This probably sounds stupid, but I am a and I bought a printer I cannot use in Linux and am now in a different country which makes it impossible to return the darn thing.
As such, I am left with the alternative of putting WINDOWS on my computer so I have full access to my Lexmark X75 All in One. It really sucks having to use Windows at all, but I really need my printer/scanner/copier/fax.

So is it at all possible to create a small partition, without damaging anything in Linux (my only existing OS) and then to install a functional Windows and HOW?

Oh yes, I am aware of Win4Lin that requires an over $80 registration fee to be able to use it. Is there anything or any way else?

Please have some good help for me!

Hi,

You could just create another partition and install Windows. If your linux install is using 100% of your hard disk. Use something like Partition Magic to reduce the size of your hard drive, so you can use some for a Windows install.

Then install Windows, when you install Windows it is going to overwrite your MBR and you'll lose you boot loader, you might want to create a boot disk so you can restore it after you have installed Windows so you can use Linux again.

Good luck : )

Regs
Craig.

That does sound fairly easy, but I do not have a boot floopy for my mdk 9.2. However, my mdk cd is a boot cd. So will the boot and installation cd work to ge tthe mbr back? I seem to remember seeing a special command for updating or repairing the mbr among other command capabilities immediately prior to the actual installation or update process. Am I right?

At the same time, since the partition manager is not mdk linux and creates it's own menu of some kind, when I reestablish the mdk linux mbr will it automatically pick up the windows installation and place it on the menu or will I have to go into the installation and do something in there?

Please forgive my stupidity, but this is all new to me.

I appreciate your help very much.

Hi There,

1. MDK 9.x has its own Partition-resizing tool.
In all cases you should backup essential data on your disks before resizing your partition.

As far as i know, MDK is a redhat-clone. You should try if there is a rescue-environment on your boot-cd. Boot from the cd and try "linux rescue"

I really don't know if it works with the mandrake-cd, but there has to be something like this. Maybe look at the docs...

The rescue environment should mount your system (redhat does it under /mnt/rescue). you would have to "chroot" to this directory if it 's not done automatically. You now should edit your "lilo.conf" and rum lilo or just edit "grub.conf" telling 'em the data for your new windows partition.
You should then leve the rescue environment and reboot your system with your bootloader. Be carefull because the diffences between partition-numbers under lilo and grub.

The other way, to install windows before linux, is much easier, because most distributions would automatically set up your bootloder for all systems.

2. The Windows Bootloader will not be able to start your linux. It is not able to adress your kernel properly. Idon't know how grub adresses the kernel, lilo points to the exact physical location of your disk, where your bootloader is stored.
Because of this you have to run "lilo" everytime you change your bootconfiguration to reinject the correct data into the mbr.

If you want to use the windows boot-manager, you'll have to install a linux-bootloader into the mbr of your root partition and add this partition to your windows bootmenu.
I don't like this, because you'll have to pass two menus on booting.

Read the manpages of lilo or grub, there is enough informaton.
If you are unsure, there is an example at the installation of gentoo-linux at "www.gentoo.org". Have a look at the install-guide in the documents.

"books may be usefull at all, but remember the old proverb:
ignorance is the mother of adventures!"
(Hagar the Horrible)

For the most part, I am hoping to not have to reinstall mdk. So I am for now being a bit patient and researching the (perhaps secret) way to install windows on a Linux computer. One way is certain by using Win4Lin (if I understand that program correctly), but I do not have the almost $90 to buy the damn software license right now. So I am hoping the programming geniuses out there will have a solution for me. I know I hope for a lot, but it is close to Christmas.

Come on guys give me the answer and consider it my Christmas present!

Could I maybe install windows on a seperate hd without doing anything to the already existing mdk Linux? Would an external hd (if there is such a thing) connected to the computer by usb be better?

Please let me know.

If you go to the Mandrake Control Center, you can create a boot disk. Also, if you press F1 when booting up to the first CD, and enter rescue, you can get into the rescue system. There will be a menu, and one of the options is to reinstall the boot loader for linux.
If you install WindowsXP with ntfs file system, you might want to to a web search with the terms NT Linux Lilo Boot howto and use the NT loader to boot to linux.
I'm surprised you can't find a lexmark driver to work for you in linux. Is this printer a spanking new model? Their web-site doesn't even list a mac driver. Maybe, they will release a linux driver in time.

Nope, no way, uh uh! It really sucks, but Lexmark will not or at least so far is not releasingv any Linux drivers. At least, not that I can find, for the X75 All in One and mdk only has a driver for the X73 which will not work at all for me. So for now, I am stuck having to reinstall Windows (bummer) but do not want to erase linux and change my computer to a Windows computer again (IF IT IS POSSIBLE).

If I had the money I would buy another computer just for Windows and Samba to it, but if I had the money it would be easier to just use Win4Lin. In eitehr case, I am really stuck because I spent my money for the Lexmark X75 and my plane ticket to Argentina. Now I am and will be broke for a few months at least. BUMMER!

Don't use the partition tool on the Mandrake Control Centre. It gave me "Bad Superblock" errors when I rebooted. I had to reinstall Mandrake.

Ok, from what I am determining, if I buy Partiton Magic for Almost $70 to get it downloaded i can install Windows and have no problems with my Linux. I could also buy Win4Lin for a little more than $80, but I really do not know if it can truly be installed on top of Linux and cannot find anything describing that (info would be greatly accepted). On the othe rhand, I could just erase everything, install Windows, and then install linux which will make me have to take a lot of time redownloading and installing everything 9.2 won't install .

Is Win4Lin tuly good to put on top of Linux and if so can anyone tell me how I use it?