Dual boot with Win 98
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Thread: Dual boot with Win 98

  1. #1
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    Dual boot with Win 98

    I'm about to install Win 2000 on a dual boot basis with Win 98. I understand that Win 98 will not see an NTFS partition. Is the reverse also true - if I install Win 2000 using NTFS, will it see the Win 98 FAT32 partition? I'm wondering if I can get Win 2000 to use applications already installed on the Win 98 partition - should I install Win 2000 using FAT32 to achieve this?
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  2. #2
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    Windows 98 will not see a NTFS drive, but Windows 2000 is backward compatible so it will see FAT, FAT32, and NTFS.
    If you want access to files on win 2000 partition whilst in 98 then you need to use FAT32 for win 2000.

    Hope this helps.
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  3. #3
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    An addemdum to the above may I suggest you make a small FAT32 file sharing partition so that you can access it from both OS`s.

  4. #4
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    You can access the '98 partition if you use FAT32, but you'll still need to install any applications or programs you want to use - you can't just run programs from the other OS.
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  5. #5
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    You'll be able to run some programs and not others. Some that won't run, if you just reinstall from w2k into the same folder it'll work that way.

    Some I use that don't need reinstalled are Dreamweaver, Photoshop6 and earlier, MyIE2, Opera, Irfanview, Netscape, PartitionMagic, SpyBotS&D.

  6. #6
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    Thanks for all the useful tips. Now I have to decide between FAT32 and NTFS. I know NTFS offers greater security, but that's not really an issue for me since I am sole user. I'm unlikely to want to access files on the Win 2000 partition from Win 98. Anything else I should take into consideration in choosing whether to go NTFS or FAT32?
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  7. #7
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    Windows 2000 will not let you format a partition > 32GB in FAT32. It can read them, it just won't create them. Don't know if that's an issue for you. It insists on using NTFS for these large partitions. (You could use other 3rd party tools to create such large FAT32 volumes if you really want.)

    NTFS is more efficient and doesn't need to be "defragged" as often.

    The reason that you need to reinstall most programs is that the installation will affect system files and the Registry -- you will have two separate Registries for Windows 2000 and 98, even though the programs may be using the same files.

    If your computer gets messed up and you need to recover files with a DOS boot disk, you will have a hard time getting access to your NTFS drives. You can get at them in a few different ways, but not as easily.

    Look here: http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs_vs_fat.htm
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  8. #8
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    Ntfs offers smaller cluster sizing so you can be much more efficient in your file storing....I personally use it on all of my drives and partitions.
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  9. #9
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    I had more or less decided to go for FAT32 but Rapmaster's post has maybe changed my mind. Decisions, decisions ....

    (Yeah - I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure )

    Thanks for your help guys. I reckon I'll go down the NTFS road.
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