hi

i have a laptop which runs windows xp but i really want to use linux does any one know how can i run both in one if it is possible. if i can do it can anyone plz tell me where i can find step by step tuts thanx

You will need to resize your partition so that XP takes up less space and the remainder is free - Partition Magic is usually the recommended software. Then boot from your install cd, at the install, point your installer at the free space and install to that area.

And welcome to LQ

Partition Magic is definatly the best for the first time. When you have resized your NTFS partition to the desired size, simply boot the linux install cd of your choice. Then use whatever partitioning tool comes with your distro, Fedora and Mandrake both have autopartition options. After that your set

if i do what u said will i lose any files or softwares installed!! also after partition will my laptop get slow!!!!!!!!!!

and thanks for welcoming me!!!!!!!!!

I have a Toshiba myself running with both XP professional and SuSE 9.0. Works great! I used partition Magic for the Hard Drive and all went OK. The sound works well, which is not the case in other machines. Burns CD, internet works well. I cannot see videos for some reason and on shutdown it does not complete the routine for some reason so I let it shut down all it can and, at the end I force the shut down. So far no problems.
Good luck!

I have Mandrake 10.1 and XP on a Gateway laptop and I have no problems. The Mandrake installer will partition the Windows disk for you (you just have to select "Use free space on the existing Windows partition" during the installation, assuming you're putting this on a computer with one big WinXP partition and nothing else).

I backed up all my files from Windows before doing the installation (better safe than screwed), but there turned out to be no problems whatsoever with the data in the Windows partition afterwards.

Anyway, that's one suggestion for doing everything (partitioning and installing) in one step with one program (Mandrake's installer). The partitioner will automatically set the Linux partitions as well. You just have to decide what size to reduce the XP partition to!

but will i lose my work on the drive!!!!!!

No all of your windows stuff will stay where it is. If are really worried you could even use a livecd and not install linux onto your hardrive. Only some distros have livecd's. The most common of these would be knoppix

Hi misunderstruck,

You mean we don't need to do any preparation but just put the Mandrakelinux 10.1 installation CD into the computer then it will let us do the partitioning during the installation process?
Thanks

Isabella

Your best bet(and safest) is still to use partition magic... resize the xp partition down, and then just let Mandrake do its thing with the unused space.

Ideally, you will NOT lose anything on your Windows drive. Of course, this isn't a guarantee which is why you should back up anything important first.

I did not lose any files or software in the partitioning. Everything is still there and I can still use everything. Mandrake even mounted the Windows partition (as /mnt/windows) so I can access those files while in Linux. (Especially handy for playing mp3s from my iTunes library with XMMS!)

The Mandrake installer uses free space on the Windows drive. You should definitely defragment your Windows disk before any partitioning/installations as well.

No, you should back up your files and settings, defragment the disk, and run chkdisk in XP. And reading the doc pages over at http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/fdoc.php3 is a good idea too (they only have up to Mandrake 10.0 at the moment, but the installation is pretty much the same).

But yes, the 10.1 Installation CD will let you do all the partitioning during the installation process. Of course, this means you won't be able to check on the Windows partition until you're finished with all the installation, which is why using something like Partition Magic would be a good idea if you're more comfortable with the idea of having the partitioning done and knowing your Windows bits are safe and well before adding Linux.