Brand new to Linux, but have researched 30+ documents on dual-boot for Linux and XP before I wanted to bother anyone, but I just can't get it to work after about 25 tries. Below I will list the environment and what I have tried. Since I am super novice, please give step by step assisitance if possible.

-Dell Latitude D800
-BIOS A13
-Installed new HDD (250GB) ATA IDE
-Installed XP Pro SP3
-Fedora 8 Live CD
-XP Partition of 180GB
-70GB free space appx.

1. I installed Fedora 8 Live in many different ways using GRUB on the MBR, not on the MBR. I created custom layouts, I let it remove Linux partitions, I let it use all Free space, and I even tried to use bootpart.exe.

2. With the GRUB, all I got was GRUB and a flashing cursor.

3. With bootpart.exe ver 2.60 I got the message of "loading new partition" "Cannot load from harddisk" "Insert Systemdisk and press any key"

4. My final attempts (2) I created a custom layout after running GPARTED to remove every partition except my NTFS partition. One install I let it install GRUB on MBR, the other I didn't. Of course, I had to fixmbr after the first attempt.

5. I created 100MB /boot ext3 partition.

6. I created a 4GB swap partition.

7. I created a 20GB / partition.

8. I created a 34GB /home ext3 partition.

9. I chose for The GRUB loader to be installed on /dev/hda.

10. I made Other (XP) the Default and chose to Configure adv boot loader options.

11. I chose to NOT put the GRUB on the MBR but on the other partition.

12. Finished the installation and rebooted.

13. XP booted fine.

14. At CMD I ran bootpart.exe and the output follows:

0 : C:* type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 184321746 KB, Lba Pos=63
1 : C: type=83 (Linux native), size=104422 KB, Lba Pos=368643555
2 : C: type=83 (Linux native), size=35021700 KB, Lba Pos=368852400
3 : C: type=5 (Extended), size=24748132 KB, Lba Pos=438895800
4 : C: type=83 (Linux native), size=20482843 KB, Lba Pos=438895863
5 : C: type=5 (Extended), size=4192965 KB, Lba Pos=479861550
6 : C: type=82 (Linux swap), size=4192933 KB, Lba Pos=479861613

15. I then input the following:
C:\bootpa26>bootpart.exe 4 c:\linux.bin "Fedora Core 8 Linux"
C:\bootpa26> attrib +rh c:\linux.bin

16. The output of the boot.ini follows:

C:\> type c:\boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\linux.bin="Fedora Core 8 Linux"

17. I am back to the point of the error with Bootpart on startup saying
it cannot load from a harddisk.

I have become so frustrated and do not know where to go from here.

I am not crazy about GRUB being on the MBR. I would rather have the computer come up and ask for XP or Fedora assuming the MBR isn't touched.

Keep in mind I only have the Fedora 8 Live CD and have no means to get to the prompt in Fedora or a rescue prompt to look at the GRUB config.

Please help. I would be so glad to be able to begin learning Linux.

Thanks
jc

If you want to boot Fedora from xp you will need an entry in the xp boot.ini file. The site below has pretty detailed instructions on what you have to do to boot a Linux OS from xp. You might want to check it out. Never used xp so...

http://www.linux.com/articles/113945

Whoa, cool.

@kingzappa I suspect all the doco you read assumed no /boot partition. By having one, when you told the Fedora install to install grub to the boot sector rather than the MBR, it will install to the /boot partition, not the root (/).
I don't know bootpart, but try it referencing the /boot partition - that way you'll (hopefully) get the boot record you need. Everything else you've done looks valid.

Brand new to linux. May I make a suggestion..

Take Defaults until you have an understanding of how things work, then you can work on fixing things.

IGF

Everyone, thanks for the quick suggestions. Turns out since I didn't have the /boot at the beginning of the drive, it wouldn't work, so I will share what it took for me to get this working.

To recap:
-Dell Latitude D800
-New 250GB HDD
-Will have XP SP3

1. Booted PC from XP Installer.
2. Created 180GB partition for XP.
3. Wouldn't let me create another blank partition in front of XP.
4. Installed XP.
5. Booted from GPARTED CD.
6. Moved the 180GB partition "to the right" by 250MB to make room for
the /boot partition for Fedora.
7. This took nearly 5 hours, so took the family to Lowe's and the
grocery store, then watched football.
8. Rebooted PC from Fedora 8 Live CD.
9. Selected "Create Custom Layout".
10. Selected "Free Space" of 250MB and created /boot ext3 drive
(preceeded NTFS partition).
11. Selected "Free Space" and created 4GB swap partition.
12. Created / partition using remaining 60GB+ for Fedora.
13. Let system use GRUB.
14. On same page, selected Advanced Boot Configuration option.
15. Chose to put GRUB on Fedora partition--NOT ON MBR (XP).
16. Changed the "Other" designation to Windows XP.
17. Checked the box for Windows XP to be Default.
18. Finished installation.
19. Rebooted to XP.
20. Downloaded bootpart.exe version 2.60
21. Changed attributes of c:\boot.ini to -R-H
22. Ran bootpart.exe and recognized the /boot partition as #1
23. Syntax: C:\DOWNLOADS\bootpa26> bootpart.exe 4 c:\linux.bin "Fedora
Core Linux"
24. Syntax: C:\DOWNLOADS\bootpa26> attrib +rh c:\linux.bin
25. Rebooted PC.
26. Selected Fedora Core Linux.
27. Booted into Fedora!!!
28. Cool thing too is my 180GB NTFS partition is visible.
29. Thanks again for insight.
30. The problem as syg00 pointed out, which made me really think about
possibly needing the /boot space at the front, was just that.

Mmmm - that shouldn't be a requirement these days. What does "grub --version" return ?.
How old is your BIOS ?.

Glad you got it working anyhow - I always put the /boot at the start of the drive out of habit (because of problems like this), but it shouldn't be necessary on kit from the last few years.

Browse to youtube..and search "Dual Boot Windows Xp and Linux"

I know you will dfntly Appreciate..
Happy Linuxing !!!

Syg00, I do not understand why it wouldn't work before I moved /boot to the front. I reappointed the bootpart.exe to the /boot partition per your advice, but it still didn't work, so I scrapped XP and the Linux install and started over. The BIOS version is A13, which is pretty current--I think 1 year old.

-- deleted as irrelevant --