I want to know how to run linux and windows XP on my hard drive I tryed this befor with partition magic but i messed up and had to delete partitions and try agian. This time i got stuff i cant loose on my hdd so wondering if i could get details how to do this. im currently running windows XP and i want to install Linux 9.0 pro on a secondary partition and beable to choose at startup weather to run XP or linux if you could help me out that be great.

Have you got enough free space (unpartitioned) on the drive to install linux into? If you have, just boot from the linux install CD, and let it use the free space (NOT the whole drive) to set itself up it. It should install its boot loader (not sure if Red Hat uses lilo or grub) which should create a dual boot XP/linux menu. Don't get PM involved - unless you need to shrink the XP partition to make room for Linux before you begin. Let linux setup do all the partitioning for you. PS. Personally I'd buy another HD to install linux on if you're not totally comfortable with the manipulation of partitions & what operating systems put where - its easy to make a mistake and wipe something you didn't intend. Obviously backup all important stuff to CD or similar before starting anything like this.

first, back up any data you don't want to lose. second, there is no linux 9.0 pro. you can get red hat 9.0 or mandrake 9.2, or suse 9.0, and so on. ,,,,after you decide which distro of linux you want to install,,, third, partion your hdd and make 6 to 8 gig for linux, fourth, install linux, it will ask you what boot loader to use, where to install, etc, etc. fifth, post in the linux forum, they love helping newbies dump windoze.