WinXP Dualboot + Stripped XP

[Franco]

I would like to configure my pc so that whe I switch it on I get a dualboot menu. I would like one option to boot in to normal XP for my day to day stuff.

I would like the other option to boot into a really stripped down version of XP to run mamewah and the emulators with it.

Does anyone know how to create a dualboot?

I have heard that blackviper.com is a good place for stripped down XP conigurations. Can anyone reccomend one of his configs or another way to achive what im after?

Thanks.

[pointdablame]

I've never dualbooted with the same OS (ie 2 installs of XP) but it should work fine.  You just have to put each install on a seperate hard drive, or at least a seperate logical drive.  Since you're dual booting XP, it doesn't really matter what order you install in.  Install XP, set it up.  Restart with the disc in the computer and install to another drive.  That should be all you have to do.

Black Viper is a great site.  Try some settings for yourself to see what works best for you.  I don't recommend the most minimal one, but that's just me

[Franco]

Thanks for the reply.

Great, Ive got a few physical and logical drive so ill install xp on one of them. Will this automatically create a dualboot screen?

I have no particular reason to be using xp for my gaming (i.e mame etc), can you recommend a better OS is there is one?

Whats the deal with the blackviper configs? Ill install the OS, my graphics drivers and then where do I go from there to 'install'  the config?

[cholin]

If you install Windows XP on two drives, it will bring up a dual boot screen UNLESS you have set it not to somewhere, in which case it will run the primary one.  Usually works just fine.

[pointdablame]

Thanks for the reply.

Great, Ive got a few physical and logical drive so ill install xp on one of them. Will this automatically create a dualboot screen?

I have no particular reason to be using xp for my gaming (i.e mame etc), can you recommend a better OS is there is one?

Whats the deal with the blackviper configs? Ill install the OS, my graphics drivers and then where do I go from there to 'install'  the config?

Black Viper explains it on the site.  It's not really an "intstall" as much as it is tweaking.  You just run through the service dialog box and halt certain processes.

[jcrouse]

It's called a parallel install, two of the same OS's on the same system (or drive). I've never done it with XP but have with Windows 2000 a few times. It can be used if the registry becomes corrupt or a file system error ocurrs on the main install which won't allow the machine to boot. You do a paraller install to a DIFFERENT folder. It will automatically modify the boot.ini file and allow you to boot into either install. You can then boot to the new install and apply maintenance to the original install.

John

[daywane]

ooooh. I like that idea. never thought about it. now hard drives are so big, Why not?

[Sinner]

Can't you setup 2 profiles??  One will run normally, and the other with all the unneeded services stopped and mamewah in the startmenu soyou don't have to click anything??

[Sinner]

I just saw this link in another thread...maybe ith as something you'll find useful...

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

[pointdablame]

I just saw this link in another thread...maybe ith as something you'll find useful...

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

lol, that's the BlackViper that we've been talking about in this thread

[Sinner]

HA!  Sorry...I usually check out the forums when I'm at work, and I guess I wasn't paying attention...

[NeeBick]

I have no particular reason to be using xp for my gaming (i.e mame etc), can you recommend a better OS is there is one?

There is always Linux.  Fedora is a pretty user friendly distro and has a great graphical boot loader (windows is only black and white text).  Linux has all the major emulators ported over.  The great thing about linux is that it can be easily stripped to the bear minium. One distro ,DSL (Damn small Linux), has even has even shrunk it done to 50mb and it still functions. There is also a version of Knoppix (a version of linux that runs from a cd) that is steup specially to run mame.