her it is ...i dont think its a driver i have all the latest -so check it out one after the other witth me ..ah well here my next lil adventure: -i got my linux up n running ...for the most part (check out my post here if u wanna help wit that that: linuxforum.com/forums/index.php...ST&f=2&t=142741) --since i decided to start fresh wit linux - xp dual boot i formatted the drive like so (in order): --linux swap - ~900mb --windows (ntfs) - 10gb --linux (reiser) - 10gb --data (fat32) -i used the os cd that came wit my hp laptop to format (full not quick) ntfs for windows on its part problem: -windows will run fine for a while then itll slow to a crawl and start freezin on and off till it loses all functionality then 'i get the blue screen of death' --first couple times this happend i didnt take down the problem but it said their was a problem with the netgear network card ...since mine is no such thing i figured once id updated windows wit sp2 and drivers id b ok --didnt work the next timeit said: kernal_data_inpage_error ... stop: <didnt erite it> caused by (you get the point 0 this isnt exactly what it said) atapi.sys so i did lik xod (i had sp2 installed and the drivers from the hp page for mine ->ze4430us) and deleted the atapi.sys but it replaced itself right away... -i went ahead and got the drivers from windows update ...and it happend again this time it didnt say atapi.sys or any cause: kernal_stack_inpage_error <--differnt ... stop: 0x00000077 (0x0000000E, 0x0000000E, 0x00000000, 0x0084E000) then again ...i didnt try to change anything this time ...was hoppin the restart wit the new drivers would fix it -got the same msg wit different addresses i think the first after stop was 0x000000EF ...not sure questions/guesses ...im guessin its the network card but ive got the latest drivers device manager verifies that -so is it the card or my fat32 data partition? -programs runnin: ie, firefox, shareaza, and task manager -error has happened at differnet times once when opening firefox, again when adding torrent to shareaza and another while dlin or installing (cant member) in windows update agent. -can we plz avoid a format this time ...common mom plzzzzzzzz :-> --actually i got my data part kickin now so it dont really care this tome around :-P ***AHHHH i completly forgot my hdd makes a low knockin sound last couple times it got to the full freeze stage ...i read thats evil and ur hdd is trash? *on another completly different and irrelavent issue ...after i choose windoows wit grub b4 the usual splash screen (wit the flage n blue bar) there is a series of white squares (a bar) that slowly fills up ...takes about a minute -this started from the very first boot of windows fresh of the hp os cd ...what the hell is is and how do i stop it ...it has to info and is d--- annoying! jus to let u know ill run chkdsk again tonight ...maybe i got some more prblems there? thnx for ur helpz -nomad311

sounds like u been having some fun there, i am 1005 but i think your mistake was in formatting the HD, hp computers tend to have a hidden drive for backing up operationg drivers etc etc etc. personally i would begin, by checking all my connections inside the computer, making sure that all memory sticks are seated correctly all power and all HD connects, i would give it a good blow and vacuum too. by reformatting.you will clean away any and all unwanted mistakes. then install 1st windows to approx, half your drive, ie create two partitions, 10gig each. install windows, without connecting to the net, see if a buddy has a copy of sp2 on disk,(16 mins unprotected on the net is all it takes to mess up your machine) once windows is installed correctly(and working) then load up linux(personaly i use mandrake 10.2).linux will offer you the choice of creating new partions on the second partition of the drive. that should solve all your problems i hate computers! but cant help myself....

thnx for the reply but its a laptop some of it didnt really help, but i think i found out the problem: when xferin b/t my linux and the data part i noticed that it was goin damn slow ...so i tested with a big file n the xfer rates are under 11mb/s ...thats damn slow ...or is it normal for xfers b/t parts to be that slow?! ne ways i had shareaza set to dl to the data part and when i moved the temp files onto the windows part i havent had the problem since. so thats solved ...but annoys me jus cause even though i got these crazy slow xfers the fastest total shareaza ive got so far was ~1mb/sec ...well under the 2-8mb/sec average speed when i xfered a 800mb movie file to test (although windows doesnt tell me the speed it takes about a minute n a half so 800/8=100secs so it semms to be the same speed) ...is there any way i can fix this prob ...or is it a prob at all and if its a normal problem to have would movin my data part to the middle of the hdd make any difference? ...doesnt seem like it since its right after the linux part and the xfer to windows wasntnoticably different thnx again -nomad311