Linux distro question

I installed Red Hat 9.0 and liked it. I formatted my pc and want to dual boot XP Pro with some version of Linux. I was going to do a dual boot with Slackware/XP, but I've heard nothing but bad things about attempts to make a dual boot system like this. I mainly want a Linux distro for some programming at this point, though I main turn to it later as my primary OS. My question really is, is it that hard to boot make a dual boot Slackware/XP system? I only have a modular floppy drive because I'm using a laptop, but I guess I could just dual boot with a floppy.

Should I just use a different distro? I don't want to compile anything just yet.

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bwolfe

Here's an excellent article on setting up a dual boot system between Linux and Win2k. Try it with XP.

When I did it with Win2k it was easy and worked slick. You basically just let the MS OS control the boot process and it gives you the option to boot into the Linux OS just as it would give you the option to boot into any other MS OS.

http://www.littlewhitedog.com/content-52.html

There's also a related article... supposedly clarifies some stuff.

http://www.littlewhitedog.com/content-53.html

superflyzx3

I’ve setup a duel boot XP/Slackware box. I installed XP first then Slackware, and I’m using the lilo boot loader installed in the MBR. The only problem I had was that I had to manually add Windows XP to the boot loader menu. Just edit the lilo config file and point the boot image to /dev/hda1. Goggle lilo setup for a how-to on how to get the syntax correct. One thing to keep in mind is that once you edit the lilo config file is that you need to enter lilo at the command line in order to install the updated lilo.

Ten9t6

The laptop I am using right now dual boot xp pro / mandrake 9.0. When I got the laptop, all 80 Gb was formatted as the C: drive. I used Partion Commander to take about 10 Gb of free space to make another drive. Booted to the first Mandrake CD.....selected the new partion...and let it go..It just about loaded itself. It was very easy. The only problem I have had was finding a driver to support my usb floppy drive in Linux. I haven't messed with it much since downloading Knoppix STD.

/usr

I've long since figured this out, thanks for your help though. I'm now migrating all of my work to Slack and learning to use it for everything, and using my Windows partition to install gams, so I can play them in Linux via Wine.

Disley

Iv never seen the point in using WINE to play Windows games. Makes more sense to me to do all your regular work (or whatever) in Linux, but then just booting into Windows to play games?? (After all, thats all its good for!)

Glad you have sorted it out anyway, as long as you partition the drives correctly and get Windows installed first (if you install it second sometimes it does weird things =/ lol) then its a breeze

Good choice with Slackware btw, im currently using Slackware 9 and Mandrake 9 :]

crc32

LostInSpace wrote:

I installed Red Hat 9.0 and liked it. I formatted my pc and want to dual boot XP Pro with some version of Linux. I was going to do a dual boot with Slackware/XP, but I've heard nothing but bad things about attempts to make a dual boot system like this. I mainly want a Linux distro for some programming at this point, though I main turn to it later as my primary OS. My question really is, is it that hard to boot make a dual boot Slackware/XP system? I only have a modular floppy drive because I'm using a laptop, but I guess I could just dual boot with a floppy.

Should I just use a different distro? I don't want to compile anything just yet.

No dual boot systems aren't that bad. Your issue is only how to configure lilo or grub. And I don't see the point in useing slackware any more as you can dual boot off of any distro. Dual boots arn't really all that difficult its just that many people prefer to use seperate hard drives for each OS and some go a step further and prefer a seperate computer for a differen't OS. As far as linux+ certification goes be prepaired to do alot of console work to get a real feel for the OS. Check out transcenders practice test. I don't know how close it is to the Linux+ test yet considering I haven't taken it yet. But I'm a bit suprised by some of its questions such as "chattr". Oh well but I hear the trancsender questions tend to be a tad harder than the actual exam though.