i'm a novice to linux. I want to know whether i can install redhat rpm packages in mandrake linux.

I also want to know whether i can view my windows partition in mandrake
linux and i can copy vcd's directly(without encoding) to my hard drive?

hi,
I m not sure whether you can do that. But according to me u get rpm's for mandrake also. If u try insyalling redhat rpms u may face the problem of dependencies. U can get the rpms for mandrake. The rpms end with .mdk in mandrake as u have .rpm for redhat.

Hi there chamara910!!!

Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org

It could be possible. I've installed many, many rpm's made from Mandrake in SuSE Linux without a problem. I've also converted and installed successfully Mandrake packages (.rpm) into Debian packages (.deb) using Alien, and it worked perfectly. Same happened converting a Mandrake package (.rpm) to Slackware package (.tgz) using apt2tgz...

I'd say, it may work or may not. Most likely it will and it won't hurt trying .

You can not only read, but also write to Windows partitions from Linux. I've no idea how NTFS support for Linux currently is, but FAT32 works great. I'd also recommend you making at least four partitions when dual booting:

1 - Windows (enough for the system itself and Virtual Memory)
2 - A big FAT32 partition to be used by both Linux and Windows. Movies, mp3's, everything I put in here.
3 - Linux: Just like Windows partition
4 - Swap.

To read (and write, as long as your Windows partition is FAT32), open a terminal and create a mount point:

#mkdir /mnt/win_c

It can be any other place, I just like to keep my mount point for partitions and devices at /mnt/. Then, open and edit (root needed) your file located at /etc/ called fstab and add the following line:

The place I took it was from here. Although made for Slackware, Slackware tips and tricks is a great source of info. Bookmark it .

About your last question, I really don't know. However, mplayer is very capable of playing VCD's without a problem.

Good luck!

the probs of dependencies exist. I have not been able to install fedora components on mandrake linux. It is highly frustrating . please name some converter softwares using which i can change my .rpm s to .mdk s

or even give me the url linking to free mdk download without registration in mandrakesoft.com

Dependencies will exist always, even when using a Mandrake package in Mandrake. Though, if you are trying to install Fedora packages in Mandrake 9.1 (as your profile says you are using), then, simply put, that won't work: Fedora Core 1 is ages newer then Mandrake 9.1, thus dependencies will require newer packages. You could, however, try to force the installation (with "--nodeps" flag: rpm -i yadda_yadda_yadda --nodeps), but I really don't recommend that because they are from different times...

You don't have to register either to download Mandrake, when you reach this site:

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/ftp.php3

select the option "I'm already a member of the Club or plan on registering soon, please send me to the download page".

And newer packages in .rpm format for any distribution (or most of them) can always be found here:

http://rpm.pbone.net/

If you prefer a more graphical way to get to your windows disk, you just right click on the desktop, then choose create new|Device|Hard Disk Device. That will open up a dialog box in which you can name the disk (like "windows drive" or something) and chose the device you want to use (/mnt/hda..../mnt/hdb.... etc....). Then a link to your windows disk will sit on your desktop whenever you log in. This works in KDE, but I don't know about Gnome.


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