[WriteLog] Converting a disk to NTFS

[Bob McCormick W1QA]

> I have been following the NTFS post with interest 
> since I have been trying to build a logging computer 
> system that maintains compatibility with the old 
> DOS world as well as with the new stuff.  
> I want to be able to run CT or TR if a guest op 
> insists on it, while still being able to have the 
> latest capabilities with WriteLog.
> 
> So I want serial and parallel ports as well 
> as USB and I even wanted a ISA slot for some 
> legacy cards.
[snip]

Indeed early recommendations from Microsoft for
installing Windows NT based systems (which the
Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems
are based on) was to create a small, FAT based
boot partition.  (Small is relative I guess ...
in today's terms, that could be hundreds of 
megabytes - whereas hundreds of megabytes was
the size of system disks when NT was released!)

A second partition (not bootable) could then 
be placed on the drive (typically D:) ...
and you can "install" Windows NT/2000/XP to that
partition.

This is often called a dual-boot setup ...
because the NT/2000/XP operating systems can 
provide you a boot menu (its in boot.ini in
the root of the C: or boot drive) ...
and you can choose MS-DOS, Windows 9X, etc.

For me - there's still too many interactions
that can happen with this ... 

If you're working with a home brew computer ...
or one that has some expansion room, here's 
an idea:

I use IDE removable drive cages - primarily
because I do a lot of beta testing of software.
You can find cages through numerous sources ...
on the street they can be found now for as low
as US $15 to $20.

One drive canister could have MS-DOS or 
Windows 9X on it ... another could have Windows XP.
Pop the drive you want to boot into the system ... 
and voila: it runs whatever system you want!

Another benefit (especially if you don't mind
collecting drives):  you can setup another removable
drive to do quick/easy disk image copies.

Most systems can accommodate a 5.25 removable
drive enclosure ... and there's enclosures
that work fine today with ATA-100 7,200 RPM disks.

Bob W1QA