98 won't install, it says i need a boot disc.. i don't have an A: drive. If i use the XP disk to do partions the 98 says there are errors and has to fix them and won't install. I tried to use fdisk to partition the drive, but i don't understand anything about dos. So not sure how to set the partitions up that way. I've hooked the drive up as a slave, and erased everything, but pc won't let me format, says its being used by another process. I have dumped my pc like 20 times in the last 3 weeks, so i have no problem getting XP pro to work, just the 98.

Thanks, Bipolar

I think $10-15 for a floppy drive would be a worthwile investment.
You can always take it out afterwards again if you don't like the looks.

Would simplify things.

Sorry for the confusion, I Have an A: drive, but my pc doesn't have a place to put it. I have an emachine that has the media manager instead of the a: drive. Just a thought, would it be ok just to set one down on my desk and hook the wires up and run it?
Thanks Bipolar

That will work.
Install Win98 first. Boot disc can be found here if needed. If you hard disc is bigger than 64GB you'll need a newer copy of fdsk see my earlier post for suggested sizes. Finally install Windows XP.

Hello. I have this problem:

I have two PRIMARY partitions. On the first I have WinXP, on second MS-DOS.
When I set second partition "ACTIVE", system will boot from second partition where is only command.com, autoexec.bat, io.sys, msdos.sys - That's a correct. BUT, when, I set "ACTIVE" partition the first partition, the system will boot WinXP(that's right), and NTLDR run boot.ini. When I choose second posibillity which is MSDOS(the first is WinXP), I see only black screen with white cursor blinking on a left up side of monitor.

Can ntldr forward boot procedure other bootable partition? like do normaly Boot Manager like for example MagicBoot or Advanced Bott Manager and others.

Only what I need is boot sometime from second partition, and don't install MS-DOS partition before installing WinXP partition. (When I install WinXP, after MSDOS, XP installer detected other bootable area and make boot.ini and other 'things' and after this is possible boot from DOS, but I need reverse process)

pls excuse my english

Boot.ini:
----------------------------
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
C:\="MSDOS"
------------------------------

The problem is the C:\="MSDOS" line of your boot.ini. Your dos isn't installed to "C:\" it's on "D:\". C:\="MSDOS" would be correct if dos was installed first. XP would see it and add that line to the boot.ini file. I don't know if D:\="MSDOS" would work but you could try it. Another option is to
Go to Start-> Run. Type in MSCONFIG. Hit enter. Click on the BOOT.INI tab.
Click on "Check all boot paths". It will check to see which ones are valid. I'm not sure if this will fix the C:\="MSDOS" line or just prompt you to remove it because it isn't valid. Only way to find out is to try it.

I was thought, that the BOOT.INI need "see" the DOS format path - and DOS didn't show The first partition because there is NTFS. So I haven't idea change C:\ for D:\. But Important is, that when I change it for D:\, The system will reboot immediately. So, change between C:\ and D:\ is, that D make reboot, and C make black screen with blinking cursor. So, this way isn't good too

Your second option, "check all boot paths", isn't good too. Because this cheching procedure is very simple, and actually don't recognise syntactic mistake like missing ":" or "\". I mean, that check procedure say "Everiting is right".

Ok, I started be ready accept the reality, that I will have to use extern software(Boot Manager )

Thanks alphanumeric, have a nice weekend