i want to install xp without deleting red hat linux 5
 

i had xp installed in my pc along with red hat linux 5,i wanted to merge two partitions on xp but mistakenly corrupted data,so my xp isn't working now.i want to reinstall xp without deleting linux...linux is not allowing xp cd to boot.what should i do???

Try a virtual installation; install Sun VirtualBox http://www.virtualbox.org/ (easy and works just fine) or VMware Server http://www.vmware.com (a little less easy, also works just fine). You install the software in Linux, then install Windows in the virtual machine (you can install multiple guest operating systems in either VirtualBox or VWware Server).
[EDIT]
If you have been dual-booting your system with lilo or grub, you should know that, if you do a complete re-installation of XP using the Microsoft installation media, it will overwrite your master boot record -- you will most likely need to boot Linux with a "boot disk" or CD-ROM so that you can reinstall lilo or grub. It will appear that Linux is "gone" before you do that.

This is another good reason to install VirtualBox or VMware then install Microsoft in a virtual machine -- once you've got XP installed (and have gotten the thousand or so updates for it done), you can take a "snapshot" of the system; when XP fills its diapers, you can simply restore the snapshot and you're back in business in a few minutes instead of a few hours. Note that virtual machines are not emulators; you install a complete operating system in the virtual machine and, for all practical purposes, it looks, feels and runs as if it were the only system on the box (and you can install more than one virtual machine if you'd like).

Hope this helps some.

What happens when you try to install? Error message? This usually happens because windows doesn't recognize non-windows code in mbr. Your xp install CD should have a Recovery option, have you tried the fixmbr and fixboot commands from it? There are numerous posts here at LQ explaining how to do this.

it doesnt seem right that linux is stopping the windows-xp cd from running at boot. seems like more of a bios issue (go to bios setup and make sure that cd rom is enabled as a bootable device).

i would try virtualization first and would let you peole know
 

i would try virtualization first and would let you peole know!!

i installed SUN VIRTUALBOX but i couldn't understand it..i actually want to use windows xp also...i have other drives that are inaccessable from linux like NTFS plus i have to run many softwares on windows


while rebooting my system when i insert a bootable windows xp Cd it starts for a while but stops..and i have to reboot again..and can only use linux..
i asked someone about that he said that u have to delete linux to install XP but i think its Foolish....

i have enabled boot FROM BIOS..and boot priority is set to CD then HDD etc...
it boots for a while only!

should i run that software then insert windows XP cd??what to do??

I had the same problem. Actually,sometimes windows xp installation stops responding when there is linux(in my case fedora) previously installed in the system(maybe its a trick of microsoft to discourage people of linux).
Then i did a tricky stuff. I disconnected the HardDisk bus and started installation(Hence The XP installer detected no other OS on the system), then after it had crossed the non-responding stage ..i connected the HDD BUS at its place..
yuppie..all went just fine

i hope this works for u..gd luck

when you install xp select the partiton to install to. Xp installation will rewrite your mbr will have to reinstall grub to mbr after xp is installed. Can use either you linux installation disk or if you have a floppy drive make a grub boot disk before reinstalling windows, and after windows is installed boot your linux installation from your linux cd or from the floppy boot disk and then reinstall grub to your mbr from your linux partition. to make a boot floppy make a /boot/grub directory on the floppy, copy the *.stage flies from the subdirecty of /lib/grub and a menu.lst to the boot/grub directory on the floppy. run grub and and issue the following commands

problem solved ..by removing the bus of hard disk at the time of booting xp CD!

i shouldve figured that out since the same thing happened to me a while ago:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...0/#post2976633

another problem now
 

Now i cant get to linux again...it takes me straight to the windows...with no options or no countdown!

maybe boot with a live-usb and re-install grub ?

Boot from the Linux installtion DVD/CD, type in

linux rescue

at the initial text prompt, then you'll be able to re-install grub.
Remember to add an entry for XP. There's loads of threads here about this.