Just wanna ask how many partitions do I have to make in Linux Mandrake. I was able to install it using auto allocate but I can't seem to boot from it. Can you get details on all partitions I have to make and how much space for each..thanks!!!

This page of MandrakeUser.Org talks about partitioning concepts. You should look around the whole site as it has lots of helpful information. The install should prompt you to choose a bootloader. I would suggest Grub. It also asks if you want to make a bootdisk. Do that with a good vfat-formatted floppy if at all possible and you can boot the floppy to get into Mandrake if stuff goes wrong.

Take a good look, also at the 8.1DrakX demo on Mandrake's Demo and Tutorial center. It will give you a preview about how to do the install.

Good luck.

There are a number of different ways to partition your sysytem, any of which will let you boot Linux if done properly. Your problem sounds more like it might be a bootloader issue, though. Please give us the following specifics:

1. Post the contents of your /etc/fstab file.

2. Which bootloader are you using (lilo, grub, etc.), and did you install it on the MBR?

3. Are you dual-booting, or is Mandrake the only OS on your system?

4. When you say that you can't boot, what exact errors do you get/what happens when you start your machine?