Once again, the answer to your Windoze problems is
--wait for it--Linux.

A great tool just got even greater.
cache 
of http://news.softpedia.com/news/Parted-Magic-4-2-Has-Clonezilla-and-Linux-kernel-2-6-30-114387.shtml

Parted Magic 
is a Linux LiveCD built around GParted, the Gnome Partition Editor.
This bootable-and-loads-to-a-graphical-desktop Linux CD
will do what (payware) Partition 
Magic will do
(create, delete, resize partitions)--for FREE.

Parted Magic now includes Clonezilla, 
a disk-cloning app
(formerly only available as its own Linux distro).
This will do what (payware) Norton Ghost does--again, for FREE.


After Tracy's misadventure getting a dual-boot going on his anemic box,
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1241730080
I investigated how to end-run that.
If you want to take one of the BIG desktop Linux distros for a test drive
but you are RAM-poor, the trick is to pre-make a Linux swap partition
using one of the lighter (maintenance) CDs like this one.
cache
of  http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11&start=15

Parted will make the space and another included utility, mkswap,
will turn that into a usable Linux swap partition.
The latest version of mkswap is a new feature of this LiveCD.


...and, of course, this disk will allow you to do the basic stuff
like make the backup you should have BEFORE Windoze completely self-destructed.


[1] A swap partition is like Windoze's Virtual Memory
--except Linux doesn't put it on the same partition as the OS
(and doesn't have the resulting housekeeping nightmare).

Tip: Run a free scan for common Windows errors ad

re: Killer Free Software utility (bootable disk) Friday, June 19, 2009 at 6:58 am Posted by DanTheMan (140 messages posted) what linux do you use ?? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Killer Free Software utility (bootable disk) Friday, June 19, 2009 at 11:26 am Posted by Steve (21647 messages posted) I like Hiren's BootCD, all the utilities run from the Boot CD, so no need to install anything. [Reply or follow-up to this message] OSes you can start from the CD (was: ...utility...) Friday, June 19, 2009 at 11:36 am Posted by gewg_ (3925 messages posted) DanTheMan wrote: |what linux do you use ?? Currently from the Usenet Archive -- alt.comp.linux The "Which distro" test: http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/ It's a bit limited in the scope of choices IMO; this page may be more useful: http://polishlinux.org/choose/comparison/?distro1=Ubuntu&distro2=Fedora NOTE: That page is huge because there is a crapload of mostly-useless comments there which should be on a separate page. FAQ for Linux Newbies http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/linux-newbie/57918-all-new-users-read-first.html **Strategy for Migration to an All-Free Software Environment** by Ubuntucat cache of http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/a-home-users-successful-migration-strategy-from-windows-to-ubuntu-2 When installing, Linux distros will offer to set you up as dual-boot. If you have the disk space, take the offer. You can always come back and adjust your partition sizes (using the tools that Linux includes) to shrink a little-used Windoze partition or to reclaim all the space for a more efficient filesystem (e.g. ext3) or to reclaim all of it for M$ if you find Linux isn't for you. NOTE: Linux groks any filesystem that M$ can use; the inverse is NOT true, so keeping one FAT32 partition MAY be smart. I actually recommend a SEPARATE hard drive for Linux. That will incur the least problems from its retarted M$ cousin --and protects the Windoze partition from Linux newbie mistakes. ...and if the look & feel or the installation of one distro isn't a good fit for you, TRY ANOTHER. These are some lighter-than-normal distros: The versions of Linux Mint using an XFCE or Fluxbox desktop (Ubuntu-based) PCLinuxOS (RedHat-based, but uses the Synaptic package manager) Puppy Linux (Its own genealogy) Damn Small Linux (Debian-based) Zenwalk (Slackware-based) Elive (Debian-based)[1] openSuSE (SuSE-based) I listed the Novell offering last because of my disagreement with that corp's business model. YMMV A custom install may be just what a former M$ user is seeking. http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1244416871 Again, with a LiveCD you **don't** have to INSTALL it to test drive it. You can boot to the CD and run the full OS from there (including the GUI). [1] Elive is that developer's only source of income so he pointedly asks for donations --or makes you jump thru hoops to download his stuff, but that distro using the Enlightenment desktop may be just the ticket for many. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Killer Free Software utility (bootable disk) Friday, June 19, 2009 at 11:54 am Posted by gewg_ (3925 messages posted) Steve wrote: |I like Hiren's BootCD, | Only available now via sources like The Pirate Bay. Right? |all the utilities run from the Boot CD, so no need to install anything. | Again, Parted Magic is a LiveCD. It is bootable, loads to a graphical desktop, and everything runs without install. ...and none of the included software is illegal. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Killer Free Software utility (bootable disk) Friday, June 19, 2009 at 12:27 pm Posted by Steve (21647 messages posted) link is just a Google Hit. I am using a few years older version then the linked one. http://www.hirensbootcd.net/ [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows 98 Discussion Forum