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Using BootMagic to Install a new OS
Last reviewed:
The information supplied here is from BootMagic itself.
THPC does not support third-party utilities so you use this information entirely AT YOUR OWN RISK. You should try to obtain the most recent information on this topic from PowerQuest's web site (the information below was dated 1999 and viewed in 2003). It is supplied here only because some users appear to have difficulty in accessing this information at that site.
The references below to NT and OS/2 also apply to 2K/XP (for NT) and Win98/Me (for OS/2).
Notes from THPC:
- You will probably need to resize/delete existing partitions to create unallocated space in which a new partition can be created. You can use PartitionMagic, or a similar partition manager, to create the new partition for the new OS. Some OSs require their boot files to be on a Primary partition. When using BootMagic, it's normal practice to install each OS on its own Primary partition.
- BootMagic will only install on a FAT32 or FAT partition (at least 32 MB in size). You cannot install it on NTFS.
- If you install BootMagic before you install another OS, you must first create BootMagic's Rescue Diskette. The new OS installation will disable BootMagic which must then be re-enable after booting from the Rescue Diskette. THPC considers this Rescue Diskette as an essential requirement for all BootMagic users. The same applies to PartitionMagic's two diskettes.
- If you want to install Windows XP/2K/NT on an NTFS partition, first create a FAT partition for that OS. Then, during the install of XP/2K/NT, use the installation process to convert the file system to NTFS.
From PowerQuest:
About Installing a New Operating System
BootMagic makes installing multiple OSs on your system easy. Follow these general guidelines when installing a new OS:
Before installing any new OS, it is recommended that you back up your system and make bootable diskettes for both your current OS and BootMagic. Although the backup and boot diskettes may never be necessary, they provide a safety net should any problems occur.
Some OSs require you to reboot your computer during installation. If this happens, you should reboot as required. If the BootMagic Menu appears, you should boot from an existing OS. Run the BootMagic configuration program, then add the new OS as a menu item to the BootMagic Menu. Reboot your computer and choose the new menu item; this will continue the new OS installation.
If an OS installation gives you the option of installing the OS boot code to either the master boot record (MBR) or the partition, choose the partition. Otherwise, the OS installation will overwrite the BootMagic MBR and disable BootMagic.
If the MBR is overwritten by mistake, or if BootMagic fails to appear after an OS installation, you can easily fix the problem by running the BootMagic configuration program (either from your hard disk or from the BootMagic rescue diskette) and re-enabling BootMagic. When you save the configuration and exit the program, BootMagic rewrites the MBR.
After installing a new OS, you must run BootMagic’s configuration program to add the new OS to the BootMagic Menu. New OSs are not automatically added to the menu.
You can install an OS to a primary partition or a logical partition.
To install to a primary partition:
1 Create the partition using PowerQuest PartitionMagic or a similar partitioning utility.
2 Make the primary partition active using PartitionMagic, PQBoot or PQBoot32 from Windows 95/98/NT.
3 When finished, reboot your computer and insert the OS’s installation disk.
4 Proceed with the installation as normal.
To install to a logical partition
Some OSs can also be installed to a logical partition. In fact, if you plan to install either Windows NT or OS/2 to its own partition, you should install to a logical partition. Note that Windows NT requires several boot files to be located on a primary partition on the first hard disk.
To install Windows NT to a logical partition,
1 Decide which primary partition you want to have the Windows NT boot files located.
2 Make that primary partition active using PartitionMagic, PQBoot or PQBoot32 from Windows 95/98/NT.
3 Insert the Windows NT installation disk and reboot the computer.
4 Proceed with the installation as normal.
To install OS/2 to a logical partition,
1 Insert the OS/2 installation disk and reboot your computer.
2 Proceed with the installation as normal.
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* ALWAYS BACKUP FIRST * ALWAYS RECORD SETTINGS * ALWAYS MAKE ONE CHANGE AT A TIME
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