Re: XyWrite & Windows 2000

["J. R. Fox" jr_fox@xxxxxxxxxx]

Robert Holmgren wrote:

> You have to put 9x on C: (required), and move W2K to D: or something above, in
> an extended partition (essentially, that means you have to reinstall W2K -- you
> can't just copy all NT files to D:, because all references in the Registry will
> still be to C:.
>
> Get a copy of Partition Magic.

The PM package has (or used to include) a util. called Magic Mover. I never used
it myself, but I would be surprised if its capabilities extended beyond moving a
few app.s. Being able to move a whole opsys and all the references seems highly
unlikely. Even where you have deliberately installed a Windows app. to some other
partition, Win often insists on dropping a bunch of files into \Windows\System on
the boot drive.

> My preference, driven by the
> precept that all OpSyses should be able to see all drives (so that if something
> goes haywire in one OpSys, you can fix it with the other -- also to share
> resources, like a single XyWrite installation), would be:

Your organizational scheme makes sense to me -- for a WIN-only box. If there are
non-WIN OSes thrown into the mix, as I have had for several years, I _don't_ want
them to see each other or interact. I have seen the NT AutoCheck reach out and
clobber other partitions that it had no business messing with. Once I went to NTFS
and HPFS, that was no longer a concern: drive lettering is consistent and
respected, a nice hands-off policy in effect re trespassing across partition
borders.

I also like to have a Maintenance Partition (bootable, light-duty alternate) for
each important OS. In my experience, that's the best -- and maybe only -- way you
stand a decent chance of repairing problems. It gets you access, gets around
locked file issues, and offers a basis for comparison when something gets messed
up. I had NT on Fat-16 for a few years, and simply being able to get at the files
generally did me very little good. But then, I'm certainly no WIN-hacker.

Jordan