Hi, this is embarassing but I bought Linux for Dummies, which included a dvd with Fedora Core 5 on it. I want to put linux on my laptop that already has windows xp media center on it. My laptop has two 80 gb sata drives on it: the first drive has windows, and I was hoping to put fedora on the other. I've tried installing it with the included dvd on the second drive several times, but each time when I go to reboot after the installation it hangs at a blinking cursor and won't do anything. Since I'm installing from the dvd I set the BIOS to boot from cd drive. Then after I install, I set the BIOS to boot from the second hard drive, supposedly with linux on it, but nothing. Windows is still working fine (that's how I'm posting this).
Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks,
the n00b

Difficult to say. You haven't given any information about the choices available to you during installation, and which choices you made of those available.

I'd suggest going through the installation one more time. This time, with pen and paper handy, make notes.
Example:
1-changed BIOS to boot from dvd
2-inserted dvd and rebooted.
3-first menu show this.....I did this....
and so on until the end where you change the BIOS to boot from disk 2.

Not knowing the options you were given, and which you chose, it's difficult to say what you overlooked or did incorrectly.

Write up your notes in Word (simple text to avoid formatting issues), then copy/paste into this thread.

Alright, here it goes:

1. I insert the dvd, reboot, enter BIOS setup, change to boot from dvd, save and reboot.
2. Linux for Dummies screen comes up and after "boot: " i type "linux" and hit enter.
3. A series of text and screens pass, and then the Fedora start screen appears. I select English and US English keyboard.
4. Fedora then searches for previous installations, and since I've already tried to install it, it gives me two options: install or upgrade. I select install and hit next.
5. Then asks me which drive to install on, so I select the 2nd drive and select "Remove Linux partitions and select default layout" and hit next.
6. I hit yes to confirm wanting to remove all Linux partitions on that drive.
7. Network device is set to "eth0" and active on boot with IP/Netmask "DHCP". I leave hostname to be determined by DHCP and click next.
8. Set region to "America/Phoenix"
9. I set the root password and hit next.
10. I select the check marks for "Office and Productivity" and "Software Development", then select "Customize Later" and hit next.
11. Fedora installer checks dependencies for selected packages...
12. Fedora confirms I'm ready to install, I hit next and installation begins

- "Formatting /file system" window appears

- Transfers image install to drive

- Starts install process

- Prepares transaction from install source

- Fedora installs

13. Installation finishes, dvd is ejected. I click "Reboot".
14. Enter BIOS setup and set to boot from HDD in order HDD2 -> HDD1. Save and reboot.
15. Once startup begins, only flashing cursor is seen in upper left corner, and does nothing else. I hit power and reboot into windows.

So here I am.