Yesterday I had a Win98 and a linux Red Hat 7.2.

I tried to install Win Xp on my computer:

- I backuped some file on cdrom and on another partition from the one intended to boot Xp from
- I formatted the boot partition
- but the guy that gave me the cd hadn' give me the s.n. as well. After visiting astaserials.com and retrieving 7 such codes, tried them all, but didn't succed. Thus I had to cancel the installation, called another friend who had the s.n. as well, but his cd wasn't bootable.
- so I tried to reinstall my Win98: surprise, the setup wouldn't finish since it had detected some errors on the partition I didn't change.
- I gave up and installed successfully the Red Hat 7.2.

Now what can I do to install Win XP on my computer.

Linux works fine but I have unsupported sound card, unsupported cdrw drive so win has it's advantages.

windows should be installed first-98,2000,xp, then install linux
buy a copy of xp and you can install it
get a copy of a more recent distro-rh9.0, should take care of your problems
quote:
Linux works fine but I have unsupported sound card, unsupported cdrw drive so win has it's advantages.

if windows works for you, then use it, that simple

TO twilli227: ________________
I don't think that Linux must be installed after Win.
Did you read my post carefuly? I am interested in concrete solutions to my problem: if I try to install Win I will
get the same error about errors on drive D.
Please next time come with something that really helps, not just words. OKY-DOKY?

You can install Windows after Linux, but Windows will overwrite your MBR, which bars you from starting up Linux (Linux's bootloader is overwritten by Windows). If you have the time and patience, It would be best to install Windows and then Linux like twilli227 mentioned.

what! NO! First make room for windows, I you haven't done that alraidy. Then put lilo or grub on a floppy, so you can boot to linux after you have installed XP. Then install windows XP.
It's indeed best to install windows and then linux, but it doesn't have to be that way.
B.t.w. An unsupported cd-rw drive? Are you sure? What research have you done on the drive?
Oh, and, don't want error's? What about buying a copy of win. Or getting an copy that is cracked right.

It may be possible to install XP after Linux, but as twilli and evilpants both pointed out, by doing so you are making life unnecessarily difficult for yourself, and it's sort of like making 3 right turns instead of one left. Sure, you end up in the same place but it's not very efficient.

Based on what you've described, it seems to me that the solution to your problem would be to first obtain a legit copy of XP rather than to use one of uncertain origin; then install XP on your machine; then install Redhat. You can go your own way and install things in whatever order you want and end up being forced to always boot from a floppy rather than your HD, but if your objective is to be able to dual boot between XP and Linux with a minimal amount of hassle, do XP first then Linux. That's just the way it is, because the XP installation *will* overwrite your MBR whether you like it or not. -- J.W.