Hello:
I'm new in linux but i found it more reliable than windows but my family still needs windows.

i bought a new hard disk, i installed win xp prof in the first half oh the hd and it worked fine, then in the other half i installed fedora core 5, as i knew i made one "/boot" partition, one "/" partition and one "swap" partition. the installation went just fine.
in the boot options i put winxp as the default.
in the boot options it says that it will boot win in "x" seconds or press any key for boot options if i leave it kind of boot win and then it reboots itself over and over again.
i don't know if i made something wrong or if i can fix it or if i have to reinstall all

another question, i have another hard disk with lots of music that i don't want to lose, how can i attached it so that i can access that disk from windows or linux. the hard disk is unaccesible because of a virus but the music is still there.

i would really really apreciate any help. and please let me know if i didn't explain myself clear.

Thanks

From a FC5 terminal session run the following and post the outputNote both commands use lower case ell, not the number 1.
If the commands aren't found, go to root ("su -" followed by your root password when requested) and try again.
If menu.lst isn't found substitute grub.conf.

[root@localhost ~]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/hda: 41.1 GB, 41110142976 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4998 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 2431 19526976 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 2432 2456 200812+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda3 2588 4998 19366357+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda4 2457 2587 1052257+ 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 2457 2587 1052226 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order
[root@localhost ~]# cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda3
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.15-1.2054_FC5)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img
title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

Well looking at that menu.lst, FC (not Windoze) should be the default boot-up.
Don't know FC at all, so can't help. Hopefully someone else will pipe up with a solution.

Well, first off for XP to be default you need to change the default line to:
I think you may need to add the line 'makeactive' between rootnoverity and chainloader +1. Anyhow, I am a linux newbie but this is how my menu.lst file is.

/edit
As for getting rid of the virus, I think we'll need a little more info. like the name of the infection, before we can help you. Have you tried your favorite AV website for an automated removal tool?

sr_25 is correct. I have a machine that boots Ubuntu,FC5 and win XP. If you are going to play around with different distros get use to changing menu.lst aka grub.conf. Keep a copy of what works you will need it. Most of the time grub will boot the last operating system installed and then it will be up to you to edit the grub configuration file to get the other(s) functional again.

title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1