Dual Boot with a twist

[FrozenShadow23]

I have recently become a little pissed off at windows, and have decided to reformat and try out Linux Mandrake. I don't want to just blindly jump between the two, so I want to create a dual boot system. This in its self is pretty easy, but here is the twist. I want to make two smaller partitions, and a large partition that would take up the rest of my hard drive (80gb). I want to install Windows XP and Mandrake on the two smaller partitions and have each OS be able to read from the third partition where I would keep all of my files and programs regardless of which OS they are meant for. Is this a possibility first of all? If so, how do I go about doing it? Thanks so much for any help.

[CABRONdeCHIUAS]

use partition magic and the bigger partition make it win32 file sistem so linux and windows can read it

[CABRONdeCHIUAS]

sorry i meant fat or fat 32 file sistem and i think you should install linux first so you can use its boot loader manager

[Munchables]

You know you will have to back up all your crap on your 80, maybe you should think about a linux that will work under your win partition. Phat is my favorate, but it was fucking hard to get. Go to www.linux.org click on distrobutions than serch for what you want. There is a large selection, maybe there is one that fits you best. I do say that drake 9.1 is an amazing system, and it's install can't be beat. However there are not big differences betwen linux distros, if I where you I would mess around with phat for a while, maybe learn python while you are at it. After that maybe build a Linux box with drake 9.x

peace

[FrozenShadow23]

Thanks much. I have already backed up most of my files on CDs (I always keep a current backup anyway). Linux first huh? alright, so I can use partition magic boot disks I assume? How do I tell XP to install on the partition of my choice so that it doesn't take the big one? Thanks for all the help everyone.

[cpugeniusmv]

ok, some of the information in this thread is incorrect, please read on...

for partitioning, i would recommend partition magic.

first thing you should do is make a partition at the begininng of the drive for windows, then leave some space empty for linux, then make a fat32 partition for your 'big one'

install windows on the first partition.

install linux, and when it asks where to install be sure to pick the free space between the linux partition and the 'big one'

then, after the linux installation the boot loader (probably lilo) will pop up and say, "HEY, which OS would you like to use today?"

i've never tried to install linux between two partitions, but that should work just fine.

[FrozenShadow23]

Thanks much, but why does it matter which I install first and on what partition. It seems that both windows and linux should be able to skip to any partition to read information, even if they are skipping over an alternate OS's partition. Anyone want to explain?

[cpugeniusmv]

well, it doesn't really matter where on the disk the operating system is installed, that's just the way i've always done it.

as for installing linux first, i do that so that during the setup of linux, the boot loader of linux takes over the windows boot loader and not vice versa. the linux boot loader recognized both windows and linux. the windows boot loader has to be tinkered with a little bit to get it to work with linux. it's just easier that way.