is there a good way to dual boot to linux if i want to keep my current windows install? i have a partition set aside for another OS, wats the best approach?

I've installed OpenSuSE 10.0 on a few Windoze boxes with no difficulties. The installation automatically created a new partition, reducing the Windoze partition (on XP and 98) enough to install Linux, but not crippling Windoze in the process. It then set up Linux with the Grub boot loader and had Windoze in the menu, so you could boot up into Windoze at will, with no ill effects. The default was set to Linux, but it can easily be set to default to Windoze if you prefer.

I'm sure other distributions are also capable of doing this just as painlessly, but I only have experience with SuSE. I've found it to work very smoothly, including on my laptop with wireless. I rarely ever boot Windoze any more.

I just did it for the first time install of linux hehe easy....

What you need to do is find a way to partition you hard drive I did 50/50 partition. I already had windows installed so you might want to backup data first, there is a small chance you could loose data or windows will become currupt. Anyways, after you partition drive leave the other half of the drive unalocated.. restart to ensure windows boots and check the new size of your C: drive.. if everything checks throw linux disc in and you are on your way. If you are installing GUI version of linux it will show hda1 - hda2 depending on how you partition. ensure that you do not format the NTFS partition only the unallocated or unknown. linux install like fedora core 6 is very smart and you can select to leave ntfs file system entact. if you have any questions let me know.