[VxJasonxV]

Ok.
A while back I got XP, and now that's it's up and running smoothly, and everything I use supports it, I'm ready to dump off ME. (That and I haven't touched it in like...4 months so...I think that's a good indication I don't need ME anymore...)
So, when I installed XP I just used their 'install on top of a previous version of windows' wizard.
So, now when I start up my computer, I get the prompt of going to ME or XP etc.
(Note: I have Two HDs, with one OS on each, so I don't need to un-partition anything.)

So what I want to do:
1) Remove ME
2) Make sure that screen no longer comes up
3) Add a very small DOS partition.

This is what I need to know about DOS...
I haven't used it in a long time except in Console mode so.

1) Does it read FAT32
2) how much space do I have to give it in a partition
3) If I put it in it's own partition it can read the files from outside it's partition correct?

So...any input is graciously accepted.

EDIT: Oh and if anyone asks...there are still plenty of DOS games that don't work on XP anymore, that's why I want to keep TRUE dos...if that's even possible (').

[gneato]

google

[Vetritus03]

you want the easy way? boot to ME and make yourself a boot floppy. control panel -> add/remove progs -> startup disk. reboot to XP

to rid yourself of the boot screen you'll have to edit your boot.ini file. it should read exactly this way for one OS installed on the primary fixed disk (0) and the primary partition (1):

[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 Professional" /fastdetect

if you are running Pro, you should be able to make changes through Start -> Run -> MSCONFIG and then selecting the boot.ini tab. if you are running Home Edition you may have to edit this file manually. don't worry about changing the "Microsoft Windows Professional" you won't see this again after this file is changed. reboot and now you no longer have an OS choice screen.

next you need to get rid of that annoying ME and its partiton. you can do this in XP by right-clicking on my computer, selecting manage, and then selecting Disk Management. this will let you use a GUI to make your changes. other wise you can boot to that floppy you made and select quick boot (3) and then running fdisk from the command prompt. (if your computer doesn't boot to that floppy you may have to change your boot sequence in yout BIOS.) choose the option for enabling large disk support. (read FAT32) first you'll want to change fixed disks... what is it... 4 on the fdisk options menu? anyway select your seconday disk then proceed by deleting your partiton. if you have a logical partition you will need to delete it first before you can delete a primary DOS partiton. then you can create your partitions as you see fit. is there a limit on how smal you can make a partition... well... does it matter? 4... 8... 16MBs? why go small? with a ME boot disk you'll be making partitons with FAT32 and who really cares? i'd be willing to bet you don't have a drive that FAT32 can't handle.
you can then install DOS... if you want to. now, booting to that floppy everytime will give you DOS7+ (whatever version M$ wants to call it) memory management tools... so you'll prolly be best off copying your DOS games to the HDD... booting to the floppy when you want to play and then using a DOS prompt to launch your games.

will DOS read FAT32? depends on version. doing how i described will allow you to read FAT32. use the lastest version of DOS... 6.22 was the last i remember using before Win95 came out... DOS will not read an NTFS partiton. seems the way you did your install you're prolly not using NTFS anyway, but just a heads up. another thing be careful what you do through DOS to your XP partiton. you can do a lot of damage if you delete too many files.
you can also read between partitons without problem.

hope this helps. if you need more help post away.

[VxJasonxV]

Ok...nm the adding DOS partition...all I want to do is remove ME (AND THE 2.5GB WITH IT!!!!) and be happy...
So far, I've fixed it so the boot screen will not appear, I have the WinME boot disk just in case, and I'm stopping here until I get more info...

If it matters, my boot.ini looks like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="My Lil' Windows XP" /fastdetect

XP is on my Primary Slave, WinME was on Primary Master, and obviously my one disk drive is on Secondary Master...

I know I need to change my BIOS to boot off the D: instead of the C:...
But can I just delete my WinME folder and be happy?
Or am I missing a step?

[Vetritus03]

the files and boot sector are located on your primary partition. you cannot just format the drive and point the BIOS to your D: drive and expect it to boot. now, what you can try is to boot to your XP CD and get into the recovery console. from there the command to re-write the boot secotor is "fixboot D:" where D: is the drive letter you want to boot from. now, i've never tried running fixboot on anything but the C: drive, but then again i've never had XP installed on anything but the C: drive when i've ran it. in theory this should work for you. then again you could hose everything. if you leave it how it is, you can delete the folders on the C: drive and be fine. watch out what you delete in the root though. most of the essential boot files should be hidden anyway, but a good rule of thumb is... if you know you didn't create the file you might as well leave it be.

[VxJasonxV]

CRAP...I dunno what I did with my XP CD ;-;...

I'll...get back to you if the fixboot works...
If I can ever get my hands on the dang CD...

[Vetritus03]

another evaluation copy bites the dust...

[VxJasonxV]

Vetritus03, on Aug 13 2002, 03:02 AM, said:

another evaluation copy bites the dust...

Evaluation? *PFFT*
XP Pro OEM.

[Vetritus03]

sincerest appologies...

[VxJasonxV]

Vetritus03, on Aug 17 2002, 10:49 PM, said:

sincerest appologies...

no prob