I dual boot with Windows XP pro, and things were running fine, but something happened when I tried to reboot into linux. I had been using it for like a week and I do not know what happened, but I get a kernel panic saying that it can't find the init. I was told it's because I have Partition magic on my system, but I havent used it since my install. How can I fix this panic without reinstalling, and I have a knoppix cd so i think I should be able to mount the partition in there to make any changes (/boot/grub.conf)

You don't need Knoppix for that. The first Fedora Core CD contains a very helpful "rescue" mode option which you can use to boot into your system and repair it. What it is necessary to repair it depends on the level of damage and your familiarity with Linux in general. You didn't quote the error message. Reinstalling GRUB could be enough. Checking the root partition for damaged packages could find damage. A missing /initrd directory could be the culprit, and many other reasons. Most of them are easy to fix.

kernel panic: could not load the init

something along those lines. I have tried the rescue cd's before, and they really have not gotten me too far. i'd appreciate some help and a better understanding of why they happen and how to prevent them.

That doesn't help, because it's not the original error message. The term "init" has several meanings.

That is not enough information and hence doesn't help either.

You need to understand that the rescue mode provides an independent working system which you can boot into to get a working set of utilities. Certainly enough tools to examine and mount your partitions or re-install GRUB. One of the optional features of the rescue mode is to search for your installed system and "chroot" into it. Whether the rescue mode is of good use depends on how you use it.

Wo is "they"?

Most probably the kernel couldn't find the root partition, hence the error couldn't find init etc.. check your grub.conf and fix the root directory.

Here is mine:
..
splashimage=(hd1,7)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Fedora Core (2.4.22-1.2115.nptl)
root (hd1,7)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.22-1.2115.nptl ro root=LABEL=/ hdd=ide-scsi rhgb
initrd /initrd-2.4.22-1.2115.nptl.img
..

The root partition should be whatever the number (in sequence, not literally the device number itself) .. and for my example above, I've linux in my 2nd HD in the 7th partition.

MKrootdev: label / not found
Mounting Root Filesystem
Mount : Error 2 mounting Ext3
Pivotroot: pivot_root (/sysroot, /sysroot/initrd) failed 2
Umount : /initrd/proc failed :2
Kernel panic: No init found: Try passing init= option to kernel

This is the error, the rest is a result of this error as it doesn't find your root partition. To fix it, boot into rescue mode (or knoppix, whatever you're familiar with). Examine your partition table to find out which one is the root partition. E.g with

parted /dev/hda print

assuming that /dev/hda is your primary IDE hard disk drive. Substitute /dev/hdaX in

e2label /dev/hdaX /

with your partition device to re-create the missing partition label on your root partition. They try a reboot.

e2label is the program I would use to do that? I have never heard of that one.

I will try this when I get home, thanks.

I was referring to kernel panics, hence the topic of this thread, meaning I should not have to explain what "they" are since it is the whole idea of this thread.