With VMWare (WinXP version), is it possible to install Slackware on an already existing Linux partition, and boot it later (not booting it on vmware, but natively) ? How would I do it?

I've tried using Loadlin on Dos (also running on windows =P ), but it complains about memory, and also the fact that I'm running Dos through Windows.

Edit - ended up with double post somehow?

I think you'd have major problems doing that as when you install into VMWare you use VMWare devices etc not the host machine's.

I believe you can partially use a natively installed OS within VMWare however. Read the VMWare docs for more on this.

Why Linux on XP and not the otherway round? Sorry, just stirring

I can't install Linux normall, because it seems isolinux is incompatible with my BIOS. Maybe it's the CD-ROM drive (it's a DVD/CD recorder). It throws an "Extremely broken BIOS" error. There's a thread about it: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=293990 Please help =)

If you want to check anything else about my laptop, it's a Toshiba Satellite M45-S331

My guess is Partition Magic could be the problem. If Windows was running fine before I would tend to rule out the bios itself. (Edit - ref your other thread)

There was a thread I read earlier today with a similar problem to this and other means of partitioning might be better, although for many it works and few other utils will resize ntfs properly

If you able to re-install everything from scratch so that completely fresh partitions are created (Use XP or Linux) then I suspect you'll be able to install XP and Linux natively.

No, XP is already installed (I'm using it right now). But, how could PartitionMagic screw up my bios (windows seems normal so far), and what could I do to fix it?

When I set everything up on PM, it restarted windows, and that blue screen (looked like scandisk) appeared and started to partition the drive (it looked as if PM just triggered a windows option, but I may be wrong).

PS: What other program could I use to resize my partitions?

Just tried to find that thread from earlier to no avail.
I dont know the whys and wherefores on that one.

You could try Ranish to check your partitions. see here. There's a few other links on this site that might also help.

Some of the other Linux distributions such as Mandrake or Suse might cope with your partitions also.

I agree with your diagnosis on the Windows screen - odds on scandisk adjusting to the resized partition.

Failing these you may be stuck with having to use Linux entirely within VMWare.

Found it! still not much wiser though

See thread here.

Really doesn't help much i'm afraid.

thanks man

I really can't test this now, im going to be away for the weekend, but when I get back ill b sure to test it =)