You are configuring a practice computer for students who are preparing for certification exams. You want the computer to be able to boot into both Windows 98 and Windows 2000 Professional, and you also want students to be able to access all drive resources, including all files, from either operating system. How should you configure the disk so that both operating systems can read and write to all local data?

Introduction / Context:
This question explores file system compatibility in a dual boot configuration with Windows 98 and Windows 2000 Professional. The requirement is that students must be able to access all drive resources regardless of which operating system they boot. Choosing an appropriate file system format for the disk is essential to meeting this requirement.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The computer will run both Windows 98 and Windows 2000 Professional.
• Students need access to all local drive resources from either operating system.
• You are free to choose how the disk is partitioned and formatted.
• Windows 98 does not support NTFS.

Concept / Approach:
Windows 98 can read and write to FAT16 and FAT32 partitions but cannot access NTFS volumes. Windows 2000 Professional can read and write to FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS. If you use NTFS for some or all partitions, Windows 98 will not be able to see or use those volumes, which would violate the requirement for full access from both systems. A single FAT32 partition provides full compatibility, allowing both operating systems to access the same files while supporting larger volumes and file sizes than FAT16.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: List the file systems supported by Windows 98: FAT16 and FAT32.Step 2: Note that Windows 2000 supports FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS.Step 3: Understand that any NTFS volume would be invisible to Windows 98, reducing cross system access.Step 4: Choose a single FAT32 partition so both operating systems can fully access all files on the disk.

Verification / Alternative check:
Microsoft documentation on dual boot configurations states that when you use NTFS for Windows 2000, earlier operating systems such as Windows 98 cannot access those NTFS volumes. It also notes that FAT32 is a good choice when sharing data between Windows 98 and Windows 2000 because both can read and write to FAT32. This confirms that a single FAT32 partition is the appropriate answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b uses only NTFS, which Windows 98 cannot access. Option c mixes NTFS and FAT32 but places data on NTFS, blocking access from Windows 98. Option d suggests dynamic disks, which are not supported by Windows 98 and therefore are inappropriate. Option e restricts you to FAT16, which may work but is unnecessarily limiting compared to FAT32 and is not the best choice for modern volumes.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often choose NTFS because of its security features without considering backward compatibility. Another pitfall is to configure separate partitions in different file systems without carefully planning where data will reside. For lab environments where compatibility and simplicity are more important than advanced NTFS security, FAT32 is often the best option for shared access between older and newer Windows versions.

Final Answer:
You should create a single FAT32 partition so that both Windows 98 and Windows 2000 Professional can access all drive resources and files on the computer.