Adagilson Batista Bispo da Silva wrote:
I have windows 98se at /dev/hda9 (it is called unit F: by Windows). As we know windows 98 put its initialization files on C: (IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, etc.), but I formated C: to NTFS in order to install Windows XP.
Big mistake. Until your C: is restored to FAT12/FAT16/FAT32, your /dev/hda9 system cannot be started from that HD. There's no need for NTFS on C: when you're putting XP on a logical partition, or even if putting it directly on C: for that matter. When you use NTFS, you complicate your access to doze data while booted to Linux. C: can be as little as about 40M and still be used to boot a choice from XP, 98 & W2K if you want, each on logical partition(s) coexisting with as many Linux installations as you can manage to keep track of, subject of course to the maximum partition limit of your HD.
Grub is restored and SuSE, Slackware and Windows XP can boot, but Windows 98 couldn't.
I don't want to use C: in FAT, could I use GRUB to boot Windows 98 from /dev/hda9 (F:), directly?
I've never heard of any such thing. 98 is DOS, and DOS simply doesn't know anything about booting except from A: or C:. What could work is a DOS boot floppy with proper configuration files to boot from A: but run from your hda9, much like many do to boot doze off the HD but use a floppy for Grub and Linux. I've done it, but your hda9 may need to start below logical cylinder 1024 for it to work for you. The floppy will need to be Win98SE bootable, with IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM. Also you'll want an AUTOEXEC.BAT to set COMSPEC to a HD location of COMMAND.COM, and may want a CONFIG.SYS for driver(s).
My Grub file contains these lines for Win98 partition:
title Windows 98SE rootnoverify (hd0,8) makeactive chainloader +1
The following error occurs:
Error 12: Invalid Device Requested (hd0,8)
Your 98SE doesn't start from (hd0,8), it only runs from there, just like Linux using a separate partition for /boot.
Is there any chance to maintain Windows 98 bootable on /dev/hda9 (F:)?
None. But see above. Also, you might create some other primary in the system and use Grub to map, hide, unhide, makeactive and so forth so that the correct "C:" is set for it when you choose it off the Grub menu.
Do I need the erased files from unit C:?
They won't do you any good unless 98 thinks they're on A: or C:. -- "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." Psalm 33:12 NIV Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 Felix Miata *** http://mrmazda.no-ip.com/partitioningindex.html