Dual boot Win2K & Linux (RH or Mandrake)

[Swapper]

Hi,

I'm running W2K right now and would like to dual boot linux. I have 6GB used on my 13GB drive, I understand I will have to have something installed before the 8GB limit (1024 cylinders). I have a few questions:

1. Should I install LILO in the MBR or will this mess up my system? I think you can choose to put it in the /boot but I'm not sure what this means. Also, I've heard Mandrake comes with Grub which is said to make this easier..?

2. What has to be before the 8GB limit?

3. What can I use to pick what OS I want to run? What would I need to modify?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, I'm quite cautious about attempting anything like this if I'm not 100% sure of what I'm doing. What I really don't want is my W2K to die (since I have a lot of stuff on there).

thanks

[ansivirus]

1. I always install to the MBR never had a prob. as far as Grub (i've never used it) but yes that is what Mandrake 7.2 defaults to but it also has lilo.

2. /boot partition if thats how you choose to install lilo.

3. Lilo or Grub are the only 2 that I can think of off the top of my head.

-ansivirus

[mongrel]

I thought that this might help. It gives very good directions on what to do.
Linux+NT Loader Mini HowTo (http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/mini/Linux+NT-Loader.html)

[tallulah]

GRUB has no limitations with regards to "larger" hard drives and works very nicely IMO.

:)

[Big_daddy]

Props to Grub from here as well. I have installed and reinstalled many times and Grub makes it happen

[Chuckster60]

So I have followed all the instructions and all I get is a blinking cursor in the upper left hand corner of the screen. I have tried 2 types of files, bootsect.lnx and linux.bin...both entered in the boot.ini file. Any ideas?

[Swapper]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like it won't be too bad. I just thought that I didn't figure think this out very well. I only have one partition on the drive...time for some partition magic I think. :)

[Dru Lee Parsec]

Here's a great article on dual booting LInux and Win 2K. The exact same steps also work on Linux and Win 98
http://www.littlewhitedog.com/reviews_other_00011.asp

I've set up 2 of my computers this way and it works great.

[SUOrangeman]

OK guys, I am a HUGE fan of the NT/Win2K loader. :)

There is an even easier way to add bootable partitions to the boot loader. Just throw the OS's boot loader (grub, LILO, Be, whatever) onto the root partition of the OS (and not the MBR). Go to www.winimage.com (http://www.winimage.com) and download bootpart. I don't know if this tool will run inside of Win2K's emulated DOS, so you may need to throw it on a bootable Win9x floppy. Run bootpart. :)

-SUO

Oh yeah. I also understand that Mandrake 7.2 or later has an updated version of LILO that is not subject to the 8GB BIOS limitation for booting OSes.

[ 28 February 2001: Message edited by: SUOrangeman ]

[Swapper]

Thanks guys! I've got it working now. sweet stuff. :D