Dual boot, how to?

http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux...w2k-HOWTO.html
I tried this guide, and for somehow reason, i cannot make a dual boot config with winXP and linux arch
I really want both systems, linux because it's better at everything but gaming, and well winblows, because it is eas with the gaming.
So i'm hitting rock bottom here, how do i make a dual boot config?

Search LQ and Google for more information - that guide looks to me to be old and unnecessarily complex.

Basically, just install Windows. During the Windows install, create a NTFS partition for Windows, and leave the rest of the disk as un-partitioned free space. You can also use Partition Magic for this. When Windows is installed, boot it and set it up,

Then install Linux, creating at least a swap partition and / partition out of the free space. Swap should be 2x your RAM, / should be the rest. I have never used Arch, but most distros will do this automatically. Most distros also will automatically detect Windows, and set up the GRUB boot loader appropriately. There should be an option to install Grub to the MBR, which you should do.

You should now be able to select either Linux or Windows at boot time.

I hope this helps
--Ian

Originally Posted by IBall You can also use Partition Magic for this.

Note that if you don't have a copy of Partition Magic, I believe that the GParted Live CD should also be able to resize your partitions. I was able to resize the drive on my work laptop using this method.

--Storm

Originally Posted by IBall Search LQ and Google for more information - that guide looks to me to be old and unnecessarily complex. Basically, just install Windows. During the Windows install, create a NTFS partition for Windows, and leave the rest of the disk as un-partitioned free space. You can also use Partition Magic for this. When Windows is installed, boot it and set it up, Then install Linux, creating at least a swap partition and / partition out of the free space. Swap should be 2x your RAM, / should be the rest. I have never used Arch, but most distros will do this automatically. Most distros also will automatically detect Windows, and set up the GRUB boot loader appropriately. There should be an option to install Grub to the MBR, which you should do. You should now be able to select either Linux or Windows at boot time. I hope this helps --Ian

I will try just installing linux and see what happens, i don't think arch will auto detectect, but it is worth a shot....
And thx for the explained setup, but i do know my way around linux and installing it, but i have not tried to do dual boot for like 10 years :P

And thx to storm for the freeware tip got partition magic though

I got dual boot to work, though i'm not using it anymore.
If you need a guide to it, just go to wikiarch, i've made one there under dual boot
that would be wiki.archlinux.org and then searching for "dual boot"