Hi,

Just thought to give Mandrake Linux 9.0 a try :)
Currently I am using Windows XP Pro. I got two HDDs 20GB and 6GB.
Before I am gonna try Linux, I know I never forget to backup my docs.

In the setup, it warns you that it will restart and start the Linux setup. I am ready for that. I am gonna format all the HDDs and have CLEAN and FRESH install of Linux. NO WINDOWS!!

I wanna know, just in case i needed Windows back, will i be able to boot from my Windows XP CD? and format the HDDs again? so that i could install Windows again.

Appreciate your help..)

If your computer can boot from CD, you will be able to install any OS that comes with a bootable CD.
Windows XP has the option to partition and format the target HDD. Another option to have a NTFS or FAT partition is to use PQMagic.
Mandrake also has an option for a manual format, but for a clean install you can also let the wizard choose for you.

thanks for the info pmi :)
that made me enaw confident to move to linux !!!

but what if i convert to ext2 file format ? :huh: :unsure:

thanks,
/MD

if you convert to ext2, windows setup will see the partitions as an unrecognized file system, and you can just format over them with fat32 or ntfs :), been there done this a few times myself, lol

If you install Linux while having Win xp on your system, you will have a dual boot menu to begin. You wll not lose Windows Xp. The only problem is if you want to get rid of Linux. you have to boot up with a Win 98 boot disk and run fdisk /mbr to get rid of the Linux dual boot menu.

Linux is neat. The dual boot thing is wonderful.

Be careful about which partitions you format though!

Use PartitionMagic ! PartitionMagic, format Linux partition to come after NTFS, Linux swap file behind NTFS or front of Linux partition, make NTFS partition active, bootup from Linux CD, let install use existing Linux partition, LILO is boot manager and sees Linux, etc and NT

I installed Mandrake Linux 9.0 today. I have two physical drives 20GB and a 6GB (Prmary Master and Primary Slave, respectively). I booted from the CD1 and selected Install. Later I came to Erase Disk. How nervous was I at that moment, doubting whether to press OK or not. Who knows if it will erase the 20GB :o I know how stubborn Linux is :D Anyway I pressed OK and it kindly asked me which Hard Disk to erase. :) Phew!

I really laugh at myself now, as I spent like half an hour to configure how to connect to the Internet :lol:
At last in K > What to do? > Use the Internet > Connect to the Internet was there. How easy was that? But wasn't expected it to be there :D

Everything is okay atm. There is a lot of stuff to learn from now on. However there are few awkward things happening/happened to me:

1. That nice boot loader of Linux (I have seen it in another dude's comp) doesn't not show in my comp :unsure: it appears for a second and then disppears and comes to a text mode where I have to type Linux or Failsafe or NT or Floppy. :( I wished I had that nice boot menu with that cool blue screen.

2. During the linux boot, (you know those Setting network parameters [OK], Bringing up loopback interface [OK] etc are there). In mine, Bringing up interface eth0 [FAILED] :o That's the only one which failes. I got a Network Card and it is not connected the LAN. Prolly that should be the case.

3. You know I said, I got two Physical HDDs. But in Linux I can't see my 20GB HDD :o In Windows XP, I can't see my 6GB! But I know that's cos it is ext2 file system, and by Partition Magic it should be viewable.

Linux is cool :) I am lucky to experiece sound as well - lucky Soundblaster Live! Value. And also my LITEON and CREATIVE CD Burners are automatically detected as CDRWs.

In the future I would be asking help from you guys on suggestions to various substiture software I used in Windows. For example: in Windows, this FlashGet helped me very much. I know I can't use it anymore in Linux. So what will be a good download manager?

I hope you enjoy using Linux.

A few solutions to your problems.

1) I think you may need to reconfigure LiLo again in the Control Center.

2) That is exactly the reason. You can disable it at startup, and when you need it just type "ifconfig eth0 up".

3) You lost me there mate :).

Have fun.

To get rid of linux boot menu
from linux:

lilo -u /dev/hda

from Xp :

boot into xp recovery console

run fixmbr

help (for help) about other commands