Recent Updates and Additions

I've updated the Replacing Active Files article (from April 7, 1998) again: the first update was to remove a technique that worked only in some circumstances; and this new update involves using that same technique, but instead of manually editing the Registry, you use a Resource Kit utility called mv.exe which automates the process, and seems to work for replacing any active file (on the two machines which I've tested, anyway).

I'd like to thank my Top 5 site, Savilltech's NT FAQ, for this information, as the mv.exe command is not readily documented in the Resource Kit.

Partition Magic - Revisited

In last week's column, Using NT Loader to Boot Multiple Oses, I expressed some doubt as to whether or not Partition Magic could really shrink an NTFS-only drive. Well, I put it to the test, and the hardest part was coming up with an A:> prompt (that is, getting my hands on a DOS boot diskette).

To point, once I got a DOS boot diskette...

(which in itself is really a long story... I've been an NT, OS/2, and Linux shop only for over 4 years, and although I had some ancient DOS/WIN licenses and CDs, and downloaded files that would assist me in making said DOS boot disks, NT wouldn't let me run the executables! I had to borrow one from a client with Win95 installed!)

... all I had to do was copy the correct Partition Magic file to the DOS boot floppy, boot the floppy, execute the PM file, and type in how much I wanted to shrink the NTFS volume (once again, the only volume on the disk).

Of course, I'd backed up... twice... on two brand new tapes... before attempting this operation. And I uninstalled programs, defragged the drive as much as possible, and shrank my swap file to 12MB, to make ample room for PM to "do its magic".

All unnecessary! The whole operation went off without a hitch, NT booted fine, showed the new free space in Disk Administrator, and I was simply amazed!

I think I'm going to send Power Quest some additional money and stuff (the title to my house?) in total appreciation of such an amazing product! At the very least, I'm going to try out some of their other software that I'd earlier questioned, too. These folks are geniuses and should be up on Mount Rushmore. 'Nuff said!

File Systems - Revisited

Last week's column, didn't, however, touch upon a very important aspect of dual-booting operating systems: choosing file systems.

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