Can anyone tell me where to get a dual boot loader please. I want to use Win XP and Mandrake Linux. Many thanks in advance:

Use LILO...but do not allow it to boot WinxP...it will kill your hard rive (or at least your MBR)

Do this:
1) go into your Linux

2) Type
dd if=/dev/hdc1 of=/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1
NOTE: I assume that Linux is installed on hdc and that the boot partition is hdc1

3) Copy this bootsec.lnx to a floppy , or mail it to your self

4) Go into windows

5) Open up boot.ini in C:\.You may have to unhide system files

6)Add a line at the bootm and edit it thus:
C:\bootsect.lnx ="Linux"

7)Copy bootsect.lnx to C:\

8) Reboot

Hope that helps

You lost me sorry. I tried installing Mandrake and it worked but couldnt get Windows back up, just booted straight into Linux. There is too much that only works with windows that i like not to have it. Reading your post, does it mean I have to put Mandrake on and then do as you said?

Shold have said, have now reinstalled Win XP with 2 physical HDD, one of 38 gig and the 0ther 10 gig. The 38 is partitioned to 32 and 6 gig. The 10 gig and smaller of the partitioned drive, the 6 gig is now empty and are set to the NTFS format. Linux is not installed and the 3 discs are besides me