:) I'm dual booting WinXP / Mandrake. Everytime i turned on my computer BIOS would ask me what i wanted to log into.. The options were something like: Windows Linux Windows safe mode Diskette Drive Well, i haven't logged into Linux for awhile, and i was having problems with Windows so i've reinstalled it a few times, And just a few days ago I realized, everytime i turn on my computer BIOS doesn't ask me what OS i want to boot up anymore.. It just loads WindowsXP automatically. I can't figure out how to log into Linux now. :-/ http://coined.no-ip.com/ScreenShot.jpg 26.1GB of my drive is for windows, 21.48GB is for Mandrake. -Lice

Well, strange issue, but an option would be to install Partition magic in XP. In Partition Magic there is a tool called PQ boot that will allow you to reboot in Linux. Hope this helps.

I think it has to do with me reinstalling WindowsXP. It probably thinks it's the only OS on my system now, so it just automatically boots into Windows PartitionMagic is only a trial version but i'll try it out anyway It would be cool if BIOS asked me what i wanted to boot, like it did before :-/ -Lice

Hello, First off, don't use Partition Magic for anything xp related. There has been a lot of issues with that program screwing up xp partitions (apparently publicly admitted), and a lot of people have come to this forum for help on partition magic screwing things up. I got screamed at for referring this program a few months ago in one of my posts by another regular tech in here. Second, Try double clicking on the System Icon in Control Panel. Then click on the "Advanced" Tab. Here you will see a heading called "Start up and Recovery" Click on the settings button. Third, Your options for getting the start up menu on boot are in here. Make sure that there are check marks on both check boxes under the heading "System Startup". That should do it. If not let me know, there is another way. HTH For some more helpful XP tips visit: http://www3.sympatico.ca/computech911/Tips.html

Hey again, Just anticipating the next question here, and might be a good FYI. If you want total control over the menu for the os's, here's a link that you should read through. http://tweakhomepc.virtualave.net/how/editbootini.html It’s pretty strait forward, and tells you how to find os's if they are not listed in the menu, and how to edit your boot.ini file, which is what loads up that menu you are talking about. Good Luck! For some more helpful XP tips visit: http://www3.sympatico.ca/computech911/Tips.html

Everytime i turned on my computer BIOS would ask me what i wanted to log into.. The options were something like: Windows Linux Windows safe mode Diskette Drive That is not the BIOS. That was the Linux Boot Loader which was installed into your MBR when Linux was installed. What you see is the Menu of OS'es built up by Linux during the Linux Install phase. By re-installing Windows XP, Windows XP install routine ignores what is in the MBR and reloads it with the NT Boot Loader which does not automatically cater for other OS'es that may be pre-existing on the PC. It does cater for earlier versions of Windows though (e.g win98 or winME) but NOT Linux. That is the arrogance of Gatesware. You have effectively thus lost the ability to boot into Linux. However, Linux is still there though not bootable at present. You should be able to use your Mandrake install CD 1 and enter rescue mode. Once in rescue mode you can get it to re-install the Linux Boot Loader. This will once again give you your boot options. ___________________________________________ ☺ When everything else fails, read the instructions.

Bottomline, dual booting any XP flavor and Linux is a recipe for disaster IMHO. B4 you criticize a bigger man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, you're a mile away, and you have his shoes.