I've got a laptop with 32Mb ram so I want to multiboot it so I can optimize each windows for dedicated tasks.
First I installed Windows 98
Then I set BootGUI=0 in Msdos.sys so it booted to DOS
I came up with the idea of copying Windows and Program Files into a directory called Vanilla which will be the default Windows install. Then I wanted to strip Windows using 98lite to make it perform faster.
I wrote a menu for Autoexec.bat which gives you a choice of which OS to boot to. If you select 'Vanilla', it performs the attrib -s -h c: /s command and then moves Windows and Program Files from C:\OS_Store\Vanilla\ into the root of C:\ and loads it using WIN. If you select '98lite' it moves Windows and Program Files from C:\OS_Store\98lite\*.* into the root of C:\ and loads it using WIN (obviously it would move whichever OS was in the root before it moved the one you chosen). I was also going to have an Unofficial Service Pack install, a Revolutions Pack install and a Mindows install.
Of course, I was unsuccessful in moving Windows because DOS doesn't support more than 8+3 filenames. I then thought about searching for a DOS alternative which supports longer filenames but I'm bound to run into more problems.
I know there are lots of multi boot solutions but I would like to hear your thoughts.
EDIT
Ive just had an idea, I could move the program files path to windows\program files. Next, connect my laptops harddrive to my desktop computer using a 2.5inch to 3.5inch adaptor. Now, using my desktop os i can make a copy of windows and call it vanilla. Now when I put the harddrive back into my laptop I can boot to either OS by renaming an OS to windows. I can have a boot menu for this with unlimited choices of windows install.
Im sure at least one of you will find a flaw in my latest idea and tell me it wont work...