The Multi-Boot Configuration Handbook

Five years from publication, this book is still useful, in context. It predates GRUB, assuming only LILO. It also predates WinXP, but much of the Win2k coverage is applicable to XP. OS/2 and BeOS coverage are now of less interest. Can be bought used for single digit bucks. An updated second edition would be welcome.

After several years of running OS/2 Warp side-by-side with Windows and Linux, I finally found a book help me TUNE my setup. This book is a must have for anyone trying to run multiple operating systems.Even if you are not interested in installing more than one OS, the book is great if you are just curious about other x86 OSes. It offers historical information, pros & cons to the different file systems, offers information about how to use different file systems from different OSes. For example, how to read NTFS partitions from OS/2.

If you have a working environment that uses DOS, 95, 98, NT, 2000, OS/2, BeOS, Linux and Unix and you were in charge of taking care of them you would need several computers to support this task and that could be very expensive. Roderick Smith has other plans and the cost is very small.Learning from someone with over 10 years of experience in multi-boot environments this book gives you the breakdown of how to make them all work together and the dos and don'ts to look for.Smith shows you how to use boot loaders and ways to partitions your hard drive for success. You'll also learn how to install the multiple operating systems and have them working in harmony.Smith covers the cross platform issue you might face and what happens to the applications. There is coverage of TCP/IP and file and printer sharing. Finally Smith shows ways to optimize and configure your hard drives for the best situation. Included is a cd with VMware, Partition Magic and Boot Magic. Smith is very knowledgeable and this book is an excellent reference tool.

I eagerly anticipated the release of this book after Rod mentioned it on Usenet news. I was not disappointed, but I hope the following needs will be addressed in the 2d edition (which would get 5 stars). I loved seeing Windows NT/2000, Linux, FreeBSD, and BeOS covered, but I missed Solaris x86, the last of the "Big Five" OS' (in my opinion). I needed more information on exactly how to place certain boot-related files below the 1024th cylinder, and which files those might be. Actual examples, maybe from Rod's own multi-OS machine, of working directory layouts (on the CD, perhaps) would have helped. (To me, this is the most frustrating and potentially crippling aspect of multi-booting.) Also, coverage of multi-booting on laptops is needed. Many business professionals require such features when doing demos or other work. On the positive side, the book is unique, offering unparalleled attention to detail (defining every important term and acronym). Multi-booting is thoroughly covered, with lots of detail given to partitions, OS boot requirements, and related info. I learned a lot more than multi-OS operations, thanks to Rod's extensive knowledge of computing in general. I highly recommend this book and would love to see a newsgroup... Thanks Rod!