Hi, I have windows XP, and the Installation Disc's for Mandriva Linux! I was wondering, Can I install Linux on my second hard drive and run linux off it? If so, Will linux work on a non-Pentium machine? And will I still have access to my Linux drive via windows [so i can store stuff on it] and access to windows drive through linux? Thank you!
Yes. But you should format the second drive to use the EXT3 file system....not NTFS. Of course it will. Where did you hear that it wouldn't? No. Windows cannot see an EXT3 partition...though you will have access to your Windows partition (drive) in Linux. Word of caution, do not cross over partitions when using two different operating systems unless you know what you are doing...otherwise you could easily hose one or both the installations. In other words, if you download something using Linux, store it in the Linux partition...not the Windows drive.
if you format the second drive in FAT32, not NTFS or EXT3, both Windows and Linux will be able to read and write to the partition; Linux will be able to read the NTFS Windows partition, but it will not be able to write to it.
I know this isn't exactly what you're doing, but this article wll give you an idea of how XP and Linux co-exist. Pretty detailed description of file systems, partitions, some links to great utilities, etc. http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2006/05/08/dual-boot-laptop.html
