For the past few weeks I have been looking into programming and currently "trying" to learn python. I'm using windows XP at the moment and using python with it which is fine. I would like to stay with XP to use it for games and slackware for programming what im here to ask is that a few months ago i got a virus and tried to reinstall XP it did but it actually dual booted two copies of XP and was wondering how i access the other one and also wondering how to delete it and if its possible. I will install slackware when it finally finishes downloading. Or should i just save my stuff to my external HDD and reinstall XP again (sigh), then slackware what do you sugest I do also been googling to see how to get other dual boot but cant find anything

I also have one HDD in my laptop and will this cause problems? Also how do swap between each OS XP and XP? and soon to be xp and slackware.

Sorry for the long read but reading this http://www.slackbook.org/html/book.html just to let you know im not asking for every single peice of help.

Thanks.

To ignore the new XP install that you don't want, make a copy of the "C:\boot.ini" file, then edit that file to remove the entry for booting the other copy of XP. Make sure you have a copy, because if you do the wrong things the computer will be unbootable until you restore the 'boot.ini' file.

You can then install Linux on a free partition and set up the Linux bootloader (whether lilo or grub) so that it will give you the choice to boot WinDuhs. Alternatively (but trickier, and you can totally screw up your installs if you make a mistake) you can set the WinDuhs bootloader (ntldr) to offer to boot Linux.

As for dual-booting, another option is to use software like "virtual box" or "VMWare" to install WinDuhs within Linux. "virtual box" comes in a free version and a paid for version; the paid version has extra goodies like allowing you to use USB devices on the "guest" system (in this case, WinDuhs). I wouldn't recommend making WinDuhs the host system and Linux the guest; I think that's begging for things to go wrong when a virus strikes.

Ok thanks for that. But how would i switch between slackware and XP for when i want to run games. I know linux has wine but wont be doing that straight away.

Try downloading a bootloader like Lilo or Grub, you can download I believe both at Slackware's packages website

Ok thank you very much. One last question do you think its a good idea to read the books and info about it before even thinking about installing slackware.

Do you think it is a good idea to get your "L" plates before you drive on the road?

MMM yeah i guessed that was a stupid question. Just want to use it.