Hi all-
Been using Various distributions on and off for about three years,and since the A+ certification changes, decided to get back into linux.I've run just about every distribution at leaast once; Debian,Redhat,Mandrake and Caldera.Each have thier own unique hurdles.Currently I'm comfortable with Mandrake Helios 6.0(The first version I had). I've run into an odd inconsistency with dual booting to winme(yes it can be done!).First install was flawless- All DOS partitions
were mounted-except for two,and satisfied with the preliminary test installation,decided to do it again(One should get into the habit of installing linux hundreds of times under different conditions(namely BIOS changes)to see what happens).Anyway-subsequent installations failed mounts of DOS partitions and I cannot access my win drives at all anymore,nor do I know why or what conditions allowed this.I've tried to replicate the processes but to no avail-Linux boot scrolls "I can't find DOS partitions" over and over again.Forget Linuxconf-that's my last resort.Would anyone know what cicumstances allow linux to automount DOS partitions so that they are visible?

I have no idea why your installation doesn't auto detect your dos partitions,
but if you are able to mount your dos partitions manaully then you can edit your /etc/fstab file to make them automount at boot.
If you really mean dos (8.3 filename format), then the fstype is dos but for win the filetype is vfat.

in either case...
 

I cannot access windows, and I'm puzzled as to why this was possible on the very first install,and hasn't been ever since.What's worse,now I cannot even install linux on pre-partitioned drives{see post-Wanna hear something really weird?]!If I chop up the 30gb and reserve at leasr 12 for Linux,Linux says the partition table is corrupt and won't install.Now what's odd is that the first time,I'd prepped all my win partitions;That is,I'd installed whatever needed to be on those partitions,save the last 4gb which was backup space.I'm not doing that now-For obvious reasons,yet Linux still won't allow me to install behind windows-And windows is just a plainly STUPID operating system that cannot count and cannot see clearly what exists and what doesn't or how large what does exist is or what's left.It can't tel the difference between itself and Linux-And you know it's got to be dumb if it can't do that!

The linux kernel must be found within the first 1024 cylinders of the drive.
This is most oftenly done by making a small /boot partition in the beginning if the driver.
In /boot lies the kernel loaded by lilo/grub. Once linux is up hard drive sizies isn't an issue.
Even my old p133 was able to reach behind 8GB wich I didn't think was possible, due to my old BIOS. Linux ignores BIOS, at least in this case.

AHA!
 

Yep.
Gave myself a big DUHHH!After having read that over and over again.Thanks!