Need to install windows XP with linux

how to alter the gurb

[AceAll]

I have installed linux mandrake 8.0(made two partitions one for the /root and other for the /swap) now I need to install windows XP as well ... I hope I can do that ... let me know how to go about it

[brakthepoet]

You don't specify, but sounds like you are installing everything on the same drive and putting Linux and Windows on different partitions. Generally, you will need to install Windows first, partition the drive to make space for Linux, then install Linux to the new space. Use your favorite search engine to find documentation on linux windows dual boot.

[wheel]

First, skip mandrake 8. Get your hands on a copy of mandrake 10, which will handle this dual boot stuff automatically.

Then, as suggested above, install windows first. I find it just as easy to let windows take up the entire hard drive.

Then boot on Mandrake CD and follow the prompts. It will let you partition the drive with windows already installed, and set up the dual boot automatically. But you need a newer version of Mandrake than 8 I think.

[AceAll]

I am curious about making changes in the grub at the command prompt. just for the information sake let me know the procedure if possible.

Thanx

[encyclo]

I am curious about making changes in the grub at the command prompt. just for the information sake let me know the procedure if possible.

Sure thing - it is possible. As root, open up the file

/boot/grub/menu.lst

in your favorite text editor and edit away - it should be pretty self-explanatory. Be careful what you change, though, or you might not be able to boot at all - keep your rescue disk handy in case things go wrong.

Here's a sample grub.lst file including Windows:

timeout 30
default 0
fallback 1
splashimage=/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title Gentoo Linux
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10-gentoo-r1 root=/dev/hda2

title Windows
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
chainloader +1