Switching from Linux to Windows XP on a partitioned hd
 

I partitioned my hard drive and got Linux installed and it works fine, for the most part.
I used Partition Magic to partition my hard drive. I never installed Boot Magic, because it didn't work. It said I needed a FAT32 hard drive, which I don't have, because I have Windows XP installed.
Anyway, when I try to use the Partition Magic diskettes I made while Partitioning, I put in the first disk and it tells me to put in the second like its supposed to. But when I put in the second disk, it says "Physical Media Error".

So, what is a good way to switch from my Linux partition, to my WIndows XP partition with all my files.

please help

thx

Are you asking how to dualboot, like have a menu when you boot, letting you choose the OS?

If so, there are alot of boot managers out there besides bootmagic.

I have Debian and Win2K on my box, and I use linux's own loader, LILO. grub is also good.

Hope this helps...

I'm confused - I've never used Partition Magic but I do boot from floppies a lot. Are you saying PM made an XP boot disk (or what passes for one in XP, anyway)? You *can* boot to Linux but didn't install LILO or Grub or anything, so can't dual boot or boot XP from the hard drive?

I'm trying to get it to dualboot, so I can choose between Windows XP or Linux at start up.
And yea, Partition Magic made a XP boot disk, which didn't work.

Where can I get LILO or Grub?

lilo and grub will be available on the linux cd. do a 'liloconf' as root to configure it and then do 'lilo' to install it.

so do i have them already on my pc?

[root@x1-6-00-c0-a8-8c-11-57 nick]# liloconf
bash: liloconf: command not found

[root@x1-6-00-c0-a8-8c-11-57 nick]# lilo
Added linux *
Added linux-nonfb
Added floppy
Added old_linux
Added failsafe

??

I can get into Grub, but what do I do in it to get to XP?

lilo.conf is a file, not a command. Try

less /etc/lilo.conf

You ran LILO and it sounds like it added some stuff (though I don't understand what) so it's there and working and trying. Just edit the file to reflect your arrangement and run 'lilo' again. Then reboot.

your-editor /etc/lilo.conf
lilo
init 6 (or three-finger salute)

I don't know anything about grub - always used LILO and never had any unrecoverable problems.