Don't want to do it...but...going to another NLE

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:12 pm

TIP: If you're installing two different OS's the newest must be LAST. Ex: Win9x first & Win2K/XP next etc.

Dualboots are best done by installing both bootups to 2 partitions on the same physical device. This eliminates many problems that can arise from putting them on different physical devices.

Step one is to back up the existing 'normal' bootup. Never say never.

Step two is using a partitioning tool like Partition Magic to resize the existing Windows bootup partition smaller if it takes up the whole drive, then to create a new partition in the newly freed up space. I recommend this editing partition to be at least 20 gigs and 30 gigs if the drive has enough space. This step can be skipped if you already have an empty partition on the drive that's large enough.

From there the Windows installer will do the heavy lifting. One option will be to overwrite the existing installation or install a new copy of Windows somewhere else, with the latter being the correct procedure. The installer will set up the new boot menu (boot.ini) you'll see on startup.

In the new boot menu you may see both OS's listed with the same name. Editing boot.ini in notepad will let you change them as you see fit, but stick to changing what's in the quotes. Ex;

[boot loader]
timeout=20
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WinXP - Personal" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="WinXP - Editing" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:12 am

As an alternative to Terry's method you could try my multi-boot method.

http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... 7194#57194

This method perhaps requires a little more effort to set it up but you have two (or more) completely independant operating systems on separate hard drives so that if a hard drive suffers some physical damage you can still start up your computer and in most cases retrieve the data from the broken hard drive. In most cases you can even make repairs to the damaged drive.

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:23 am

Of course regular backups make either method equally 'safe'. I do automated backups every night to a network drive;

http://www.maxtorsolutions.com/en/catalog/MSS_II/

http://westerndigital.com/en/products/P ... riveID=243

http://www.adstech.com/products/NAS-806 ... NAS-806-EF

etc.

Works wonders for ones nervous system

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:32 am

Terry Stetler wrote:TIP: ......Dualboots are best done by installing both bootups to 2 partitions on the same physical device. This eliminates many problems that can arise from putting them on different physical devices......

Just to clear up any confusion, the Terry Method and the SteveJ method are both different. If you use the Terry method then as Terry said - keep the two bootup partitions on one hard drive. With the Terry method there is a boot loader which is only on the first hard drive.

Your two operating systems would have different drive letters.
Operating system 1 would have C:\windows and c:\program files etc.
The second operating system would typically have d:\windows and d:\program files.

The SteveJ method is different and whichever operating system you boot up from would always have c:\windows and c:\program files etc.

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:35 am

Both are good methods. I suggested the 'same drive' scenario for inexperienced users as it minimizes the 'can't find hal.dll' errors that frustrate many attempting 2 drive dualboots, esp. with XP Home.

tavideos · Post by **tavideos** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:41 am

I just want to say thanks for everyone's input. It means alot when someone will try and help you and get nothing in return.

It looks like I will be turning to Vegas for my editing needs. With the edition of Excaibur, the multi-camera editing is amazing. Just set your markers and it will do the rest. This alone speed things up considerably. Played with it yesterday and completed a small project today with no problems.

I think MSP is a great NLE, if everything is in perfect working order on the system, mine must not be. With Vegas, it doesn't seem to matter.

Also, I'm not sure were Ulead is wanting to go with it's products.

Still want WS3 though

I will post back if it doesn't work out like I hope it's going too.

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 1:38 am

Use the trial first

Good luck.

neonbob · Post by **neonbob** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 9:40 am

I'll tell ya' about my crashing story...

For months I fought crashing problems, not just with MSP but a lot of other programs too. I spent a lot of money replacing this piece of hardware and that piece to no avail. Countless times I would do COMPLETE reinstalls and have the machine work great for a week and then to tits up all of a sudden. I spent a lot of time blaming the software as well as my computer overclocking as the problem... after a reinstall I could overclock the crap out of the machine without difficulty. But as the week progressed, I was forced to wind down the overclocking bit by bit to avoid errors... until I hit a point where there was almost no overclocking at all and I was STILL getting errors.

I just recently figured out what the problem was....

I tend to be a bit anal about keeping a clean computer and I clean the registry, and do spybot scans regularly. It turns out that my "trusty" spybot programs as well as my registry cleaners, aren't quite so trusty. Each one was removing bits and pieces of VALID registry with every scan. After enough scans of course, the holes in the registry start coming through as fairly large errors.

Lesson learned at GREAT expense!!!

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 9:55 am

Yes I agree - some of these 'cleaner' programs tend to bit a bit too thorough.
One of the worst offenders I found is Panda Antivirus - The Titan Version.

There is the Free online 'PandaScan' that appears to work great but entices you to purchase their flagship product which then deletes things it shouldn't.

The first time I ran Registry Mechanic a similar thing occured but at least that one gives an opportunity to reverse changes.

I tend to stick to 'Medium' strength products such as AVGFree, SpotBot S&D, Adaware.

neonbob · Post by **neonbob** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 9:58 pm

Well... I'm just going to have to learn to be a little less anal about my computer maintenance and start checking VERY CAREFULLY at what my cleaner is choosing!