[l3ktr1k]

I've just bought Red Hat Linux 9 Bible by Christopher Negus and it comes with Red Hat Linux Installation CDs. I want to install Red Hat Linux onto my Windows XP system, trouble is, windows doesn't recognise any of the files. I don't know how to install it otherwise.

If you tell me to sort out my boot options then you're going to have to tell me how because I have no idea how to do that. Same with partitioning and anything else that borders on technical. I'm a complete newbie.

Please help.

[Squashman]

If you know nothing about partitioning or Linux at all, I would advise you not try and setup a dual boot system. Sounds like you are even a complete newbie to windows as well since you dont know how to partition either.

If you dont have any unpartitioned space on your hard drive right now. YOu are going to have to go and buy a program like Partition Magic and resize your windows partition to make room for Red Hat.

When I personally started using Linux, I signed up for a class at my local Tech College. It only cost me a little over $200 at the time. I then went out and bought a cheap computer for $150 to throw Red Hat 5.2 on. I think that is the best way to go for learning purposes. But that is just one man's opinion.

[l3ktr1k]

I'm not a complete newbie to windows, I've worked on windows all my life, I just don't know anything about changing my operating system.

[millergroup]

l3ktr1k,

LwdSquashman is right. Even with partitioning software, one bad move and you are going to loose all of your data. I've done it. RH9 is gold compared to Windows. I encourage you to explore your options. Redhat is 1500 MB's of wonder. Try this site here. Its a great place to start.

Do you have access to another machine to install RH on? Used ones are cheap!

[aineo]

Another idea is to buy a cheap second hard drive for your computer. If you know someone that has an old "worthless" computer laying around you could use the hard drive out of it. 3GB would do you fine for now. Put that into your current box and put Linux on it.

[l3ktr1k]

There's nowhere near me that I know of that I can get cheap hard drives and the one person I know of with a 'worthless' computer is intending to use that pc at some point. It doesn't matter if the info on my pc gets wiped because I've got my laptop to keep anything majorly important on.

[aineo]

If that is the case, do a google on "dual boot", format your hard drive and you will have Linux and Windows together. Just be aware that without a program like Partition Magic you will lose everything you now have. Be sure you have your Windows installation CD and product key before you start.

You might check out the following link for dual booting information:
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/l...-dualboot.html

[l3ktr1k]

Okay, thanks to everyone who replied for your help. The CDs I had to install Linux gave me a chance to partition as I went along. I did try partitioning but for the amount of Linux stuff I wanted to install (everything) there wasn't enough space. Windows is now gone on that PC but that was what I was going to do anway before I found out you could dual-boot. I now have a new problem, I can't configure my Internet connection. My account information is correct because my dad set up his internet connection using it and I put it on my PC when I still had windows.

I enter the information into the Internet Configuration Wizard and it accepts it. When I try to click activate the window saying it's activating comes up but then nothing happens, it just stays like that. Then I go onto the Mozilla browser and it says I'm online but when I want to go to a website it says that the website couldn't be found and to try another one.

Anyone got any ideas?

[twotugs]

How do you connect? Are you dial-up, cable, DSL?

I ask because if you're using dial-up, your modem may be a software modem; if this is the case there may not be a driver available for RH9, or you may have to install it. This thread has a link that may be useful to you.

[l3ktr1k]

I've got a dial up connection.