How 2 install Knpx over Mandrake on dual-boot XP/Linux HDD

[Éireannach]

I've tried a number of Linux distributions on my Toshiba Satellite 1405-s151, but they have not done well. Most didn't even install, except minimally. I did, however, manage to resize the Windows NTFS partition (which I am going to keep, because I like Windows XP) with QTParted and create the correct Linux partitions in the space left over. A minimal Mandrake distribution now resides on the HDD, but it is pretty useless (can't connect to the internet, for example). Now I want to install Knoppix (which can). When I go through the installation process, however, it tells me that there is no free space. I'm assuming that I'm going to have to uninstall Mandrake and give that space over to Knoppix. That would be my preference, anyway.
Can I do this in an easy, simple, kind, newbie way that won't damage the boot loader (will it scream when it finds that Mandrake is gone? How will I tell it that Knoppix is now there?) but will still get Knoppix onto my hard drive?

[pulsar]

There's no need for uninstalling mandrake. In the installation process, use QTParted to edit your mandrake partition and change it into free space. When you come to the part of installing the lilo bootloader, do an install in the mbr and you will have a nice dual boot system of WinXP-Knoppix.

[voldemort]

im assuming your using the one of the newer versions of knoppix 3.4 ...

in the menu there is a knoppix submenu go there
select root shell

type knoppix-installer

will start install process
one of the options it to partition drive do so here

during install it will ask you what dirve to install to

(your first hard drive is hda second hdb c.d.e.f.g etc.

first partition on a drive is 1 so hda1 second 2 hda2 3.4.5.6.7 etc....

on the second drive

hdb1 hdb2 etc....


just pay attention to what drive designation when your partitioning

second wise to create two partitions on a linux second a swap (swap partition is the equivalent of a windows pagefile .sy file)

[Éireannach]

Well, I've got that far, but that's where I balk. When I run "knoppix-installer" I get three mysterious reports:
No Implementation: Support for opening ntfs file systems is not implemented yet.
No Implementation: This ext2 filesystem has a rather strange layout! Parted can't resize this (yet).
[Then the very same line again]

I'm presuming that I can ignore this, since knoppix is simply having problems recognizing ext3.

I'm then brought into the "Knoppix Partition-Menu" where I'm given the choce to partition the hard disk. I do so, and qtparted v.0.4.4 opens. When I click on /dev/hda, I get the partition setup for the drive, and it shows me the current partitions, which are
/dev/hda1 ntfs 18GB
/dev/hda2 ext3 101 MB (/boot)
/dev/hda3 ext3 9GB
/dev/hda4 extended
/dev/hda5 linux-swap

[the above is a slightly abbreviated account of the report]

My problem is - now what? My options seem to be limited to deleting the ext3 partitions. I'm happy to do this, I suppose, but where does that leave the boot loader, which still believes that Mandrake resides on those partitions? I'm using GRUB, by the way, on hda1. And if I delete those partitions, will knoppix then proceed to load itself there? If so, then great, but if not, what disaster will unfold?

My version of Knoppix seems to be the latest, by the way - 3.4

Thanks for the advice so far

[voldemort]

dont even use qtparted then if you kknow what drive you want linux on go to configure install (it will ask some quesitons on your preferences then proceded with install the installer will fomat whatever partition you tell it to as it even if you allready formated with qtparted

[Éireannach]

I went ahead with QTParted anyway and deleted the partitions, reformatting as ext3.

Installed Knoppix, which took a long time, and there were lots of hangs. The verbose text reported a large number of "Input/Output Errors" as it did this, but the install finally finished (more than I can say for either Mandrake or Redhat!). I rebooted to find Lilo (disappointed, as I have more faith in GRUB) and on Linux boot, a huge number of I/O errors

Example:
hda2: bad access: block=64, count=2
end_request: I/O error, dev 03:02 (hda), sector 64
isofs_read_super: bread failed, dev-03:02, iso_blknum_16, block=32

and finally:

FAT: unable to read boot sector
umount: devfs: not mounted
pivot_root: No such file or directory
/sbin/init: 418: cannot open dev/console: No such file
Kernel panic: Attempted to kill init!

Here's where the boot stops dead, and I am tempted to call in the police and report attempted murder. Poor init!

Very depressing. This is the third or fourth Linux distribution that has failed to install on this machine. Any suggestions?

This is a popular machine, and quite new: Toshiba Satellite 1405-s151, running Windows XP

[shah]

I would suggest you use some other partition manager ex:
http://www.ranish.com/part/
and create partition from outside knoppix. Then boot from knoppix and install.