4 XP PARTITIONS NO OS SELECTOR

Using DD10 to create the 3 partitions (had one XP installed) I then installed 3 XP's using Windows only.

It took 5 hours without updates or applications.

After each install I used "System Properties" to keep partitions in order as each added partition was set as default (to correct this Click "Start" then RIGHT click "My Computer" then choose "properties", this will get you "System Properties", choose "Advanced" tab. Now on bottom of window click on "settings" in the "Startup and recovery" button. Now you will be at the "system startup" window, on top you will find "Default operating system:". A blue-ed out list of added operating systems will scroll down when you click on the scroll-down button; now choose the first partition to be the default, click "OK" on bottom of window and it should be reset). This follows Microsoft's recommendation for setting a default partition. Do this for all added OS's. On the last OS added, my system listed the partitions in this order; 1,4,2,3. I entered "msconfig" (in run box) and in the "boot.ini" tab reset all partitions correctly ;1,2,3,4.

I checked each partition and all booted up correctly. Windows boot-loader listed the partitions in correct order now. WHEW. Keep account of partition sizes ect. as Windows often makes a mess of it's boot-loader and you must DEDUCE which partition to boot into (this was at times a complete NIGHTMARE as not all partitions were listed all times; other times it listed them differently than in the previous installs). As a rule the new install is listed first in the boot-loader prior to correction.

I realize that there are different ways to do this but I decided not to 'cut corners' in the hope that I could pull it off without trouble. This is only day- one with this set up so every thing is tentative. These operations were carried out on my experimental HDD and I recommend the same to others. After a couple of weeks it may be ready for a real install (and hopefully with no weird "BOOTWIZ" interactions (no "OS SELECTOR" = no "BOOTWIZ" folder).

 

p.s. During os installs windows re-boots several times. Make sure NOT to respond when asked to "Press any key to boot from cd" (if it does) as this will restart the install process. Also be aware that It probably will be easier to create a partition and add an os, its applications and updates then create another custom sized partition for the next os ect., (operations like "resize", merge", ect. are more problamatic than the relatively easy "Create Partition").The better planned configuration of partitions makes for less operations and the problems they could possibly cause.

 

lol..took me half hour to achieve 4 xp installs, by cloning the first install onto the other 3 partitions!!!! and no OS Selector!

Why not change the labels associated with each OS/Partition, so you dont have to deduce which one is which... Simply edit the boot.ini file, and change the label.. eg.. XP1, XP2, XP3 and so on...

I prefer with multiboot not to be able to see the other OS paritions from each other, and keep them all isolated.. that way they can all have the same drive letter too, therefore not causing any drive letter conflicts or reassignments...

 

Batfink: A true revalation to my sore eyes! Thanks for the proceedure. I'm sure many will benefit from it.

Thanks again, cortez