Linux 9 with Windows XP

[Gum Digger]

Hi
Iam trying to instal linux on a primary partition on my disk but when i choose automatic partitioning and then "keep all partition and use remaining space" clicked next it give me 2 erros
1) Could not allocate request partition
Partition failed:could not allocate primary Partition.

2) the following error occred with your partitioning
you have not defined a root partition (1), which is required for installation of red hat linux 9 to continue. this can heppen if htere is not enough space on your harddrive (s) for the installation. you can choose a different automatic partition option or click "back" to select manaul partition

now i choosed manual then clicked on the partition i wanted to install (c) it gave me an same error. i also used the delete button there and tryed installing. same problem.
please tell me why this happend, and 1 easy simple way to format my partition C:/

thanks

[Jen C]

How many partitions do you currently have on the disk? Does WinXP take up the whole disk (C drive). Did you make some room for the Linux OS before you started the installation by creating a new Parition off your main one with non-destructive partitioning tools such as Partiton Magic? Did you leave this new partition as unformatted?

You cannot install Linux onto the same partition as XP without wiping out XP completely.

Download the Red Hat 9 x86 Installation Guide in the PDF format from here (http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/) - it has everything you need to know about the installation process.

[Susan B]

Can I offer a suggestion to you? Instead of bumbling about trying to dual boot Linux with Windows on the same hard drive, why not pick up a cheap second hard drive and put Linux on that? It would be far easier to do (have done just that myself) -- take a look at this guide here (http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/dual_boot_fedora_xp.php
) on how to do it. :-)

[Susan B]

Argh! They have done something to their links and that one above does not work. :-(

Try this one here (http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/dual_boot_fedora_xp.php).

[Jen C]

That is a good site Susan, more up to date than Black Viper's Red Hat 8 (http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/InstallRH80/installrh8-1.htm) guide. Just been reading it and had to laugh as this part:
For those of you installing Fedora for the first time, I would suggest you just go with the Personal Desktop option. As you get more failure with Fedora/Linux you can go back and experiment with the other options.
I sincerely hope they actually meant more familiar and not failure, as that is a tad off-putting :D

BTW Gum digger, Fedora is the equivalent of Red Hat 10 in case this confuses you.