Win2K and Linux Dual Boot?

[mastermind94]

Is it possible?

[JungleMan]

Yes, install 2k, then Linux.

[mastermind94]

aiight!! awesome, i was thinking i had to get boot magic or something like that.... but oh well, thanks.

[JungleMan]

Partition Magic might help to make some unallocated space without fdisking your whole drive

[j2k]

Prepare yourself for possible outcomes though, e.g. check my 'Yeah!!!' thread.

[mastermind94]

damn

[JungleMan]

Folks, this is why I dont' like Linux.

If you have another HDD you should be fine though...

[Gandalf_Grey_]

I have done a dual boot with XP and mandrake a few times, i find that using partition magic to define your partiton sbefore hand i smore troublesome. I just let the included program with mandrake, its called diskdrake, it is a really good program, depends on which distro you are using though. Also i find that the linux boot loader (at least with mandrake) is much better than anything else you can find, mainly bcause it sets itself up quite easily.

[JungleMan]

Just something to keep in mind folks if for any reason you need to remove the LiLo boot loader, get to a DOS prompt and type:

fdisk /mbr

It doesn't erase anything on your hard drive except Lilo

[j2k]

Would this also remove acronis os selector by any chance?

What would replace it though?

[JungleMan]

Originally posted by j2k
Would this also remove acronis os selector by any chance?

What would replace it though?

No idea what Acronis is but it probably resides in your master boot record, which is what fdisk /mbr erases

You would most likely see the Windows 2000/XP boot loader instead. (If you have more than one Windows OS installed, and you install Win2k/XP, it shows a bootloader which lets you choose, for example, between 2000, XP, and 98....)

[mastermind94]

fdisk /mbr wont remove OSes...

If will remove bootloaders by rewritting the MBR like Lilo, Grub, BootMagic, OS/2 BootLoader, etc.......!

[j2k]

Yes, Acronis resides in the MBR.

[mastermind94]

what'S acronis???

[j2k]

an evil piece of crap that is a boot manager that I think removed my windows!

[CyberSurfer]

I have to say, I have performed countless installs of Linux (Mandrake, Red Hat, Debian) over Windows (98 and 2000) setting up disk space with Partition Magic, and have ever only had one problem which was caused by me selecting a blatently wrong option in the Mandrake installer by accident.

BTW I have also found LiLo to be a very reliable boot loader, and would recommend it even to those new to Linux. Coupled with the graphical interface offered for LiLo by Mandrake and others, it's very easy to use

If you're reasonably confident about your computing abilities, you shoudn't find dual-booting too much trouble.

[JungleMan]

Originally posted by mastermind94
fdisk /mbr wont remove OSes...

If will remove bootloaders by rewritting the MBR like Lilo, Grub, BootMagic, OS/2 BootLoader, etc.......!

I didn't say it would remove OSes, but if you do fdisk /mbr, a Linux install will be inaccessible

[Gandalf_Grey_]

I like lilo as a boot loader

[mastermind94]

Originally posted by j2k
an evil piece of crap that is a boot manager that I think removed my windows!

[CyberSurfer]

If you do fdisk /mbr, you can still access Linux installations with the boot disks you all created at Install time

[JungleMan]

Originally posted by CyberSurfer
If you do fdisk /mbr, you can still acess Linux installations with the boot disks you all created at Install time

Oh, didn't know that. Well, Linux isn't my forte...

[mastermind94]

Originally posted by CyberSurfer
If you do fdisk /mbr, you can still acess Linux installations with the boot disks you all created at Install time

or by loadlin or VMWare

[CyberSurfer]

Well, you could do that, or you could use Hummingbird Exceed very creatively, but I really wouldn't want to use VMWare if I'd gone to the bother of repartitioning my HD and installing another OS...IMHO it's better to run the actual OS by itself...