Describe Installation of a Second Operating System
You can have multiple operating systems on a single computer. Some software applications might require the most recent version of an operating system, while other applications require an older version. There is a dual-boot process for multiple operating systems on a computer. When the boot.ini file determines that more than one operating system is present during the boot process, you are prompted to choose the operating system that you want to load. Figure 12-13 shows a sample boot.ini file.
Figure 12-13 boot.ini File
To create a dual-boot system in Microsoft Windows, you typically must have more than one hard drive or the hard drive must contain more than one partition.
For a dual-boot setup, you should install the oldest operating system on the primary partition or the hard drive marked as the active partition first. You should then install the second operating system on the second partition or hard drive. The boot files are automatically installed in the active partition.
During the installation, the boot.ini file is created on the active partition to allow the selection of the operating system to boot on startup. The boot.ini file can be edited to change the order of the operating systems. You can also edit the file for the length of time an operating system selection can be made during the boot phase. Typically, the default time to select an operating system is 30 seconds. This always delays the boot time of the computer by 30 seconds, unless the user intervenes to select a particular operating system. In the boot.ini file, the boot time should be changed to 5 or 10 seconds to boot up the computer faster.
To edit the boot.ini file, right-click My Computer and choose Properties > Advanced tab. In the Startup and Recovery area, select Settings and then click Edit.
Continue reading here: Describe How to Upgrade Operating Systems
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