http://boot-us.com/

You can do this with GRUB4DOS, the best way is to install it to the MBR and make a config file on the first partition:

1title DOS
2unhide (hd0,0)
3hide (hd0,1)
4root (hd0,0)
5chainloader +1
6boot
7
8title Windows 98
9hide (hd0,0)
10unhide (hd0,1)
11root (hd0,1)
12chainloader +1
13boot

thanks for your recommendations, I will test both and just go with the one that I like the best... 😀

keropi wrote:

Will replace the 20GB HDD with a 80GB one and have 2 partitions: 20GB for DOS and the rest for 98SE , both are FAT32 partitions.

You mean MS-DOS? How do you plan to use that with a FAT32 partition? MS-DOS can only use FAT16, with a partition limit of 2 GB.

keropi wrote:

I want to have a boot manager to either choose DOS or win98 and have the other partition not accessible (hidden that is...) , so when I boot DOS the win98 partition is not accessible and vise versa...

Just so you know, there's no particular advantage to hiding the partitions. The way MS-DOS and Win98 works, if you don't hide the other partition, then the partition you boot off will always end up as C and the other partition will always end up as D. (With Windows 2000 and later, it's a different story.)

Also, MS-DOS will never be able to see the FAT32 partition anyway, unless you use a driver like drfat32.

Jorpho wrote:

You mean MS-DOS? How do you plan to use that with a FAT32 partition? MS-DOS can only use FAT16, with a partition limit of 2 GB.

I am using my "very own" ripped standalone DOS from win98SE that has native FAT32 support. Already served me several years in 2/3/486 machines without probs.
I need to keep OSes seperate because they are already setup'ed the way I like them: DOS with all my games running from HDD with several tricks and win98 for win98 stuff. I don't want to mix them or having them access one another.

Symantec Boot Magic.
The only trouble is - last versions are part of the Partition Magic...

update:
I have found that PLOP works best for me , check it out here: http://www.plop.at

thanks for all the recommendations ! 😁

PLOP is good. I found that some systems are not friendly with PLOP and causes reboot loops.

I tend to use Smart Boot Manager first before trying out PLOP.
(On the otherhand, SBM does NOT seem to be very friendly with newer systems.)

Currently using Smart Boot Manager in my AMD K6-II 550 system with two hard disks, Dos 6.22 and Win95c.

Here's a closer look at SBM : Smart Boot Manager - A Closer Look --- *Updated*.

@Malik:
isn't it from the same person that made Smart FDISK? it is awesome!
will look at it as well, plenty of test hdd's here 😁

update:
I have found that PLOP works best for me , check it out here: http://www.plop.at

Thanks for mentioning this. Plop Linux looks really nice too. Modern kernel and 486 support? Awesome! This is going to replace DSL for me for sure.

BTW, Plop (the boot loader) supports booting from USB. This may be a poor man's alternative to a CF to IDE setup. Any idea how well that works?

Haven't tried it but AFAIK booting from USB is in read-only mode...