I have only just installed mandrake for the first time ever, it automatically set up two 5G partions to set up linux, that is all the space i have and my windows partion is full, i would like to store windows files and the other partions especially MP3's, but i need access to them from within windows is this possible and can you give me instructions on how to do it, i'm even new to installing new linux programs so could do with some help on that to. Thanks very much

2 x 5 G is not very much indeed. You can change nearly everything at the Mandrake Control Center, which requires "root" privileges. Go there and view your hardware. Select your Harddisk. Theoretically you can change your Linux partition there to Fat32, which can be accessed by Lin & W2K. But be sure not do destroy your linux root partition, indicated as / . Maybe the other Partition is your /home partition. Then you will have to create a new /home partition on your other partition, better call it home2 first. Then copy everything you have in your old home partition there. Then you can unmount the /home and rename the new home2 to /home. If have not made too much chages to your user account, you will not have much in your /home/user directory. Then you can safely remove the partition with /home. You'll get the "mandrake first time" assistent again, when you login as user.

I am not sure you can dynamically change partition types without destroying the contents. Since you just installed, reinstallation might be easier. Linux can read/write windoze partitions but generally not vice versa. In windows, use fdisk to undo and reallocate your partitions. Add a 2nd win partition for MP3s When you reinstall Linux, Linux generally requires 1 "general" partiton (5/6gb is more than sufficient) and 1 swap (200/300 MB should be sufficient)