Dual Booting WinXP + Fedora Core 1
 

Hey everyone, I'd like to create a dual boot system using WinXP and Fedora Core 1. I need some help on how to go about doing this. My current FS is NTFS, will Fedora create a new partition alongside the WinXP one, or do I need to create one prior to installing Fedora and then pointing it in that direction? Thanks for any help.

Fedora could create a new partition if there's enough unallocated disk space. If you don't have unallocated disk space, than use some disk tool (for ex Partition Magic) to resize your current XP partition and create some space for Fedora.

After you have enough space, you can just simply start installing Fedora. You'll be able to create a new partition during installation and install Fedora on that.

If you want to use your NTFS partition from Linux it's also recommended that you use the disk tool (Partition Magic) to go from NTFS to Fat32. NTFS support in Linux is iffy due to Microsoft holding on to the filesystem details. Last I heard, the reading support of NTFS drives sometimes worked and the writing to the drives rarely worked... and there was always the potential for the NTFS partition to just get wiped completely.

Partition Magic can convert from NTFS to Fat32, I've had to do it in the past.

thanks, i suppose i'll resize the windows partition to 30 gigs and leave the unallocated space taking up the remaning 27 gigs. now my next problem is the resizing of the partition itself... i know partition magic is a good program to use... but 60 dollars for something i will use probably no more than five times is a little steep =/ . any other good freeware or shareware programs? another quick question, let's say i were to install fedora and have it use the entire HD, could i later install WinXP alongside Fedora, or will WinXP just erase everything in its path?

hmm... nevermind, i seem to have stumbled upon a 'free' version of PMagic 8 online.... yay