I posted this thing on the XP page: 'm running on xp right now and I want to install the redhat(or maybe mandrake) distribution on my pc. I didn't trust disk druid so i got a partioning software(partition magic 7.0) to separate the drive space for linux. It tried partition magic on xp(gui) but it didn't work. Pmagic says the process was done but when I checked the properties of my harddrive there was only one partition. I got through this by using an ME boot disk and used Pmagic on the dos prompt. It worked but the thing is no drive letter is assigned to the linux partition. Is that ok? Also, I read in the xp help file that it doesn't support other OSs for multiple boots(other than win98,2000,ME)..is that true or is microsoft making it all up? How can you dual boot? I don't know how to use pmagic's bootmagic software. I want to buy another harddrive but my funds are limited. Anyway, hope someone can help...I really have to install linux on my pc so I can learn it.

Matt, Go with the Mandrake Linux 8.2. This is how I did it. I partitioned my 60GB HD into 2 partitions of 30GB. XP Pro is installed on partition 1. I formatted the 2nd partition in Windows XP before I booted up with the Mandrake disc. I then resized the partition 2 during the install of Mandrake. I did not need any other partition software. Plus, I have never liked partitiong software too much. I then installed Mandrake on partition 2. I chose the recommended setup. I think I made 20GB into the root/sys and 10GB into the SWAP. That is pretty much it. Everything installed perfectly. LILO handles the boot up. XP works perfectly and so does Linux. I scoured the internet for information on dual booting but everyone had their own methods and most of them seem way too much work. I'm fine with LILO handling the bootup. IMO, dual booting this way is about as easy as it gets...

Linux works a lot different to Windows. There are no drive letters. That may be true about XP's bootmanager not supporting other OS's (I don't know), but when you install Linux, it will install another bootmanager called LILO. I can assure you this supports Windows XP.

thanks for the info, hope I can get it running

I have Win XP Pro and Mandrake 8.1 on a Toshiba Satellite 1805 laptop. I ran the advanced install of linux the first time partitioned the drive 10 gig Win XP 8 gig linux file system and 4 250 Mb linux swap files .After install, creating a boot disk and installing and configuring lilo I rebooted the system and it would not boot to either system .\ Windows gave a message of not being able to find the boot info on drive 1 and something about corrupt boot sector. SO I popped in the linux boot disk and could not boot linux either. Lucky for me this was a brand new laptop and I did not have anything on that I did not mind losing . So blammmooo I blew away my partitions and formatted and reinstalled XP then went on and tried Linux again . This time I went with the basic regular default install and created the same partitions , installed linux and everything the same , rebooted and everything works fine. It seems to me that (Sung to the commercial theme for almond joy) Sometimes they get along and sometimes they don’t,.... Windows XP's got Bugs and Linux Don't, I have read on this board and numerous others about people not getting XP and Linux to play together and then I have read where others have had no trouble at all. I guess I belong to both groups.. There are allot of info pages online. Search for windows XP and linux dual boot God Bless and good luck. Mattster

hi! i have tried to partition my LAPTOP (DELL 20 GB). i was successful in doing so and could also install REDHAT. but when i am trying to boot or use REDHAt operating system the system is unable to recognise my screen that is nothing is popping into my screen and what i can see is just lines with multi colors. can any one help me with this case.