installing windows on a fat32 next to linux?
 

I was just wondering if I could format half of my drive (the part for windows) with fat32 from a livecd and install windows onto it. I am asking that here because I would like to be able to access my windows programs via wine or my documents with open office from my linux partition. Has anybody done this, or knows of a way to do this?

never done it but it is supported by linux and it should work fine. Wouldnt it be easier though to just add a fat32 partition and put my documents and whatever else in it. Then you wont have to reinstall windows.

new computer
 

this is a new computer, so there is no pain in reinstalling windows, just installing it :).

Which windows version are you talking about?

I don't think that your approach will work (for programs). Wine simulates windows. So you still have to install the programs under wine (as far as I understand it).
It's the same as having Win98SE alongside WinXP. If MS office is installed under Win98SE, it will not run by invoking it from within WinXP (and vice versa); you still have to install it under the other OS.

I've used Xandros once (evaluation version). It came with CrossOver office (something like wine, but tailored to Office apps). I had to install MS Office inside CrossOver office, and I assume that this will be the same if you want to use wine.

In that case it will be useless to create a full FAT32 partition (unless you use Win95/Win98(SE)/WinME as you can only use FAT32). I suggest that you create a NTFS partition for Windows and apps and a FAT32 partition for sharing.
In windows, you can move your 'my documents' to this partition (right click on the 'my documents' icon and choose properties).

Please note that FAT32 does not have user permissions etc, so any windows user can access it. Within Linux, you can still limit access to the partition if you want to do so.

wine user guide

You could try but it won't work! Windows should be installed first in the hda1 then install linux and play away to your hearts content. I have dual booted with Win98SE Win2000 and WinXP and that has always been the case, doing it the other way round just does not work
Have fun

Actually, this CAN be done, I have done it but only with win98/ME. I have heard that XP is fussier about being installed first.
If you try it, make sure you have a Linux boot disk because the windows install will overwrite your MBR and you will have to boot into Linux from floppy then reinstall your bootloader (lilo or grub).
You don't have to have a dual boot system to use wine, you can install your windows program on your linux system with wine, in fact this is how wine is intended to be used. Wine will run some but not all windows programs.