Linux with XP

[Guest asmith1972]

Hi Guys

 

After getting fedup with constantly having to install Microsoft patchs, i've decided to give Mandrake Linux a go. I have got the ISO CD's but want a bit of advice before I start installing the stuff.

 

Basically I have a 180GB unpartitioned HardDisk formated as NTFS with XP already installed on it. I would like to install Linux and have a dual boot option so I can go into either XP or Linux.

 

Can this be done without uninstalling XP? Do a need a seperate disk for Linux?

 

Cheers

Andrew

www.purenetworking.net

[SteveAmbrose]

Can this be done without uninstalling XP?

In short, yes.

 

Do a need a seperate disk for Linux?

In short, no.

 

Now to explain.

 

You can use a utility to resize your NTFS partion. Also Mandrake has a utility that you can use to resize the XP partition as part of the install. Some recommend using a 3rd party utility but I have used the Mandrake to resize it through the last 3 distributions with no trouble.

Caution: Before you resize the NTFS partion, log into XP and run the disk clean up program. Next, run your scan disk utility to ensure the integrity of your hard drive. Finally, the last thing you need to do while in XP is to run the disk defrag utility. You may want to run it twice. Once again, The last thing you do in XP is to run the defrag utility. I am going to assume you will use the tool provided by mandrake so after running the defrag program in XP. Log out of XP.

 

When you run the installation cd for Mandrake, you can then resize the partition, allowing you to make room for linux. One word of advice, when you make your linux partitions, I suggest you also make a FAT32 partion. The reason for this is that while Linux can read NTFS partions, they are read only (unless this has changed recently). With a FAT32 partion, you can access and work on files that are on that partion in both XP and Linux.

 

I have a guide that explains all this in more detail located here:

http://mandrakeusers.org/index.php?showtopic=12942

 

Just read it and adapt its use to your needs.

 

HTH and welcome to Mandrake Linux.

 

Regards,

Steve

[Guest asmith1972]

Magic thats great, I may be jumping ahead here but once my Mandrake is up and running could I also run say Word through Linux? Via say Wine without having to reinstall the software?

[kmc77]

Magic thats great, I may be jumping ahead here but once my Mandrake is up and running could I also run say Word through Linux? Via say Wine without having to reinstall the software?

 

Not really necessary, as there are plenty of open source apps out there that work as well or better than Word. Open Office is one of them, and it can be installed off of your Mandrake CDs. It can save in Word format if you are concerned about taking doccuments to and from a Windows machine.

[SteveAmbrose]

could I also run say Word through Linux? Via say Wine without having to reinstall the software?

Not sure as I do not use wine or emulation programs.

 

As kmc77 suggests, you may want to try Open Office. It is the "MS OFFICE SUITE" of linux (also ported to windows). It is not lacking in features and is on par with MS Word (imo). It can save in the word format so no problem there. I personally believe that running word in an emulation program such as wine would be more trouble than it is worth (unless Wine has made significant progress over the last few years).

 

Steve