Dual Booting

Constitutional Defender

This is the place to tell all about what os combo you all like to use best. If you don't dual boot then how about, if you did what would it be?

Thoughts, comments and questions are welcome.

EDIT: If anyone does not like dual booting then please tell us why and not that you just don't like it. Thanks

Q

I use VPC/VMware alot to test out OSes. Dual booting is annoying because you have to can't natively access stuff from one OS on the other (EG. I run Thunderbird on Windows and I can't access it's configs from BeOS).

My fav OSes are:

BeOS (All that I can get my hands on)
Windows 2000 (Ofcourse)
SuSE Linux for x86-64 (Sometimes I install this to replace Windows)
DOS 6.22/FreeDOS (Classics for when NTVDM just doesn't cut it)
ReactOS (Ahh!)
QNX (In VPC only)

-Q

TCPMeta

I use to dual boot diffrent OSes but not anymore. I use EvilNix (My own distro). Sometime I need to install WINE on here.

RN

I don't like Dual Booting.

Constitutional Defender

I currently am using win98se and dos 6 with system commander deluxe for old program compatibility reasons. Dos games don't always like win9x & xp. Xp more so the 9x. Wing Commander: Privateer runs great in dos!

Thump

Right now I got my $200 with three primary partitions. The first one is a 495 MB fat 16 with Windows 3.1 and Calmira and Bob. It's just for fun and it doesn't have any drivers. I may make a passworded account on Bob to store my passwords. It's just for fun.
The second primary partition is Windows 98SE fat 32.
The third primary partition is NTSF and right now I've got Windows XP running like molasses just for a short term test.
It's set right now just to go ahead and boot into XP.
If I want to change I just stick in a floppy and boot magic lets me choose.
I had System Commander for a while and it had a graphical interface that came up each time you booted. It was pretty but I switched to Boot Magic so now when it boots no one even knows you have another primary partition. I've got one logical partition that's 495 MB fat 16 and then one logical partition that's 21.2 gigs in fat 32, I know that's wrong but I just haven't changed it yet.
I don't know what I'll end up keeping but for sure 3.1 and 98SE.
I love multibooting.

stitch

I used to multi boot various flavors of windows and linux, i think i had win 2k, win me (dont ask why), winxp, and mandrake 9.2 for the longest time, but now, just winxp and nothing else (although i think im gonna load some shit in vpc!

Anyone dual booting windows and windies?

Anonymous

Dual booting? Hah. Dual drives. (nod)

I've got a 40 GB and 60 GB laptop drive, both in their own removable frame thingy. Once I get my laptop back from repair, the 40 GB will be a Linux play drive, the other a permanent drive with Windows and my other crap. Turn off, swap drive, turn on.

Thump

Welcome
I'm one of the posters that really doesn't mind typing a lot.
But could we call you Con for short?
You picked a wonderful topic. I'd like to reply to the second part of your question. If I didn't I would still want to do it even if I only wanted one operating system. If you double boot with two identical copies then if you get BSOD or something you need can no longer function then you're just a floppy disk boot away from being ready to go again.
Now you've asked a fine question and I'd really like to know your opinion.
Thump

Constitutional Defender

I like dual booting for the flexibility it offers. It lets me use all that old dos/win3.x stuff that the newer windows can't run anymore. Plus I like using wfw 3.11 cause I can network with the win9.x and xp oses. Just so much fun when it all works like it should. Doesn't usually give me problems but I never know when something will pop up. I may try another os when I get ahold of one, maybe linux or unix and play around with it. I just got another old machine to run. So far the comp I currently use is a p133 and the other one is a amd k5 166. I love the old stuff! And besides I don't have a newer machine anyway. Long live Dos!

TCPMeta

I use to have a 386 that had DOS 6.22, WFW 3.11 and OS\2 2.1.

This was back in the day when my family were diehard OS\2 users and I just started to use MS-DOS and Windows. At the time I only used DOS for games and WFW was used for internet use. Damn AOL didn't like to run under OS\2. I used OS\2 for school and also to hang out on the local BBS Servers.

Now a days most diehard fans of the old school video games made ports for games to run on newer OSes and also let people that use diffrent OSes have some fun. Now the DOOM Series can be played in OpenGL under Windows XP. A old game that has more face lifts then cher lol.

Anyway, Sometimes dual booting a old OS can liven things up and also at the same time come back and bite you in the ass.

RN

Well, if I need to use another OS, I'll just install it in VPC. I don't like dual booting because I can't really organize files on my hard disk.

FatTurtle

One day when I was bored, I hexbooted (6 OS's)

Windows XP Pro: SP1
Windows 2000: SP4
Mandrake Linux 9.2
Windows 98 SE
Windows 95
MS-DOS 6.22/WfWG 3.11

Most of the time I just dual boot: Windows XP, Mandrake Linux
On my other machine: singleboot: Windows 2000

Bash

Wow that is alot of OS' IndianaJones.

I tri-booted

Mandrake Linux 10
Windows 98
Windows NT 4 WS

DevilsJim89

Ah dual booting. My favorite combination is Windows 2000 Professional with Windows 3.1x and MS-DOS 6.22. I can easily go from something up to date to something back in 1993 with the press of the enter button on the boot menu.

Windows 98SE with Win3.1x and DOS 6.22 aren't far behind either.

Bash

I think when Windows LongHorn comes out, Windows 98 will feel like Windows 3.11

stitch

TechnologyHut wrote:

I think when Windows LongHorn comes out, Windows 98 will feel like Windows 3.11

i liked the look n feel of windows 3.11. simple, easy to use, not bloaded like xp or like lh will be, and it hardly ever crashed on me.

DevilsJim89

TopherNET wrote:

TechnologyHut wrote:

I think when Windows LongHorn comes out, Windows 98 will feel like Windows 3.11

i liked the look n feel of windows 3.11. simple, easy to use, not bloaded like xp or like lh will be, and it hardly ever crashed on me.

agreed. never crashed but that could because its too old and nothing really effects it...not many viruses anyway.

IBMWarpster

Too old to get virus's.


Also just too for today

Q

Um, there are THOUSANDS of DOS/Win16 viruses!

-Q

Constitutional Defender

Hehe, that was back when an email virus was unheard of. lol

DevilsJim89

Q wrote:

Um, there are THOUSANDS of DOS/Win16 viruses!

-Q

Yeah, that maybe true but you dont find many nowadays....say if you wanna have a win31 pc online, chances are, it wont get affect by most viruses that are out now.. Virus makers aim towards destroying XP and 2k then DOS and 3.1.

Bash

DevilsJim89 I think you have a point. Nowadays, I think that Windows 3.1 is kinda safe on the internet today.

Q

Well, I admit that they're rare, but they're MUCH harder to spot then Win32 ones, and they're MUCH more destructive then modern ones.

-Q

DevilsJim89

I actually think using Win31 online is the safest way to go maybe these days. Much more destructive then modern ones? explain.

Q

Viruses these days almost NEVER damage files or corrupt stuff, just spew SPAM, open backdoors, and bog down networks, and occasionally DDoS ppl. DOS virus almost always add themselves to EXE files to run.

-Q

DevilsJim89

Ahh some still do. I remember 2 years ago my dad got the "Klez" virus. That killed Windows 2000. But the majority are now aimed to terrorize computer servers, networks, email. Yet it takes more effort to get rid of them then it did back in the day.

Bash

Ohh the Klez virus. I remember that one. I lost alot of stuff back then.

DevilsJim89

Yeah, that totally corrupted Windows 2000 Pro and everytime you'd start it, it'd get worse each time.

SurfinShell23

I still don't know what happened to my laptop that everytime I'd log in, it'd log me off. A rfmt was my treatment.

BOD

if you get a virus its best to reformat. i cleaned out a comp with w32/spaces.a or somethin like that. and it didnt work properly. antivirus is only good if you have like 1 or 2infected files...