Be Developers:
Put your banner here!

Launching the BeOS on Hitachi FLORA Prius systems

This document is a guide to launching the BeOS on Hitachi FLORA Prius systems.

(CLICK HERE FOR HITACHI'S DOCUMENTATION IN JAPANESE.)

This document is aimed at people using the BeOS Release 4 for Intel Architecture.

Introduction to Launching the BeOS on Hitachi FLORA Prius systems

There are three ways to boot the BeOS on your new Hitachi FLORA Prius 330J. You can use the floppy disk to start the boot process, or install a BeOS Launcher for use on the Windows® desktop, or by installing the BeOS boot manager, Bootman, which allows you to choose which operating system to boot into when you turn on your computer. All of the necessary software is included on the BeOS backup CD-ROM included with your FLORA Prius. (If you are unable to launch or "see" the BeOS on your new FLORA Prius 330J, don't worry, it is not broken!) The BeOS is bundled with the machine and is already pre-installed on the hard drive. As shipped from the factory, your FLORA Prius will NOT boot the BeOS until you do one (or more) of the following methods:

1. Use the BeOS Boot Floppy Diskette
2. Launch the BeOS from the Windows 98 ® Desktop (requires software installation)
3. Choose an operating system when you start your computer (requires software installation)

(We recommend that you do both steps 2 and 3 to have the most convenient use of all the operating systems you may use on your FLORA Prius 330J)

Your Hitachi FLORA Prius PC has multiple operating systems installed on it - BeOS and Windows 98. From the factory, however, only Windows will boot without extra input and system configuration by the end-user. This document discusses how to boot between the multiple operating systems which are already installed on your computer.

When your computer starts up, it has to choose which operating system to start using, that is, which OS to boot into. Since you have two (or more if you have already installed another) installed, you need to have a way to choose between them in order to efficiently use all of your operating systems.

Generally, this is done with a very small program that lives in your Master Boot Record (or MBR). Without being too technical about it, this is the first place your computer looks on your hard disk for an operating system. The small program runs, and shows you a short menu of your installed operating system choices. You make your choice, and the program jumps to that operating system, so it can boot. These small programs are called boot managers. Installation and use of the boot manager included with your FLORA Prius is covered in step #3.

There are a variety of boot manager options out there. There are several excellent commercial boot managers. Your FLORA Prius includes a boot manager on the BeOS Backup CD-ROM which you can install on your FLORA Prius.

The boot manager included with the BeOS is named Bootman. Since your FLORA Prius does not come with Bootman already installed and configured, step #3 will show you how to do it.

This document is inteded for users of the Hitachi FLORA Prius 330J only! If you are a licensed user installing Bootman on a different system, you should refer to the Bootman guide for all systems before you install Bootman as you need to make sure you can install it. You should not install Bootman if you already have a boot manager on your system and it is already working.

1) USING THE BEOS BOOT FLOPPY DISKETTE

1. Shut down and turn off the PC if it is not already turned off.
2. Insert BeOS Boot Floppy Diskette into the floppy drive
3. Turn on the PC
4. BeOS will boot
5. Remove diskette

(You must repeat this process every time you want to boot the BeOS unless you do either, or both, of #2 and #3.)

2) LAUNCH FROM THE WINDOWS 98 DESKTOP

To launch the BeOS from the Windows Desktop, you must first install the BeOS Launcher onto the Windows system. After the BeOS Launcher has been installed, you can launch BeOS while running Windows by double-clicking the BeOS Launcher icon or shortcut.

INSTALLATION

1. Turn on the computer - the system will automatically boot into Microsoft Windows.
2. Insert the BeOS Backup CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.
3. Access the "BeLaunch" folder on the BeOS on the BeOS Backup CD-ROM.
4. Copy the entire folder into the c:\belaunch\ directory of the Windows partition of your hard drive.
5. Once the folder is copied onto the hard drive, right-mouse-click on the folder icon and choose "Create Shortcut" from the menu.
6. Move the shortcut to your desire location on the desktop.

USING THE WINDOWS DESKTOP BEOS LAUNCHER

1. Locate the BeOS Launcher shortcut icon on the Windows Desktop
2. Double-click the icon using the left mouse button
3. Windows will shut down and BeOS will launch

3) CHOOSE AN OPERATING SYSTEM WHEN YOU TURN ON YOUR COMPUTER

1. First, boot your BeOS system, probably by using the BeOS Boot Floppy which came with your BeOS installation. The BeOS Boot Floppy is labeled "Installation Disk for Intel Pentium".
2. Once in the BeOS, launch Terminal by choosing it from the Be menu (it's in the Applications submenu).
3. Type bootman and press Return.

The Be Boot Manager installation wizard will appear to lead you through the process of installing Bootman:

4. Make sure the Install Boot Menu option is chosen, and click the Next button.

You will move to the next panel of the installation wizard, which saves the Master Boot Record information for your original configuration. This MBR save file will allow you to Uninstall Bootman, should you need to do that in the future:

5. Leave the default MBR save location alone (this lets you use the defaults if you need to Uninstall), and click the Next button.

The next panel allows you to create a rescue disk:

6. You should always create a rescue disk; information about how to use the rescue disk is at the end of this document. Click the Yes button.

The next panel of the installation wizard prompts you to insert a floppy disk:

"This floppy will have the rescue information written to it. This will erase the previous contents of the disk."

7. Insert a floppy disk into your computer, and click the Next button.

After the Be Boot Manager creates a rescue floppy disk, you will be prompted to eject the floppy from your computer:

"It is very important that you eject the floppy at this time. If you leave it in your computer and reboot your system, it will automatically Uninstall Bootman, and you'll have to start all over again."

8. Eject the floppy disk from your computer, and click the OK button.

You will move to the next panel of the installation wizard, which shows you which bootable volumes the Be Boot Manager found on your system:

9. Look at the list closely, and make sure that every bootable volume on your system is checked. Uncheck any volumes which are not bootable. You can also change any boot volume's entry in the boot menu (this only changes the boot menu, not the actual volume name). Select the text to change with the mouse...

...and rename the boot volume's menu entry:

10. When the boot volumes list is configured the way you want it, click the Next button.

You will move on to the boot options panel.

11. Choose the default boot volume from the pop-up menu (for example, you may choose the BeOS R4), and select how long the system should wait before automatically booting into the default choice:

12. When the boot options are configured the way you want them, click the Next button.

You will move on to the boot details panel:

13. Double-check the settings which are displayed. When you're sure they are correct, click the Next button.

You will be presented with the confirmation dialog:

14. If you are certain that your settings are correct, and that you wish to install the BeOS Boot Menu into your Master Boot Record (go back and re-read the disclaimers if you're not sure), click the Yes button. The Be Boot Manager should tell you it successfully installed the boot manager software:

15. Click the Done button.

The boot manager installation wizard will quit, and you will return to Terminal.

You've finished installing the BeOS boot menu onto your system. You should test Bootman out, by rebooting your system and choosing each boot volume option from the boot menu, and ensuring that every option boots your system correctly. If it doesn't, you may want to Uninstall Bootman, as described below.

Uninstalling Bootman

If for some reason after you install Bootman you decide that you need to uninstall it, or if some of your boot volumes are not accessible using Bootman, you may need to use the Be Boot Manager to Uninstall Bootman. There are two different ways to do this:

• Use the rescue floppy disk. This is the easiest method:

  1. Insert your rescue floppy disk into your computer.

  2. Reboot your system.

  3. When prompted to restore your Master Boot Record, press the Y key. The MBR will be restored.

  4. When prompted, eject the rescue floppy and then press any key to use your old Master Boot Record to boot your system.

• Use the Uninstall Boot Menu option of the Be Boot Manager application. This option allows you choose the Master Boot Record save file to restore to your system, something you cannot do with the rescue floppy. You can also use this method if you do not have a rescue floppy.

  1. Boot your BeOS system. If necessary, use the Boot Floppy that came with the BeOS to boot your computer.

  2. Launch the Terminal application.

  3. Run the Be Boot Manager installation wizard application, by typing bootman in Terminal.

     

  4. Choose the Uninstall Boot Menu option, and click the Next button.

     You'll now be asked to locate a Master Boot Record (MBR) save file, with the old MBR you want to restore:

     

  5. Locate the MBR save file. If you saved your MBR in the default location when you installed Bootman, you can use the default value here.

  6. Click the Next button.

     You will be asked to confirm that you wish to overwrite Bootman with the old MBR file:

     

  7. Click Yes to restore your MBR file.

     You will see the confirmation panel.

     

  8. Click the Done button to quit the Be Boot Manager application.

  Your old MBR is now restored. If you had a boot menu installed before you installed Bootman, you should be able to use it once again. Otherwise, your system will boot into the default operating system, probably the one installed on the first partition of your hard disk.

TRADEMARKS. Hitachi, FLORA, Prius, and/or other Hitachi, LTD products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Hitachi, LTD and its subsidiaries. Microsoft, Windows, and/or other Microsoft products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Be, BeOS, and/or other Be, Incorporated products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Be Incorporated. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.