I installed Mandrake 9.2 onto hda, while Windows XP is on hdd: Two big problems:

FIRST: installation went fine(I guess.., my first linux experience), I used all the automatic settings, I did not enter any passwords at all. After finished installation , booted and got a menu to boot into linux or windows. So i boot into linux.. wait.. ended up with black screen and small text on left top corner something like: ppp/190-197 login: So???? where is the operating system?? i press ENTER it telling me wrong password, bugger. I started all over again and installed Mandrake AGAIN, this time with username and password. I boot again same text comes up, I type my username and password and it still does not work. something like alappp/-197()$ comes up. What the heck is going on?? I cannot get into the operating system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT WORSE: I then wanted to boot into my Windows XP on hdd to find info on the net, but when i chose boot windows from that linux start menu , i get the message: NTLDR missing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i changed boot sequence in BIOS to boot straight into hdd(E:) and still does not work. At this time I got really fed up, so i installed windows new into hda where mandrake was, hoping it would enable me later to boot into my other windows installation again, but no!!!!!!!!!! My fully updated windows in hdd(E:) is fricking unable to boot now!!!!!!!! What the hell are these linux people doing? I mean i could understand something like this happen when having two operating systems on the same harddrive. But how can a mandrake installation on hda mess up my windows on hdd????

I am sorry to say it ALA but Mandrake did not screw up anything. You did. This should not be taken as a criticism of you. You are a newbie to Linux and therefore do not have experience. I suspect that you have a fair amount of experience with Windows and have tried to use it in setting up Mandrake.

Mandrake IS NOT Windows so you cannot use your Windows ideas in Mandrake.

I seriously suggest you go to the following website to view the complete Mandrake Howto that a MUB member by the name of ARTEE has generously put together for everyones use. http:/www.mandrake. tips.4.free.fr/install100.html

Follow his advice and you WILL quickly have a properly working Mandrake installation.

Apart from that you will have to clear the MBR to be able to get to your Windows OS. Your Windows OS would not have been affected only the ability to get into it.
Or are you already working from your Windows OS to be able to communicate here.

One other thing. The aggressive damning of Mandrake in your post may have been the reason you have not had a response from others yet.

Keep it cool and you will soon get heaps of help as you need it.

Finally. A very big WELCOME to the world of Linux and to MANDRAKE in particular.

as AussieJohn stated, your Windows partition isn't gone, just (temporarily) unaccessable due to Mandrake overwriting the MBR. to get back into Windows, do one of the follow (whatever applies to your situation)

boot into Windows rescue/troubleshoot mode (usually by hitting the f8 repeatedly key during the first stages of boot), get to a DOS prompt, type fdisk /mbr (for Windows95, 98, & ME) & hit enter, or fixmbr (hit enter) for WinXP.

you can also use the fdisk /mbr command on WinXP if you use a Win98 boot floppy instead of the rescue mode screen.

Chris

From memory I'm on M$ Win ... (at work )
boot on the first Mandrake CD, at prompte type "rescue" (without the quotes) and there you'll see you can restore the Win bootloader.
I understand you fear, you thought you've lost your M$ Win partition but no
Once you're back on M$ Win, don't give up, like AussieJohn said have a look in ARTEE's site and retry. If you stay concentrate there is no risk for your M$ Win partition.