Hi;
the good news is that I can access an online forum from my new Linux install.
The bad news - em, I don't think I installed it properly. I didn't get a bootloader (GRUB?) when i restarted the computer...
Here's the chronology:

1. put 2nd HD in computer running XP
2. 2nd HD has Win98 on it (FAT32) (don't ask)
3. ran Freespire from the CD, liked it ok, used GParted to resize win98 partition on 2nd HD (hdb), created another primary partition (ext3) and a third partition for swap
4. the Win98 is now on @15 GB, the ext3 has @24 GB, the swap has @1 GB (total HD 40 GB)
5. had Freespire desktop still up, so ran install from there (advanced install, to use the premade partitions)
6. I'm wondering if I checked the 'make MBR' box for the Linux ext3 primary partition, because...
7. I didn't get any messages about ejecting the CD after I clicked 'Finish' on the install, went web surfing a bit, then logged off
8. wouldn't let me log back in, so restarted computer
9. no bootloader! at least, there was a screen with 4 options, by the time I read them Freespire was loading, this time with 'finishing touches', I set up a user account and pw - and wondered why XP didn't show up in booting process, ejected CD
10. read something in freespire forum that leads me to believe that I didn't check the MBR option on install, so GRUB didn't install/load or whatever!

While I'm waiting and hoping for responses on Freespire forum - this one seems more active - help?
I can see the XP files on master HD (hda), and I wanted to keep a FAT32 area on hdb to store large XP files, and maybe Linux files.
Ah, do I need to reinstall Freespire, and is this an option from the boot menu (either from CD or without CD?)I want to be careful about messing up my main drive (I did back up what i wanted, and this is not my 'main' computer, but still!)
Was keeping win98 on Linux drive a confusing idea to installer?
Where can I find GParted in order to make changes, if that is my best option (to make the Linux primary partition have an MBR after the fact...can I do that? will it change mount points?)
Also, is 1 GB of swap too small? (I have 1 GB of RAM, can't remember what swap is for). I have also made a separate GParted CD, in case that makes anything easier, don't see the program (yet) on desktop anymore...
Wheee.

oooo, just found the gnome partitioner on desktop, but don't want to do boo with it until get some advice.
Also, wondering why there is now unallocated space on my main (XP) drive - don't remember seeing that before...and now the main XP partition on 1st hD is XP2, and the win98 on 2nd HD is XP? Gee, what else did I miss!
Both the primary, XP partition on main HD and the primary, Linux partition on the 2nd HD have the 'boot' flag showing in GParted main window.
Think I'll go play Holy War for a while (yey browser games)

Emmmmmm....
I restarted a few times.
I can log into XP.
I can nearly log into 98SE!(why would I - well the themes are cool)
I am now back in Linux.
O boy, I am learning so publicly!
I wonder how to get rid of KDE and use Gnome desktop instead?
Fear me.

Next month, the latest Ubuntu is arriving in the mail...