i am using windows xp pro sp2 and want to switch to mandrake-linux 10.1 offficial. i do not want to parition my computer just to use mandrake-linux. 10.1 official. does linux download and install over my windows xp pro( i indeed burning the mandrake - linux to cd's too) . I am new(very) at linux but not at windows. can I use everything on my computer with mandrake e.g. msn messenger .do I have to do everything else to prepare my computer for mandrake-linux. I also use nero as my cd burning software .is this compatible with linux. I also use a webcam through msn messenger.
thank you

Yes - if you don't make a separate partition for Mandrake, it will overwrite your Windows and you won't be able to use it. However, Mandrake resizes NTFS partitions very well (at least on W2K) so you might try that.

You can't use Windows programs on Linux, as they are different operating systems. Only certain cross-platform apps such as OpenOffice and Mozilla work on both. But Gaim works on Windows and Linux and should be a suitable replacement for MSN. Nero won't work either, but there are various 'frontends' for cdrecord that are passable at doing Nero's job. Not sure about the webcam.

But if you dual-boot, you will still be able to use any applications for either system just by rebooting into the other one.

Hope that helps.

First welcome to this forum and to linux

If you want you could leave windows xp and make a new partition for mandrake so you could dual boot between them , you also need to make a small partition (about 512) to be a swap partition for linux

There are programs in linux that let you connect to msn , icq , yahoo ,...... e.g.: Gaim , kopete

Linux dont use EXE , there are other burning tools thats just like nero e.g. : K3b

if I do decide to partition where do I go to find how to do this. my computer consists of
Field Value
Physical Memory
Total 126 MB
Used 106 MB
Free 19 MB
Utilization 84 %

Swap Space
Total 307 MB
Used 209 MB
Free 97 MB
Utilization 68 %

Virtual Memory
Total 433 MB
Used 315 MB
Free 117 MB
Utilization 73 %

Field Value
C: (NTFS) 19085 MB (3097 MB free)
also could I make linux my main operating system and transfer my e-mail (thunderbird over instead of having to reinstalled it).if the person I am communicating only has msn messenger is it best to keep this on the windows partition. I also use firefox for the internet.Is partition very difficult?
thank you for your help as I am so looking forward to linux .

Hm. Actually, with a disk that full, repartitioning and getting it to fit could be a challenge. First, XP sometimes likes to use more of the disk than it has to, even when you defrag thoroughly. Second, you're probably using NTFS, which means Mandrake can read your data but you can't reliably modify it. Third, Mandrake isn't really slim by default. So you might be able to get Mandrake on in that space, if you got all of it, but you couldn't do a whole lot with it. If you can free up space, that'd be a good thing. And Mandrake will partition it for you if you want, which might not be a bad idea if this is your first shot.

Mayeb somebody with more experience with Mandrake and how slim you can get it could help. (I only tried it once and just took the defaults to see what it would do.)

Plus, 128MB of RAM is probably enough, but things might not be as snappy as you'd like. Shouldn't be much different from what XP must be like now, though.

If you want to talk to someone who is using Messenger, they can use that and you can use Gaim or others and still communicate. And if Firefox/Thunderbird are already your browser/mail clients, that'll make that part of the transition easier. But you would have to install the Linux versions on Linux.

i have decided to use only mandrake-linux 10.1 offficial . is the installation hard for a newbie and i am having trouble finding a mirror to download cd's for i486. i have backup my files . does the cd's when installing mandrake do a full installation or will i be asked about partition. what do i say?
is there anything else i have to do to get my computer ready. i have read all the information i can but get confused.
i am IDE not sata.
i have a printer attached to my computer hp2210 all-in-one .do i reinstall this once mandrake is installed.i
Can I download Gaim and K3b and from where?
as you see i am newbie at linux but willing to learn.
thank you for your help.

You don't have a 486, do you? If you've got a Pentium or up, these will do : LQiso. You just need the x86 architecture. But if I understood correctly, that is a pretty bold move to go pure Linux right off the bat. Have you tried Knoppix or something like that to see if you like it at all? Still, whatever you want to do.

As far as the install, IIRC (and it may be different from 9.0 or whatever I installed), the installer pops up a graphical screen, asks a few simple questions, and then asks about partitioning. You can tell it to do whatever it wants and it'll present a screen for your approval. You can just accept what it does. It'll be much easier and much more correct as a single boot system, so there aren't many worries there. As far as getting your computer prepared, use Windows to get as much information about your system as you can - most things will be autodetected and so on, but it's still good to know in general principle, and may be vital if there are any problems with identification. Otherwise, if this is to be a clean install, just make sure you have good backups.

As far as the printer, if you've got a manufacturer's disk, that's no longer useful (unless, by some fluke, they provide Linux drivers). You'll need to get it set up with Linux. First thing to do there is check the Mandrake and/or LQ HCL to see if it works with Mandrake. (No idea - I don't have a printer.)

For apps, there are several sites, but a major one is http://freshmeat.net/

I understand about reading what you can but getting confused by some of it. Still, lots of reading and a willingness to learn are probably the most important things. That's what LQ is for - if you've read and it still doesn't make sense, come here.