ok...I have an 80GB hard drive and it is partitioned as follows:

20GB NTFS for XP -- I installed XP first
the rest is linux

When the Mandrake install program tries to install the bootloader (to the MBR) it just sits there for about 10 minutes and then says that it cannot install the boot loader.

After that happens windows boots up fine. Anyone know why this is happening and how to fix it?

You may have a physically damaged MBR, which would suck lama, but there could be other reasons.

You could try installing Grub manually if you are feeling up to it. First, get a copy of knoppix from www.knoppix.org. If you aren't familar with knoppix, its a live linux CD, it will alow you boot up a linux system work in a graphical enviroment.

Next, boot up grub and download a copy of grub. You can get it from ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/grub/ unpack and install the files.


now type the command grub to enter the grub prompt. Enter the following commands where root is YOUR partitions with the kernel images on it. Basically what ever contains your /boot foler or what your mount to your /boot folder.


Last you will have to configure your /boot/grub/grub.conf Mount your linux drives if you haven't already. And get to your /boot/grub folder. Next, edit your grub.conf file using what ever editor you want (you will probably have to open it as root in order to edit it, type su in a termial in Knoppix to become root)


A basic grub.conf file looks something like this.



Obviously you will have to edit it to make it work for you. I hope this gets you started. Come back with any questions.