Automatic Partition Failed
 

I want to install Red Hat 9 along side Windows XP which I have already installed.
I restart my computer with the 1st Red Hat 9 CD in the drive, it boots up and everything is going fine. It asks me information, such as my mouse type. It then gets to the partition screen. I click Automatic Partition, then
Keep all partitions and use existing free space.
Then I click OK.
It then says:
Error Partitioning
Could not allocate requested partitions:

Partitioning failed: Could not allocate partitions as primary partitions.

Then I click OK again, and it gives me another error screen which says.

The following errors occured with your partitioning,
You have not defined a root partition (/),
Which is required for installation of Red Hat Linux to Continue.

This can happen if there is not enough space on your hard drive for the installation.

The last part makes no sense, I have over 40 gigs free.
I only have 1 hard drive. What is a root partition (/).
Please, someone help me.

Do you have any free space for linux ?
If yes, this free space must not be belong to any logical partition.
You can not have more than 4 primary partitons in your hard disk (including the linux one).

Good luck

I have free space, but its on Drive C. How to I partition that so I can run Linux?

First you must use PQ_magic to resize the drive C to be smaller for having really free disk for linux.
After you have total free space, you can install linux.

Good luck

If some free space on C, it doesn't free space,because windows formated it ,maybe fat32 maybe ntfs. so you need use PQ to get free space out from windows.

Also..make sure that the partition you created for Linux is primary and not extended....if you set up an extended partition for LInux the installer will freak out on you.