-=PCTechTalk=- Re: Rose's Completely Simplified Organizational Method
- From: "GMan" <gman.pctt@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 23:47:52 -0400
Rose,
Here, in a nutshell, is my experience with multi-boot setups. I have
been running dual and multi-boot setups exclusively since Win95 was
introduced to the world. As I still am with every new Windows release, I
wasn't readt to give up my tried and true OS for something new that I had
yet to fully trust. A friend told me that it's possible to set up my system
so that I could boot into either Win3.11 or Win95 if I installed them in
that order. I already knew that I could choose between DOS and Win3.11 up
to that point, so now thoroughly intrigued, I went to work looking up
anything I could find on the subject. I must have read close to 50
different descriptions of the process and they all basically said the same
thing. Microsoft designs their operating systems so that we can install
them as menu options instead of the only OS if we desire. At one point, I
had DOS, Win3.11, Win95, Win98 and Win2000 all on the same hard drive (with
most on their own partitions - DOS and Win3.11 were both on the C drive by
design).
Setting it up is simple. Honest! You basically install them in the
order in which they were released. So, if you want to dual-boot between
WinXP and Vista, you would start with a (optionally pre-partitioned) blank
drive and install WinXP to the first partition (the install CD can also
create the partitions if you wish), just like you would if it was the only
OS you were going to run. Then, install Vista to the D: drive. The Vista
installation will automatically place a few files in the root directory of
the C drive that would provide you with a menu each time you booted or
rebooted the system. This menu would include the option to boot into either
of the two operating systems. It also gives you a somewhat prolonged
opportunity for booting into Safe Mode (and all of the other troubleshooting
modes) for either OS. I can also show you how to customize the boot menu
and even add an option to boot into a collection of utilities for
troubleshooting beyond what safe mode can provide.
In theory, there is no maintenance required on your part. If you never
use one of the operating systems, it'll still be there as a perfectly viable
menu option years from now (provided the drive doesn't die or you don't
reformat and reinstall things a different way). In practice, I've had to
'repair' at least one of those C drive files twice since I started
multi-booting (typical file corruption probably caused by a power surge). I
am now probably as much of an expert multi-booter as anyone else I know, but
I'm sure there are some situations I have yet to experience. lol
The possible reasons for multi-booting are as varied as the wind.
Although you might decide to set one up to have a backup OS, you might later
find that you're using the second OS for things the first OS is unable to do
(or do as well). You may find that one or more of your favorite apps
doesn't work under Vista, so you'll need to run it under XP instead. If
your hardware is less than ideal (RAM/CPU speed/Video adapter
capabilities/etc.) for running certain programs under Vista, XP may run them
much faster. At the moment, I am multi-booting XP Pro with XP Pro (my
backup OS) and XP (this third partition will eventually be switched over to
Vista whenever I decide to make the move. I currently use the third XP
install (my E drive) as a sandbox for testing various apps and utilities.
Since setting up this system back in October, I've booted into the D drive
only twice and I only boot into the E drive when I have something I wish to
test.
I'm hoping that what I've shared so far either answers all of your
initial questions and concerns (setting it up would most likely require at
least a little hand holding which you already know I'm more than willing to
do) OR that it gives you a starting point you can use to formulate some
questions & concerns I have yet to address. :O)
Peace,
GMan
"The only dumb questions are the ones that are never asked!"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tech Rose - LoveBytes" <TechRose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 4:49 AM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Rose's Completely Simplified Organizational
Method
> GMan,
> I have used at least a yardstick between myself and multiple OS' and/or a
> Dual Boot System.
>
> Fear of the unknown is probably why. I have some thoughts based on
> 'nothing' that this would be fairly complex and then require quite a bit
> of
> learning (can I ?) and babysitting.
>
> If I install a program in one system, do I have to install it again
> (possibly in the same folder) for everything to work in both systems?
>
> I an totally ignorant about this and have felt it would take quite a bit
> of
> reading and study to accomplish this and feel comfortable with it.
> (Like I had to SAY I was totally ignorant about it... I am sure my
> previous
> sentences proved tat already..but..being redundant..is a habit of mine. I
> always want to be sure I get my message across and understood....LOL!)
>
> I will try to keep an open mind to this suggestion. I hear a lot of talk
> about it, but have not experienced it at all. I have read a bit about it
> being recommended in Vista talks.
>
> When you mentioned CD/DVD backups, I have to admit...I cringed. The
> thought
> of backing up to those small volume devices is a nightmare to me.
> Why would I want to backup to a CD/DVD when disks drives are dirt cheap
> and
> much less time consuming to make a backup and also much less time
> consuming
> to retrieve data from and restore it?
>
> When I can buy a 500 GB hard drive for $140 why would I want to use the
> other media? (Now I know I do not need to buy any drives...and I have
> more
> than I need.) For that $140 I could create a backup of most of my data.
> The cost of doing so on the 111 DVD's that would take @$0.19 ea would be
> $21.00 (111 x .19). The amount of time would be days. I could pretty
> much
> let the system back itself up over night (and maybe a bit longer) without
> any intervention on my part. If I had two such drives, I would spend
> $280.00 and I could make hundreds of backups on each one. I could also
> easily restore my data if need be much more easily that the 111 DVD's
> would
> allow me to do. I could restore a file a folder a directory or a whole
> partition in much less time than it would take to find the exact DVD's I
> need to restore the data. The labeling and storing of these many DVD's
> would be so cumbersome.
>
> My hard drives would be useable over and over and over. The DVD's, unless
> I
> am willing to spend about $0.50 each would be a one time burn. So I would
> continue to have to buy new DVD's. That $21.00 backup just jumped to
> $55.50. I would need at least 2 sets at a time, so now we are at $111.00
> and 222 DVD's. This is a large library to CREATE and MAINTAIN. And
> again,
> a daunting task (in my mind) to use to restore.
>
> I have a habit, and probably a bad habit too in that I give very long
> names
> to some of my files, especially graphics and scrapbooking file folders and
> files.
> In the Scrapbooking arena, everyone is worried about getting credit for
> you
> using products you purchased from them. You receive files with long names
> and weird characters !@# ~ etc. Sometimes the file names are too long
> when
> burned to a DVD. This can sometimes cause you to lose the DVD or the
> file..or both. But I have not had a big problem with ones that are backed
> up to a hard drive.
> In my Scrapbooking partition is one folder is 21.3GB and represents
> purchases I have made in the last 6 months. It has 16,000+ files in 2600+
> folders.(There is redundancy in these files, but I do not care. It is the
> ease of use, and finding what I want, when I want it that is most
> important
> to me. My time at age 62 is more important to me. This may or may not be
> the biggest single folder in that directory, but there are a number of
> large
> ones. Just the 163 GB of Scrapbooking files is enough to make me want to
> say no..I am not interested in sitting and burning DVD's.
>
> While my mind is not very open on this subject, it is not closed. Maybe
> you
> can convince me.If I did not have the hard drive space the money could
> well
> be an issue with me and things could be different.
>
> Re-reading your message, I realize I "MAY" have "SLIGHTLY" over-reacted to
> your CD/DVD backup suggestion you said you would mention in FUTURE
> email(s).
>
> I do not think I know everything...as evidenced by my fear of dual booting
> machines. I do admit..they sound sexy.. but I am concerned about learning
> about them and what it takes to maintain them. I am opened and
> interested.
> I do like the idea of being able to switch the master/slave cables (and
> drive settings) and then have a system up and ready to work to resolve
> issues.
>
> My use of a computer is for fun, family projects, making a family legacy
> for
> my children and grandchildren..(their pictures and the history of their
> ancestors.
> I also like to just goof off and have fun playing games and chatting and
> oh
> yes.. talking to tech folks....lol! (I do banking and taxes and the other
> ugly things in life I have to do too... ha ha!)
>
> So, anything I can do to allow me to do that..sounds like a plan.... My
> ears
> are open.....(and my eyes..although I have to admit..this SOUNDS like a
> conversation, rather than written correspondence...I love it!
>
> Thanks so much... You are AMAZING!
> Rose
--
Please remember to trim your replies (including this sentence and everything
below it) and adjust the subject line as necessary.
To unsubscribe or change your email settings:
//www.freelists.org/webpage/pctechtalk
To access our Archives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PCTechTalk/messages/
//www.freelists.org/archives/pctechtalk/
Other related posts:
