I am trying to install Slackware on a machine with XP on it. I partitioned off some space from my XP install to do so. I end up with about 20gbs of free space. When I use cfdisk to create a Linux partition or a Linux swap the rest of the space becomes unusable, thus I am unable to install.

Don't use cfdisk for this - use parted.... it comes with the installer. Once you have free space, boot from the install disk.

I did boot from the install disk and how do I use parted. I have the DVD

google linux partitions. It will explain most of your questions. Also cfdisk is fine to use. Parted does not come with slackware, you are on the right track. I'm going to assume you hit the 4 primary partition limit, I don't want to asume this but it sounds right.

...I think I did

1 for Windows
1 for Utility
1 for Linux Swap
1 for ...

oh you're right

hmm, dell includes some backup images. I assume that is what it is. Why not just create a logical partition, and create those needed within it. Just remove winows, come on. Just kidding! You most likely can remove the partition as I believe it to be a Ghost image.If you do choose to delete it don't scream at me if it breaks something.

I would recommend leaving it alone in case you need to restore your partition (if it is, in fact, a restore partition). Some PCs don't even include a restore disk and include ONLY the partition -- so unless you are 100% positive that you don't need it, I would leave it as is. As symatic said, you can create a logical partition and create extended partitions on top of it. It won't be any different at all than using normal primary partitions -- the only time you'll notice the difference is during partition setup. I don't use cfdisk (just fdisk for me), but create a logical partition using the rest of the space, and then create as many extended partitions as you need.

Well theres the utility partition, I don't know about the other ones.

OK - no parted with slack - my bad.
You have some slackware folk helping out - so I'll leave it alone.

Lets say i get the partition correct

I don't get the deal with LILO

As already stated - you'll have to create an extended partition as your only allowed four primaries and the extended counts as one of these.

You may then create further logical partitions inside the extended partition so you could create a swap (which you need) and dedicate the rest of the free space to your root partition (/). There are other partitioning shemes involving more seperate partitions but this will get you going.

The Slackware install will automatically find the swap partition and ask you for a partition to mount as / - this will be the one you have just created.

When the installation of packages has finished the install will prompt to install lilo - this is linux's boot loader but it will also pick up your Windows install and allow you to choose to boot to Windows or Linux at boot time.

You want to select 'install to MBR' to let this happen.

here check out this howto: http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Partition/

This should give you most of the details to help partitioning a snap.

here is another: http://slackbasics.org/html-singlepa...l-partitioning

This will walk you through the install. Somethings have changed with 12.0 but it will give you the idea. Trust me all this tinkering around will pay off in the long run. Remember to backup, I can't stress this enough!!!

They didn't give you a Windows disk with the computer? Is that common practice now?

I have a windows disk. So its all good but theres a utility partition provided by dell

Leave that as it is, then - like they said - create an extended partition in the unallocated space, and two logical partitions within that: one for swap and one for /.