My primary hd (2nd is for backup only) has 4 partitions on it that are readable by winXP:
C: = win98
D: = winXP
E: = My Documents
F: = Share partition

I used the last 60 GB of space for Mandrake 10.1 Official, which installed w/ no problems. Before installing MDK winXP would give me a boot menu w/ choice to go to winXP by default or chose win98. After installing MDK I am still getting this when I should be getting the option for MDK. On installing MDK during the bootloader section it had options for sda, sdb, sd8 (the 60 GB partition it installed on), and fd0. I chose the sd8 option since earlier at the partition stage that is what it named the partition. Should I have chosen sda instead? Is there something to correct this? I am new to Linux so have little knowledge in this area. I did try booting to CD 1 and use the rescue feature to repair the bootloader, but that didn't change anything. I can still boot into winXP and win98 just fine, but nothing concerning MDK.

Thanks for your help.
Troy

If you wish to keep using the XP bootloader, you will need to copy the lilo boot sector record from sda8 (I presume that is what you meant when you said sd8) across to your XP C: drive.
This should be pretty simple to do from your install CDs.

Search on my userid for the last couple of days to get the idea.

Note that using lilo you will have to do this every time you run the lilo command - grub is a better option IMHO as you only ever need do it once, but I don't know if Mandrake offers it (grub) as an option on the installer.

I resolved the problem by reinstalling MDK. I did 2 things different this time:

1. Chose to have bootloader load to sda rather then sda8
2. Added a swap drive (didn't do it before)

I'm assuming the real difference was the change in # 1.


Thanks.
Troy

By choosing sda, you installed into the MBR (master boot record) - replacing the Windows bootloader.
This is o.k., and solved you immediate problem. Be aware that if you re-install a Windows version, the reverse will happen. Windows *always* replaces the MBR - you don't get an option.
You should be able to fix this from Mandrake recovery mode without a re-install.

The swap is used by Linux - usually considered necessary, but as you suspected unrelated to the boot issue.

Actually my windows bootloader still exists. If I chose windows from the Linux bootloader I then get Windows bootloader prompting to either boot to winxp (default) or I can chose win98.

No, everything AFTER the boot phase still exists.
The boot loader occupies some portion of the first 446 bytes of the first sector of the primary hard disk.

Trust me on this - the Windows version is no longer there