[becca77]

I have WinXP home SP2

I would like to put my old Win95 on my computer too - with my WinXP.

Can I do this without erasing my WinXP stuff?

How can I do it?

When I put in the Win95 disc it says that I can't install windows95 on an NT system.
But in administrative tools/computer management/disk management
it says that I have volume (C:) which is NTFS with 37 GB capacity and 15 GB free - and then above that it says volume "blank" is FAT (EISA Configuration) 31MB capacity/24 MB free.

What the heck is all that?

Do I have to make a new partition for Win95?

But it wont let me create a new partition in disk management.

HELP!

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Can you...well, yes, but not easily

First problem, though, is that 31 mb partition is not enough to install windows 95 on it, and since windows 95 cannot see ntfs formatted drives, you're not going to be able to do it without another drive or altering your current ntfs partition.

That 32mb partition is likely an OEM created partition for restore purposes

[gerryf]

Can you...well, yes, but not easily

First problem, though, is that 31 mb partition is not enough to install windows 95 on it, and since windows 95 cannot see ntfs formatted drives, you're not going to be able to do it without another drive or altering your current ntfs partition.

That 32mb partition is likely an OEM created partition for restore purposes

[becca77]

Ok then maybe you can help me figure out what to do.
I need to have two versions of a certain program on my computer.
When I try to install the second program it says it is already installed - I cannot duplicate it.

So I need a new partition probably and run it iduplicate program from there.
But the disk management won't let me create a new partition.
It doesn't give me the option of creating a new partition.

Do you know what I can do?

[gerryf]

What I would do, and what you would do might differ, but just a rough idea (and assuming you want to do this on the cheap.

Here's the stickler...windows 95 will not work as the second partition--it has to boot from the first partition. So, Installing XP on a second partition is an option

To do this: First, run chkdsk and defrag your computer

Download the system rescue cd
http://www.sysresccd.org/

On it, is a copy of QtParted, a Partition Magic clone for Linux. This bootable CD will allow you to change the partition sizes on your drive

Depending on what you are going to do, make the new partition an appropriate size (2 gbs?)

Format the new partition

Install windows xp on that drive.

What is this second program? Why do you need 2? Are you willing to spend some money?

[becca77]

Well I didnt really wanna spend money - but I will if I have to.

The second program is a game. Another household member also plays this game and always screws up my settings. So I wanted to put the game in another folder for myself and let him have his own copy. But it wont let me install it twice. It wont let me install it in any folder anywhere on my hard drive.

I was thinking if I had it in another drive on my computer (partition) then it will allow me to install it.

That is why is thought another OS would make it possible for him to have his own copy of the game.
Am I thinking right or not? Would that work?

I should just tell him to get his own computer

[gerryf]

Seems like a lot of work to achieve this ...what is the game?

It could be that you could write a quick batch file to swap settings in and out...I wouldn't expect him to necessarily do it, but you could save your settings, then swap them back in before you play every game

of course, depends on the game and how it stores its configuration

[The Skeptic]

Do you have 2 seperate user accounts on this computer?

[becca77]

I do swap out the settings every time, but it is a pain.
We do each have our own account but the game saves the settings for the last person online.

I thought if I could put another copy of the game on my computer it would fix that but you can't install more than one copy. Grrrr.

I thought a way to get around that would be to have another OS or a partition. But I don't know how to set that up.

[The Skeptic]

I didn't understand why you want the other OS to be win 95? Why not another XP on a different partition? First of all, as said by gerryf, you have to create enough space for a second partition that will accomodate windows XP. After that you start normal installation of XP but instead of installing it on partition C, which already have a XP installation, you install it on the new one.

[becca77]

I didnt know I could have 2 Win XP's. I can do that? I would like to give that a try.

But when I go into disk management and I can't create a new partition.
And I don't want to lose anything that I currently have on my hard drive.

[The Skeptic]

You can't create a partition through disk management. For this you need Partition Magic or a similar software like the one mentioned by gerryf (I have no experience with it). After you create a new partition you can have a second installation of XP on the new partition.

[becca77]

Thanks! I'm going to try that and see if it works.

I hope I don't erase anything

I'll let you know if it works!

[gerryf]

Uhm, why not create a second profile? This sounds like it would be a better idea.

As for altering your harddrive...if you really want to alter partition sizes, this self-booting cd has a utility you can use for free

http://www.sysresccd.org/