I want to install mandrake 8.0 on a pc that have windows 98se but i dont want to loose the windows instalaction , i dont how particionate the disk to get the same for the too it´s a 20gbt drive and the floopy doesn´t work how can i do it ? i have see a pc that when it started it shows a list of the systens on the pc to choose the one how can i do that to my pc?

So, you want to install mandrake 8.0 on your box that has windoze 98. You don't know how to partition your system; you want to split the 20 GB drive in half, and after you install Linux, you want to be able to choose between Windows or Linux, correct?

Here's how to do it:

*Partitioning:

--EASY (and expensive) WAY:
-----------------------------------------
You want to re-partition your drive, but you don't want to loose any data. You might want to look into a program such as partition magic. That's the easy way.

--HARD (and free) WAY:
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Defragment every single drive in your computer. Then, run scandisk. This will set everything in it's place, and will check your computer for bad blocks. Next, back up ALL windows data. After that, you want to partition your drive. The way you sound, I think you want to split a 20 GB drive in half, so that 10 GB is windows and the other 10 GB is Linux. I recommend you downloading a program called FIPS. Get it at:

http://www.igd.fhg.de/~aschaefe/fips/

This will let you re-partition your drive without loosing data (it works 99% of the time; there is a 1% chance of failure.) Finally, use FIPS and partition your disks. I recommend the following partitions:

/
/boot
<swap>

MAKE SURE YOU GET A LINUX SWAP! Also, the /boot shouldn't be any larger than 20 MB, or you might have boot problems

After you partition your disks, you're good to go. Start the Linux installation, and then install!!!

*TO CHOOSE THE OPERATING SYSTEM:
--Typically, you will want to install the bootloader (either LILO or GRUB) on the MBR. This will allow you to be able to choose the OS you want at bootup time. OR, you can put it on the superblock of your Linux partition. If you put it on the MBR, and don't like it, go to a DOS prompt and type:

fdisk /mbr

This should take care of it.

I hope this helps you!

*****Colonel Panic*****

The Mandrake install can do the install to free space on the disk if Windows isn't using all of it or resize the Windows partition (safely most of the time) after you do the scandisk/defrag stuff.

Look at the demo for DrakX in Mandrake's Demo and Tutorial Center. Choose the GRUB bootloader, IMO.

http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/demos/Demo/

GRUB? Personally, I hate GRUB, and like LILO a WHOLE LOT BETTER. That's my opinion.

*****Colonel Panic*****