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Methods, Problems and Solutions

Installing WinNT as part of a Multi Boot PC

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[Overview and General Ranting]
[Installation Options]

Overview and General Ranting

With reference to WinNT 4.0

While it is the author's opinion that WinNT is not a good choice as a client (or server) operating system for crystallographic/scentific computing, you may be required to install Win NT for testing of software under different conditions. This page tries to help give you some guiding tips and tutorial run-throughs if you have to install WinNT in a multi-boot/dual-boot situation; and some of the kludges that may be encountered. Having the option of a multiboot WinNT means you can save some cash buying an extra NT dedicated computer. Though it should be noted that you should be able to mix and match PC based operating systems with the minimum of hassle using the below described Ranish Partition Manager.

The following tutorials use the Freeware/Shareware Ranish Partition manager as this software is a work of genius, is friendly to use, and gives maximum flexibility. It is not only a partition manager but also quite a nice and flexible "boot manager". Links to alternative methods for multi-booting WinNT are given below.

Note with latest Ranish Partition Manager (27th April 2000 update)

New facilities in Ranish Partition Manager 2.38 (release dated March 14, 2000) not yet covered in these tutorials:

Major Kludge in WinNT

The major kludge in NT is that the bootable area of NT has to be in the first 2 Gig of the hard-disk. If you have an existing operating system (i.e., Win95) that spans that 2-Gig, this can mean some major reorganisation is required. However, if you have a small (~8Meg) boot manager partition at the start of the disk, this can be used and is big enough to allow NT to put its boot files there.

Other "known" kludges involve:

Relevant links:


Installing WinNT as part of a Multi Boot PC


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