Quote Originally Posted by garyng
unfortunately, it would popup a window system message saying certain function linked in the EXE is not available. it would not do any harm to the system but it can't be a automated operation. If the code is compiled under Microsoft VC environment, I know how to make it more 'installation' friendly but since it is someone else work using cygnus C which I don't know too well, it would be too much effort to change it, for the moment. Of course, if Installshield is being used, it can by itself detect the kind of running OS.
This shouldn't pose a problem. I'm sure there are ways for a .BAT script to detect OS type. Worst case, it can check for existence of command.com or something.

good point. a rescue diskette/CD with the proper driver is better, for booting linux. Though if one wants to boot something off the CD like a XP installation CD still need SBM but then who need that
I see your point, and I feel lucky to be using a flexible OS.

Anyway, I have set up an NTFS-based VM here, ready for testing. Vanilla Win2k (NTFS), nothing else on disk. Will try to use grub and have it load a kernel+initrd from C:\boot\ and hopefully use it to load knoppix from the attached USB CDROM. Just email me once you have something testable and I'll give it a try. (And its ok if it screws things up at first. Thats what vmware's non-persistent mode is for).