install winxp on a linux machine that has already another wi

ktsirig · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 79

Hello all!
I have a dual-boot machine, with WINXP English version and Suse Linux 10 on it.
Because I have a project, I need to install also WINXP Greek version. I have free unpartioned space on my hard disk.
My question is, if I install WINXP Greek version the normal way, will the Linux bootloader recognize it? If not, can anyone advice me on what steps must I take so that I have WINXP English version, WINXP Greek version and Linux in the grub bootloader?
And, when I put the WINXP Greek version CD inside, will it find the free space (that is will it recognize the space that Linux in installed on)?

Arion · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 44

It's a while since I did this, but IIRC it's not that simple. It certainly won't autodetect.

WinXP will probably overwrite the linux bootloader upon install.

What you'll probably have to do is install WinXP, let it override the Linux boot loader, and then reinstall the linux bootloader.

Reinstalling the boot loader, generally means booting into linux, through a boot disk, and running grub-install /dev/hda

Read up on grub - learn to get into linux without actually having it installed. before you do, make a backup of /etc/grub/menu.lst ( or /boot/grub/menu.lst ) - i'm not exactly sure. Learn that file so well that you can recreate it from scratch.