Where to start? Hmm...
 

I am running Windows ME on an unpartitioned 20gb hd. I would like to repartition it and install Mandrake Linux 9 on the second partition. I know that in order to do this I have to reformat my hd. I want a dual boot setup with ME and Mandrake. But, all I have to put ME back on the computer is a prefab restore cd, not the simply a windows me disk. Also, I don't have a hard copy of Linux, so would it be possible to d/l one and burn it to disk, with the correct install files on it, and boot from my cd drive?]
Well, I guess that is a start anyway.

Re: Where to start? Hmm...
 

A utility like Partition Magic will allow you to manipulate your partitions. You can resize the ME partition to make room for linux. That way you dont need the ME CD and you wont have to reinstall.

You can download the ISO images which are bootable and burn those to CD. Just dl them from one of the mirrors listed at mandrake:
http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/ftp.php3

Mandrake should detect ME and partition accordingly - saving Windows

Rakin, okay, let me understand what you have and what you want.

You have WinME in your computer only, at this moment.

What you want, is WinME and Mandy. on the same hardrive.

Okay, good.

If you don't want to go and buy Mandy at your closes computer shop, then yes, you can download it from their site. It'll take you a while...specially if you are on dialup...but it's doable. Then you just burn the image onto a CD.

Then reboot your copmuter...go to the Bios and select...
Boot from CD.
save and exit.

put your new Mandy cd in the drive...and it shall boot from the cd with the Many installation.

afterthat follow the installation instructions....I'm not sure exactly what follows because I've never installed Mandy...I'm a Redhat guy. And recommend you to try redhat, actually, instead of Mandy, :D

Anyway...you should get, in the mandy installation, to the point where you need to partition your hardrive. I hope that Mandy comes with DiskDruid. It's a very nice program that can be used to partition your hardrive.
So use it to make it to split the Windows parititon and then make the partitions for Linux...which are /boot, /, and /swap
then say yes to formating those three partitions. Make sure you didn't select, partition the Windows partition.

Also...BEFORE...you do any of this..you need to defragment your Windows ME hardrive...so leave it over night...or when you are going to the bar to pick up some girls, hehehe :p.

After the hardrive is defragmented you just follow everything I told you...this is so that all the data is moved to the front of the hardrive and so that Disk druid can partition without problems of having Windows data in the Linux partition, ;)

good luck.

you could always buy the December issue of Linux Format - it has all 3 cds with the mag