Changing Distro
 

Im planning to change from mandrake10.1 to ubuntu/fedora. Ive already formatted the linux drive and mandrake is now gone but the bootloader is still there (im running windows xp dual boot system). So does ubuntu/fedora install a bootloader and rewrite over the exisiting bootloader installed by mandrake ? or should i uninstall the current bootloader before installing any other linux distro? I dont want to lose the option of getting into windows!

It usually rewrites the boot loader and "should" not be a problem. If something goes wrong, however, you can easily remove the boot loader, restoring the XP defaults, by inserting the WinXP CD, booting from it, going into rescue mode, command line and typing "fixmbr".

Regards!

i went to install ubuntu but i get stuck at the part where it asks you which drive to partition. Before installing everything ive already created a 10 gig partition (w/ partition magic) for the OS to be installed in. But it doenst seem to let me install there..and im not sure how to either. Ive read that Ubuntu would prefer creating its own partitions so thats why it doesnt work but i'd rather have it install on my exisiting partitions. I dont want to risk losing my windows since i dont have a winxp cd near me, it never came with my comp when i bought it >_>.

Is there a way to install Ubuntu on a exisiting partiton? or can you recommend me another distro that is easy to install and lets you install to an already created parition.

That's very strange. I remember that when installing Ubuntu, during the partition part, we had an option to "advance" or something similar. I had previously created partition in that machine (though, only Linux system files as ext3, ext2 and swap) and Ubuntu pick it up without a problem. The other option should erase the hole harddrive, I did not want that.

Well, try installing Ubuntu again and see if you find that advanced option, it's not difficult to create the partitions with Ubuntu, though, a few distributions have a nice installer as SuSE or Mandrake (I dislike Fedora, but it should be good to install too).

I am not dual booting with Ubuntu though. I've a machine that I use to test Linux only, when I'm bored :)

And a side note: I also did only get the serial number for my Windows when I bought my computer a while ago. They gave me only a lame backup CD. I downloaded Windows from the Internet and use my serial number to activate it. I can't see how this would be illegal, but it probably is :)