Problem solved, need distro suggestions now:
suggest a distro with which this would work please. I want something stable,tested(not buggy like ubuntu) , easy/automatic configuration(like ubuntu) , and of course should have the option to install the mbr on partition.

I know its possible. I just want to know which distribution would make it easy.

What I want is to install linux on a separate partition without installing any bootloader like grub onto my MBR. Instead I want to use the already installed xp's bootloader.

I think debian's w32 installer works like this. But it is giving me a hal.dll not found error.

What other options do I have?

Thanks

You can use pretty much any distro that allows you to deny the install of a bootloader. Debian in expert mode, Arch, Slackware are the ones that come to my mind instantly, I think Gentoo will work too.

okay so I install a distro without the bootloader, then whats the next step ? of configuring the windows bootloader to boot into linux?

I thought about it, not installing the bootloader is the wrong way, you have to install it, but to your /-partition. Then follow one of the many HowTos on the net, like this one.

I found this guide , which says:

install linux
install grub/lilo to partition , not MBR
copy first 512 bytes of linux partition to file (linux.bin ) on windows partition
add entry ( C:\linux.bin="Linux") to boot.ini


sounds alright ? If so suggest a distro with which this would work please. I want something stable,tested(not buggy like ubuntu) , easy/automatic configuration(like ubuntu) , and of course should have the option to install teh mbr on partition.

Yes that is right. There are many howtos on using XPs to boot linux. Basically you install grub to the /boot partition and then copy it as a file via the dd command to the c: drive. Then edit the boot.ini to boot the linux via that file.

http://highlandsun.com/hyc/linuxboot.html
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ubuntu-711676/

Thanks for confirming!
Now I just need distro suggestions.

It may help to have a look at this link:



http://www.multibooters.co.uk/multiboot.html

Go for Debian. Make sure to use the expert mode when installing, so that you can choose the location for Grub to install.

Look at www.distrowatch.com and they the top 30. They almost all have live cd's. They are the top pretty much based on what people like.

I'd be willing to bet all of them could be installed in an advanced choice. Default instal will put the loader in the wrong place. As above you put your loader in some place. It could be in a partition of it's own or on the linux partition.


You can also boot to iso images using grub4dos(grub24dos/nt) and use live usb's and virtual machines.

chessonly
that how to about using the "boot.ini" is for "Windows XP" and "Windows ME" and "windows 98 "
it is NOT for vista or win7

From the first post in this thread:

Thanks! that was a great link. Filled up my gaps in knowledge about the boot process.

That I want to but can't . I tried it , but my slow internet connection and the way debian installer works ( next > next > next> wait for download to finish > next > next > next> wait for download to finish x 10 times), makes both the net install and 4.4 gb download inviable

You don't need the expert install if you use Debian. Just choose to _not_ install grub into mbr, and the installer will ask you where you want to install it instead
(one barely needs the expert-mode, most things can be done from the usual cli-installer. It doesn't hurt neither, just a few more questions).

In that case choose the CD:
http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/...1/i386/iso-cd/
in case you got a i386 and don't want kfreebsd.
I know the installation quite well, and its not 10 times that you have to wait. Its twice. Once for the base, once after tasksel (where you choose the environment). At the beginning of the installation the tools for it are loaded from CD, there you have to wait too (but not for downloads). All installers i know are similar to that.