Disclaimer: I'm new to Linux! I had been anticipating a new Mandrake Linux 9.2 install and so I created a new linux partition with PM8. I thought I would be able to dual (actually quad boot) with Bootmagic (Win98-Part1, Linux-Part2, WinXP-Part3 and BeOS-Part4). However after Boot Magic wouldn't load Mandrake, I reinstalled using Mandrake's Bootloader. Based on my choice to put installation in the first partition (I think this is what I did), I no longer have a valid DOS partition to boot into WIN98. I can boot to Linux or XP with no problems. BeOS is gone. Is there a way to get my Win98 partition back without having to reformat? I can mount the Win98 drive from within Linux, but I can't get to it any other way. This is an old system and therefore not my main system, so data is not a major issue.

u bootable floopy of win98 to boot in it

I'll give it a try, but the fdisk utility shows my Win98 partition as a non-dos partition. When I try and boot to Windows 98 from the XP Boot Menu (that is, after selecting windows in Mandrake Bootloader menu) I get the message that COMMAND.COM is missing. However, after mounting the Win98 drive and looking at the files from within Mandrake, COMMAND.COM is present in my Windows\System folder.I'm thinking that when I chose to install the Bootloader in the first partition, it modified it enough so that it is no longer considered a Dos Partition. The order of my partitions may be a little screwed up, but it is W98, Linux, XP then BeOS (1 Drive w/four partitions).

One more thing, I can boot into XP just fine which is now showing as C:\.

try: fdisk /mbr

Thanks guys. However, I finally reclaimed my hard drive (not without errors and not without loss of data, but since it's a back up that's OK). Believe it or not BeOS helped me reclaim everything (I'm sure Linux would have to by repartitioning, but BE seemed to be a little easier). I'll eventually get Linux back on and play around with it. What I saw, I liked. I'll be back. Thanks again for the input.