Got the 3 disks Red Hat 9.0 dsik from a friend. Have a Laptop with 6GB and 98SE. Would like to try to keep 98SE. There is no data on it but it is borrowed. Would not be huge deal if I had to wipe out 98. But I'm looking for the added challenge of installing with both.
Have Partition Magic 8 also. Just wondering what the best way to carve up this drive is and also what to do with these ISOs. I have downloaded WinImage6.1, now I can view the ISO. Do I need to make a boot disk at this point or what. Defiantely kinda lost at this point of could use a push. Thanks for your help. Check back after work

PM8 should have an option to partition for an new OS install. Whichever version of PM I use had it. Select option, choose linux(!) as the OS, select the recommended options, choose partition size (3Gb, half and half?) and follow instructions. You will need to reboot for most of the changes to take effect, but it tells you to do that anyway!

If PM8 doesn't have that option you need to create a new PRIMARY partition. Select the option to place after current partition. Should be default values again use these.

RH9 is bootable from CD, check your BIOS settings to see if the laptop can boot from CD. If not you can create a boot disk. Can't remember exactly how to, check www.redhat.com documentation section for instructions, or someone else may post how to (anyone?)

BTW I assume you have burnt the ISO's to disk. You said your friend gave you 3 cd's but talk later about ISO's. If there iso format use nero or similar to burn image to CD.

Hope this helps.

Actually let me try that. I did that before, but The partition was not with the 1024 boundary. Maybe that is why the CD would not boot. If not I am stuck on how to make a boot disk still.
Thanks

I think there are restrictions on where Win98 must be but partition magic should tell you those, possibly in the help.

Check it out first before chopping at random! Non-booting machines are a pain in the a%$e! I did something similar and had to go and get a new HD to reinstall on. Windoze rescue mode on CD didn't even work!

I have had that happen as well. But, rather then getting new hard drives, what I did was obtain a copy of the drive manufacturers, hard drive tools. This let me do a low level format and regular format so that windows would be able to use the drive again. Of course, that wipes EVERYTHING from the disk.



Assuming what you have are ISO's (image file of a cd), you need to burn the iso to a cd as an image not as a file. This will create the file structure on the cd for you. Almost all linux iso's are bootable. You then have to go into you bios and specify first boot device to be cdrom. I usually set first cdrom, second floppy and third the hard drive I have os on (for installing anyways, after I am done I make the hd be the first.)

I would also suggest looking for information regarding drivers for the laptop using 98 BEFORE you install linux. Two reasons. If you mess up windows while installing linux, you can still get linux running. 2nd reason, it is a pain in the ARSE to switch back and forth between linux and windoze constantly.

I am a linux newbie myself but a few years ago i had played with it a bit (wish I could remember all that crap) I my memory serves me right mandrake had the easiest install and was most user friendly. Redhat was a bit more complicated to install. But that was years ago and probably has changed by now.

For some reason I am here again trying debian this time. I must be the type of person that likes stress

EDIT: P.S. If I also remember correctly redhat will ask you if you wish to make a boot floppy or use lilo for booting. And don't quote me on this but it seems lilo worked fine with 98.

I agree with Bullzeye, get all drivers first if you can, print out install guides from forums and sites. Basically get all the info you will need to hand, drivers on floppy and guides hardcopy.
It makes life much easier when your stuck at the command prompt with no idea what to do next.

But I still go with dualboot with Windows and create rescue/boot disks. That gives access to the internet if something unexpected crops up!