ok well.. i need to run some windows programs on my linux computer. what can i download that will allow me to do that? i've already tried wine but that damn installation got messed up and i can't get it working correclty, is there another program that will get the job done?

win4lin, but I think you have to pay for it.

Why not use Windows for Windows stuff?

well... i have XP Pro, but it's on another hard disk... ugh long story let me tellyou.

Computer 1
12GB RH9 Partition 1 = /boot 2= / 3= swap (GRUB boot) /dev/hda
40GB XP Partition 1 /dev/hdb

tried to configure GRUB to have both on so i could choose at startup which one i wanted to boot into.... well windows just would not boot. so now, in order to boot into windows, i have to unplug the linux hard disk. and i don't want to leave the case off or have to do that everytime! but if there is any way i could make this work i would looove to know.... grub.conf:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hdb2
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda1
default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
fallback=1
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.20-8bigmem) (hd0,0)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-8bigmem ro root=LABEL=/ hdd=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.20-8bigmem.img
#title Red Hat Linux-smp (2.4.20-8smp)
# root (hd0,2)
# kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-8smp ro root=LABEL=/ hdd=ide-scsi
# initrd /initrd-2.4.20-8smp.img
#title Red Hat Linux-up (2.4.20-8)
# root (hd0,3)
# kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-8 ro root=LABEL=/ hdd=ide-scsi
# initrd /initrd-2.4.20-8.img
title Windows XP Professional (hd1,0)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

so when i click windows xp pro i get this

Booting 'Windows XP Professional (hd1,0)

rootnoverity (hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

and i hang there. nothing happends i have to reboot and boot into linux. what to do? i know it's something involved with the windows boot loader... i dunno what to do. i dont' need to dual boot or anything, just have a choice when i startup. so i just wanna put windows applications on my linux box so i can use windows only when i really really need it.

There's VMWare, but it will cost you a few bucks.

Also, maybe Bochs would work for you, depending on what programs you want to use. It's free.
http://bochs.sourceforge.net/

can you change your bios to boot to the windows hd first? that would at least involve opening the case and risking esd etc.

Windows refuses to work as a slave. They want to be the master.

I never could get W98 or W2k to boot from a slave either. I have heard rumors that it can be done, but I haven't found detailed instructions.

try switching the drives around, and then installing grub onto the windows hd

you mean windows as master and redhat as slave, so when i boot the windows grub comes up?

yes, and then you hsould be able to choose windows or linux from grub. this is how mine works with lilo - it should be similar.

Exactly! works for me

i can't find a place to download grub 4 windows!

There ain't no such animal AFAIK. Perhaps you are thinking of loadlin where you boot to Windows, run that to re-boot into Linux (I recommend against this as I don't see any posts on how to use it).

Installing a bootloader
Multiboot with GRUB Mini-HOWTO

You need to install grub from Linux.
If you to phisically change the harddisks around you can always enter the BIOS and change boot order, but what I'd suggest is you do change the slave /master configuration of your drives and then adapt the bios to make linux think it is still where it was. Then you install grub to the other hdd and switch the bootconfiguration of your BIOS to 'normal' ("C")

On the other hand, I'm not sure if you wouldn't have to change your fstab entries all around 'cos then hda would become hdb and vice versa. But if you simply invert boot order in the BIOS then the actual Master/slave configuration of the HDDs wouldn't change and since linux doesn't look at the BIOS for instructions you should be safe.

(am I still making sense?)

sorry fellas.... they don't call us noobs for nothing. i'm a little too short for that info you just gave me. (it was over my head)

OK, let me rewind,
WinXP is a typical MS prouct, it wants to be in command. It looks like it refuses to load 'cos it is't on your master drive. As you can boot into linux, the thing would be to configure GRUB and save it on your WinXP drive. Then you iether:

1) open your box and change the jumpers of your drives from master to slave and vice versa. Now you boot from C (according to your BIOS) and "voilá" there's GRUB asking you whether you want to load WinXP or Linux

2) open you BIOS (by pressing DEL or ESC or F1 during load - you'll seee which one you need on thenfirst screen after startup), and change the boot order from "C ...etc." to "D ... etc." Should have the same effect.