Okay i want to install mandrake 9.1 or redhat 9.0, I am using single hd (40gig)running windows xp home ed. I want to go ahead and install i linux os. But i really dont know where to begin i want xp to be my main os...Please give advice

Does this look like a good tut http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux...w2k-HOWTO.html

Begin by resizing your XP partition. A distro like Mandrake has tools for this, but I'm not sure how reliable they are. You can also use partitioning tools like Partition Magic from Windows. Once your XP partition has shrunk and there's empty unpartitoned space on your hd, an installation of Linux will be a snap. You can download images of the installation cds from a place like www.linuxiso.org . Write them *directly* to cd. If you're using Nero, click 'File', then 'Burn Image' then select the images you want to burn. Don't just drag the big image file onto the cd. To make sure you burned properly, look on the cd from Windows. You should see lots of files, not just one. The Linux installation will begin by inserting the cd & rebooting. The computer should boot from the cd. If it doesn't, make sure that you set the bios to boot from the cd before the hd. During installation, a bootloader will be installed, which will let you choose between Windows & Linux.

Thanks!!

If you want to do what this tutorial says, make sure you don't install the bootloader to the MBR during installation. Also make sure you have some way of booting your Linux. In Mandrake, you can either install the bootloader to the Linux partition (not mbr) or a floppy. You should probably install to the Linux partition. Not sure what Red Hat does, but it probably does something similar.

how mang gigs set aside for linux? your way sounds easier than the tutorial

Flickflum: I have 60GB hdd-lot of free space so I have 10GB for Linux. Your hdd is smaller, I think that 5GB should be enough.

At least 7-10 GB should be enough. The tutorial just tells you how to use the XP/2k bootloader to boot Linux. It's easier to use the Linux bootloaders because the installer usually does all the hard parts of installing them for you. The installers don't have a 'Use Windows Bootloader' option, so you'll have to do it yourself.