Ok folks, this is the deal. I got a 40 gig HD. As of now this is how it is setup (Installed in the following chronological order):

Primary 1 (C:\): Windows ME - 12.2 GB Fat32
Logical 1 (E:\): Windows 2k – 12.4 GB NTFS
Logical 2 (F:\): Windows XP – 12.4 GB NTFS

Right now I am using the windows XP boot loader and everything is work beautifully. The reason why its windows XP boot loader is because that was the last OS I installed (That’s what I was instructed to do.)

(The reason why D:\ is skipped is because that is my storage drive for files only, no application or OSes (2nd HD on IDE controller 1 (slave)) that has nothing to do with this).
By the way I plan to totally unplug my D:\ from the IDE because I am not taken any chances (good idea right?)

I am going to use Partition Magic 7 pro floppies to resize the 3 partitions above and convert it to free space to give room for RH 7.3 (approximately 4 gigs total because I plan on installing all the packages is this a good idea? Or should I just do workstation since I’m a newbie?)

I’m in the process of downloading RH 7.3 disc 2 of 3. And plan on installing from CD. If that fails I will make a floppy from the boot.img on disc 1 and try to do it that way. If I can not do it that way I will try to install it from my HD by using the images located on my windows ME partition in C:\ (hda1 I believe.)

THE QUESTIONS:

1. Will this work? Is RH 7.3 capable of reading me, 2k, xp?

2. What boot loader should I use considering I have Fat32 and 2 NTFS partitions already? GRUB or LILO?

3. Where should the boot loader be placed? MBR or where?

4. I plan on using Disk Druid and manually configure the partitions, (Keep all partitions and use free space). How should the Linux partitions be made, Primary or Logical or does it matter? (I have 3 primaries left because the only primary I am using is Windows ME, C:\)

5. Does the Mount points (/boot, /, and swap) have to all be on different partitions?

I hope I have provided you with a thorough amount of information for you to answer my questions. If you need more just ask, and if you have any comment or suggestion or just anything to watch out for please tell me. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

1. Will this work? Is RH 7.3 capable of reading me, 2k, xp?

It should be able to read/write to ME, but with your 2k and XP using NTFS, it should be able to read but that is about all.

2. What boot loader should I use considering I have Fat32 and 2 NTFS partitions already? GRUB or LILO?

That could be left up to you. I like Lilo, easy to use and configure.

3. Where should the boot loader be placed? MBR or where?

I myself prefer to put it on the MBR.

4. I plan on using Disk Druid and manually configure the partitions, (Keep all partitions and use free space). How should the Linux partitions be made, Primary or Logical or does it matter? (I have 3 primaries left because the only primary I am using is Windows ME, C:\)

I usually make my /boot and swap primary, the rest can be logicals.

5. Does the Mount points (/boot, /, and swap) have to all be on different partitions?

Usually its best that they are. And its always good to have /var, /home and /usr on their own partitions too. Swap always has to be on its own partition in most cases.

On question number 2, I need to know for certain! Can GRUB or LILO boot all three OSes?

And for certain I need to know if I have to put it in the MBR becuase if I do this wrong that will be it for all my OSes

please people give me your input I need as much responce as possible!

You could install to the MBR, or you could use a boot disk, which is the safest way to go although I'm sure XP or whatnot has a util on a CD that can rescue your MBR. I use grub, but many people like Lilo better, It's pure opinion...I would say lilo because more people use it though and it's a little easier to get help with. Oh, and do a Workstation install... you don't need everything that comes in a full install, esp. the server packs and the full kernel sources. Plus it saves you from having to downsize the other partitions as much.

2. Use lilo.

3. Install lilo to the boot or root partition. Not the mbr.

Use the xp boot loader to boot linux. Read this page.

ahh screw it! I will just boot from floppy.....I'm not even goin to be using linux that much anyway.....just want to familirize myself with it so I wont be in the dark. Besides I can't take the chance of messing up my three other OSes its just not worth it. Thanks for your suggestions though

where can I get a copy of the boot diskette that will boot RH 7.3?

My suggestion won't mess up your other OSes. It avoids the mbr. All you are doing is installing lilo into the boot sector of the linux partition. Making a copy of the boot sector and copying it into the root directory of xp. Then editing boot.ini to add a line to it so that linux will show up in the xp boot menu.

Have you tried making one from the cdrom disk? If you need help, these two pages one and two.

ok linux cool.....could you step me through how I would set it up your way. How do I go about copying the 1st boot sector? what do I put in the boot.ini?

Ùmegaflops, I'm sorry I took so long to respond. I've never done this before so I was doing some research. I think instead of giving you a long list of instructions to do the complete job, I'm going to break it down in parts.

OK, first install linux and when asked to make a boot disk, make one. Next, make sure to install lilo into the root partition. Try to remember which partition is the root partition. Is it hda2 or hda6 or whatever. You'll need this to use in the dd command to make a copy of the boot sector of the root partition. If you're not sure which is the root partition, run the command df -h and post the output here.

OK, that's enough for now. If you can get this done with no problems, then the next time, you'll be making a copy of your root partition's boot sector. Copying it to the xp partition and then editing your boot.ini file.

These are the pages I'm using to get the information to help you.

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