question about multi-booting

[David_G17]

I want XP pro, win 2k, and maybe win 2003 server on one machine. I also want about a dozen linux distros on the same system.

I've run into a problem before where I install windows xp and windows 2000. Windows automatically installs its boot manager. I then install a linux distrobution and grub gives me 2 options: windows and linux. If I choose windows, Grub loads the windows boot manager from which neither windows OS can be loaded(it just crashes - BSOD). Linux loads fine.

How can I install 2 windows operating systems without windows installing its own boot manager?

any comments/ideas are appreciated.

thanks.

oh yeah, btw, here is a really neat boot manager I plan on using http://www2.arnes.si/~fkomar/xosl.org/ . I was going to use GAG (graphical boot manager) discussed in tech talk in a few threads, but it maxes out at 9 operating systems.

[fastvfr]

Simply use GAG to link you to the Linux Superblocks, then set up LILO to reflect the different distros and their boot locations.

Set up GAG to link to the M$ OSes first, then label the partitions like, "Deb. 2.4.x" and set LILO up with the version of it's kernel you want to run in that particular boot block, then add the locations of Slack, or Mandrake...whatever and run sbin/lilo to save it all.

Simple!!

[darin2]

Try using System Commander. I used it for a Win. 2000/98/DOS boot machine without problems. It supports the following Linux distros

Darwin
FreeBSD
Interactive
Linux (all)
Lynx OS
Minix
NetBSD
NeXT Step
OpenBSD
OpenStep
SCO UNIX
Solaris
UnixWare
XENIX

http://www.v-com.com/product/System_Commander_Home.html

[Glock Bob]

At one time I had a quad boot with XP, 2k Pro, Knoppix, and Red Hat (which didn't like my mouse). Window's boot.ini file was setup to allow boot into XP or 2k Pro, and I used boot disks to boot into either of the Linux distros. You can use a program called "Grub" to setup a boot.ini file to allow booting into either OS without a disk, but I can't seem to get it to work.