Cannonfodder

If you install XP, it will overwrite the MBR. Simply solution, just boot off of CD1 of Mandrake, hit F1, type rescue, and from the menu, reinstall LILO. When you install XP, it asks which partition to install into. If you select the wrong one, well "oh well!".. While I understand your feelings here, here's a tip... "It's not rocket science!". What I mean by this is you just don't know stuff. XP and Linux develop with little regard for each other so if you are going to mix them, then you have to know stuff. Once you know/understand this, you realize its not too complicated.. But you can't afford to get angry about it because then you are not enjoying your hobby anymore ;)

hostname always resets after a reboot. You have to insert it somewhere so it is re-ran each time you boot. Also, you can use the MCC setup for your network connection and click the Advanced (or expert whatever) option and type the new hostname in the fields provided.. Try this faq and see if its still accurate. If not, let us know.. http://www.mandrakeusers.org/index.php?showtopic=5083

If you do a search of the board for fstab /dev vfat You can find example fstab files with read/write all access permissions for the windows partitions.

How many OS's are you trying to boot? Answer that question first. If you already answered it in the first post, then don'ty worry, I'm just a bit tipsy due to a couple of blue whales and can't read straight

Basically, if you want to setup your lilo.conf to point to the symlink you can or you can point to the actual file. Not sure why Mandrake does it that way... maybe there are other parts of linux that use them?

Aside from some special hardware issues, booting is a matter of each step finding the next step. First make sure your system's /etc/fstab file is correct. 1. Boot off of CD1, hit F1, type rescue, and go to the prompt. 2. At this point, all your partitions should be under /mnt. You can make your /mnt folder the root by typing chroot /mnt. If step 2 doesn't work, then something is up with your partitions vs your /etc/fstab file definitions. You need to resolve this first, meaning the references in /etc/fstab have to match the actual designators for that partition. If fstab is attempting to mount / from hdb1 and that partition is now called hdb2, it won't work. If step 2 is fine, then you should still read your /etc/fstab file and compare to your partition layout so you are familiar with it. What is your / partitions name? E.g. hdb1. You can use diskdrake or cfdisk to view your partitions and see what their designators are. 3. Check /etc/lilo.conf. This file has a boot entry for linux. Look at where it is pointing too. Make sure it is correct and the files exist. You can go look in /boot to find the file. Once all is ready, type lilo to process it. If you get an error, then you are still gonna have to figure it out. Keep us posted!

I would just install again and this time, use CUSTOM PARTITIONING so you can define your partitions yourself. Try it, you will like it :)

and if you look at /boot/vmlinuz, you will see that its a smybolic link (like a windows shortcut) and points to a specific kernel file. I would just view the lilo.conf file as text and get used to it. You can see everything and its not hard to work with.. Just remember a couple rules.. you have to type lilo at the prompt to process your changes. Also, if you get errors, fix them before you reboot or your boot menu may not show up..

They are different kernels which do different things. Kinda like a safe boot in windows. I've never needed em so I remove their entries (just backup the file first)

Can you map out your 3 drives in a post? What I would do is boot the CD1, do the install and select CUSTOM PARTITIONING. Then you will get a graphical image of all three drives. Write it down on paper and post here so we can see what you have? When done writing, just reboot your computer to cancel the install.. :P

Worst case, delete all sources, then try to add one and do the update. See if it is localized around one source (as the message seems to indicate)...

Check this faq out.. maybe it will help? http://www.mandrakeusers.org/index.php?showtopic=5082

Maybe you just need to make sure the file is in the path search?

Reason is that Linux can make a different type of extended partition. If everything is a primary (maximum of 4), then maybe your problem won't be there since windows understands primaries.

If you just don't trust it anymore, you can reinstall a new copy. Sounds like a copout but you get everything replaced. Just keep any special scripts and no other files.

Just to talk about this.. If you have linux installed and install XP, it just cleans the boot loader/mbr out and sets for XP. All you have to do to restore it is boot off of CD1, hit F1, type rescue, and select the restore bootloader option..

Peppercorn, what is the issue? Is XP now working? (as bvc what's his name asked ) If it is just with linux and the disk space message, then you need to get the available space on / and see if you are running out of space.. http://www.geocities.com/tipsforlinux/articles/22.html describes the du and df commands. Try the df to get your space on partition / If you are running out, then you need to clean out.. One place to look is.. /var/cache/urpmi/rpms and see if you downloaded a lot of rpm files that you have kept...

I had similar problems.. 1. I deleted all sources first including the CDs. 2. I then used easyurpmi to get one source at a time, checking update speed (so I get a fast site) 3. Did a uprpmi --auto-select to verify it worked and get the packages. 4. Repeated step 2-3 for each Reason for the step 2-3 was I wanted to simplify things so I could track where I had problems. End result, all is working.. :)

daystar, reason I asked you to do that is your first posting states initial partition table setup. I was more interested in factual data on its current setup (not what you think it is, but what it really was). Usually with XP, the boot loader has to be on the active partition (shows up as C:). If you want to install to another partition you have to change the active partition (use dos fdisk) to alter what C: will be. Then you can change it back and update your lilo.conf file to "fake" XP into thinking it is the C: drive each time you boot. You can also use boot managers such as partition magic and system commander to automate this fake move.

Reason I brought this up is because if its unconnected and stops the behavior then the cause may be remote (as in someone else!)

What sdb4? All I see in your list is sdb5 which is an extended partition. Get rid of sd5, and make it sdb4 (primary) and you won't have any issues with windoze.. (don't believe so).

I've heard of nmap but since I know *NOTHING* about packet scanning, I've been nervous to try this. Can someone talk about it a bit and explain what it does and how to stay out of trouble? Or how you can get in trouble?

Easiest thing to do is to install again with a minimal install.. Just do custom partitioning and select your old mandrake partitions so they are formatted.

Basically, you type garbage and you build a public/private key out of it.. based on my limited understanding. It's not totally random but large enough to make it difficult for others to break..

Assuming you have your sources all setup, you can type urpmi --auto-select and it will select and install all you need. Then go back and look at whether anything is remaining.. Remember, if you install software, you want to check in case there is a related update. The OE release has all these updates already on the CD, you don't.