Really dumb newbie question..

[apollovega]

Okay I have a really... really... REALLY dumb question.. when you install Linux (Mandrake 8.2) can you have it so that you can have two os's on the computer? Like Windows 98 AND Linux together (without deleting anything from windows 98) ? If there is a way please if you have the time could you explain it to me(Step by step if thats okay)? Thanks for you time ^_^ Appreciate it alot. Have a nice day (night)

[draziw]

I think you're going to have to provide a slight-bit more information about your setup...

The easiest (?) way I can think of is to make two separate partitions... one for winblows and another for Mandrake. It's probably easiest to install Windows on the first partition and then install Mandrake on the second (Windows won't necessarily/easily respect the other partition and/or OS but Mandrake will accomodate fairly easily). You'll then want to use one of the dual-boot programs that come with Mandrake, such as LILO, to allow you to boot in to either operating system.

The other scenario: you could install Mandrake on the entire disk, then obtain something like VMWare (an O/S emulator) for Linux and install Windows underneath that... overall, it tends to keep Windows from crashing the entire system. Side-effect: VMware will run you about three bills (US$).

Similiar to the previous: install VMWare for Windows and install Linux under that... though I'm not sure how well it works, etc. I also haven't heard of anyone doing it...

There /used/ to be an option to install Linux under a FAT/NTFS filesystem (presumeably on Windows) and then use something like "loadlin" to run Linux. I've not heard of anyone doing that recently and I'm not sure how well it works (or even if it's an option anymore).

[preacherman481]

I am getting ready to put Mandrake Linux on my Windows XP box. If at all possible I would advise to you have someone who knows what they're doing right there with you. Maybe there is a Linux Users Group in your area you could get help from. Search www.google.com for one. I tried to post a link to a ZDNET article on dual booting, but I couldn't get it to work. If you'll Private Message me with an e-mail address I'll try to mail you the page. I still think your best bet is to get a knowledgeable Linux person to give you some hands-on help.

[{P²P}Apocalypse]

Many ways to do this. Here is a simple no frills way to do it. Many variations of this even exist. This will get you started. I'm going to use the Mandrake distro for the ease of it. So you don't have to set a Linux partition or Linux swap partition.

1. Format you drive to FAT32 for W9X or NTFS for Win2K or XP using Partition Magic. After PM is set up. It makes a boot disk and a program disk on 1.44 floppy. So boot with first disk and then place second disk in and you'll get the gui for PM.

2. After you have formated the entire disk in your choice of FAT32 or NTFS depending on Windows OS you want. Resize the Windows partition you just made. So if you have a 40 GB drive, resize the Windows partition to say 30GB. Leaving 10GB for Linux. But don't format the empty (10GB) partition.

3. Apply the chnges then exit PM and reboot with the Windows CD in the drive if doing a cd install and you puter supports boot from cd. Or place Windows install (boot) disk in the floppy drive and reboot. Install Windows.

4. After Windows is fully installed. Use your Linux cd if your CD ROM is bootable. If not create a Linux install disk from the CD in Windows. Mandrake will walk you through this. With either the Linux/Mandrake cd in the drive or the Linux/Mandrake install disk in the floppy. Reboot.

5. Linux /Mandrake will walk you through the install and automaticaly set the Linux partitions during the install. It will install telling you what cd's to insert and remove. Then it will tell you to remove all media. It will reboot and LILO will take over and give you the option to boot into Windows or Mandrake at startup.

Hope this helps as it is one way among many to do it.

[slarty]

There are several ways of doing this. Many of them involve splitting partitions.

I'd advise against this.

If at all possible, when installing Windows, split the disc into several partitions with a view to converting one or more to Linux later, that way you keep your options open.

It's much easier if you split the partitions as early as possible, ideally on a brand new HD.

There is a tiny possibility that you won't be able to boot from past the 1Gb mark (or somewhere) on the disc, but unlikely with modern BIOS/ Linux/ Windows. Many of the FAQs on this subject are out of date in this respect.

Cheers

[JRoc]

I can't find much way to have two OS's on one box. You guys are like so beyond me on how to do this. I am only familair with Windows ME, Solaris, and Linux. It always depends on the version

[xpaciscool]

Back when i waz a real n00b i tried to install Red hat linux on my FAT32... The way the os loads iz, you have a boot disk, which loads a file on the Fat32 system that is the Red Hat OS . The File is like 1.4 GB so Linux waz very slow loading. Everything seemed to work fine until i got a bunch of error messages. After that i just ghosted my system back to win 98 because i had no use for linux
Just My Two Cents,

[JRoc]

I never used RedHat. Is it good?

[rcgreen]

Most of what I know on the subject,
I learned from:

The Multi-Boot Configuration Handbook

If you buy a copy of this book,
and get your system set up,
you will soon be helping your
friends with their installations.

[tyger_claw]

P2PApocalypse put it best....

Use Partition Magic to do your partitioning and then install with the boot disk of Linux.

The only thing I can say is maybe later, when you got a little cash to burn, buy another hardrive to put Linux on alone (as a slave) to avoid hardrive trashing from the two partitions