows 98 SE, and is partitioned with FAT32. I checked the boot.ini file using msconfig, and checked all boot paths, and it said everything there was okay (including the entry c:\="Microsoft Windows" for 98. I also opened up the boot.ini file from the old drive and it looks identical. If the C drive was not an active partition, would the check paths button of msconfig say there was a problem with it? If this is the problem, where can I get the partition magic boot disks and how much do they cost?

02-27-2006, 08:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	It sounds to me as if you are missing some startup files in 98. And that it would be easier just to copy the drive over again rather than fight it. I’m not familiar with the Maxtor utility, but your post indicates that you “used it's software to copy over my partitions” and I take that to mean you copied the entire drive in one step. If you choose to copy the drive over again, I would use xp to partition and format the drive as needed. Then copy each partition individually using the Maxtor utility, if it allows you to copy the partitions individually. Doing it in three separate steps is the preferred way. You could use Maxtor for setting up the drive rather than XP. However, I avoid the drive utilities for initial setup because some of them install a dynamic disk overlay whether it’s needed or not and then you are unable to use any disk utilities

02-27-2006, 11:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
Chevy Retired Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Notlob Posts: 5,452 OS: Vista Ultimate My System	Before wiping and restarting, boot to a 98 floppy. Run fdisk, and select Option 2. and set Partition1 c: as the active partition.

02-28-2006, 02:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ralck TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,454 OS: 98SE/XP PRO/FC4 My System	I booted up with a 98 floppy and ran fdisk and set C as the active partition. Now instead of just sitting there with a blank screen and a blinking curser, it just reboots if I select 98. I'll try formatting the partition again and trying to copy everything again.

02-28-2006, 04:45 PM	#11 (permalink)
Ralck TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,454 OS: 98SE/XP PRO/FC4 My System	I did the copying thing, now it has the blinking cursur again, but still doesn't boot up. I'm wondering if there was something wrong with 98 before. I hadn't booted up to it in a two or three weeks, and maybe xp did something to it.

03-01-2006, 05:57 PM	#12 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	Something is telling me this is an old dos error and could be your startup files or a hardware error. Try clearing your cmos either by removing the pin on mobo or just manipulating the settings in bios. Ie: enter bios and change floppy, cd and hdd settings to anything erroneous but do not save nor exit. go back and applying correct settings,then save and exit. Sounds hokey but it does seem to work and only takes a minute.