precisi0n

Quote: OK. One of the first things to do before installing any Linux distro is to defrag the Windows partition. Since Windows was pre-installed, we will assume that Windows is on the fist partition on the drive, or hda1 in Linux. If you go to a console and type df and hit the enter key, you should see all the partitions that are mounted. For example, mine says the following for hda1; /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1 30065612 6273372 23792240 21% /mnt/win_c My information is as follows: /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part5 16G 2.1G 13G 15% / There is nothing in there about a windows partition which encompasses the other 39 gigs. Quote: This means that on disk 1 (/dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0) partition 1 (part1) is mounted on /mnt/win_c. If this does not show, then, probably the partition is corrupted. Mandrake also has a GUI view of the drive partitions. Go to start-->configure-->configure computer. Put in your root password. This brings up the Mandrake Control Center. Then click on Mount Points-->Partitions. You will see a graphical layout of the partitons that you have. The first partition should be layed out blue. Click on this once and see what the Details section tells you. Post back the results of what you find, especially if you get an error, or the partition structure shows more than your Windows partition and the Mandrake Partitions (probably 1-3 in in red and one in green for the swap partition). If you get a bunch of very small partitions that do not seem to make sense and interspaced with what seems to be empty, small partitions, let us know. Device: hda1 DOS letter drive: c (just a guess) Type: NTFS Size 39gb I have three partitions, the blue partition (not even sure to call it the windows partition any more) the Linux partition and the swap file.

Quote: If you did not do anything to the Windows partition during the Mandrake install, it is still possible to boot Windows or get you files from Windows. What version of Windows is on the system? XP Quote: If it was XP, was it pre-installed on the system, or did you do the install? And, was it the first/only OS installed on the system)? First and only, came pre-installed. Quote: When you installed Mandrake, did you tell the Mandrake partitioning utility to take space from the XP partition, or did it take free space on the hard drive? I tried to to the first, but it had some sort of error and I assumed that my HD was too cloggy so I removed gigs of programs and defragged it assuming that it would organise the files so they are closer to the end not to be partitioned. When it didn't work again, I got sadistic, and I decided to just grab a good 1/3 of the partition (the bit at the end) and format that and make it my linux partition and swap drive. Quote: Once we know the answers to these questions, we can help you access the Windows partition and possibly get Windows to boot again. Let's go one step at a time.

First things first, thanks for your replies. However, I do see my CD ROM icons on the desktop and yes I am using KDE, and I tried that method you stated earlier on today and a few others and it didn't work. Thanks for the note about WINE, and I plan to run messenger as I hate msging on gaim and getting responses "gniyonna steg ti sa siht ekil" I also plan to see if I can get some of my other proggies working too, like Editplus, Photoshop, Flash, metapad and some other junk. Windows is not in the mnt directory either. It has disappeared, and to tell you the truth I am not really that eager to re-install windows any time soon on this pc (since I have it as a dual boot on my other PC)... I just wish there was a way to access the files on the windows partition, or what ever is left of it, and transfer them over. Any one know how to re-size the linux partition to take up the stuff left in the windows partition will recieve my eternal gratitude. So many issues to sort out, sucks having an nvidia graphics card too... need to hunt down a proper linux driver for it methinks rather than the generetic geforce 4 one. Lagging when you're running a screensaver is not... normal. You know when there is heaps of work to do on an OS when you boot it up and your printer fires up and tries to print a page only to jam a sheet of paper in its rollers. At least it works, which is more than I can say for anything on a mac.

Problem 1: I installed Mandrake Linux 10.0 (Community) as a dual boot with Windows on my other PC and tried it with this one, didn't work, Windows is now dead (I did something I knew would hurt it, a revenge thing)... Both good and bad, but mainly bad as I can't access any files from the windows partition, or even see them and that is not good. Problem 2: is that I can't access files from the CD's, I can access the install CD's I used but not any other ones... I've got no idea what is causing this, i'd think a permissions problem or something but how can I see the install CD's? Problem 3: WINE! Not just me, the windows emulator thing. I am a newbie so I added it off the CD following the prompts, apparently it is now installed... so where do I go or what do I type to access it? If any one could help me with one, two or all of the above problems, i'd be much obliged.