Linux

Tip on how to recover lost Windows option for dual boot:

After installing Suse Linux 9.3 next to Windows XP on my laptop (Zepto Znote 4200, i.e. Compal CL56), I was unable to boot Windows since the only option at boot was the Suse Linux installation. At a previous installation of Mandrake 10.1, I automatically got both Windows and Linux as start options. The reason for my removal of that installation was because it took to long to start the computer – over three minutes. Back to the problem: I did a bit of searhing on the web and found a solution simple enough for a Linux rookie like me. I added the following code at the end in the file "menu.lst", located in the directory "/boot/grub":

title Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
boot
after this line:

The whole file now looked like this:

So, problem solved. Unfortunately though, the installation is not stable for some reason, so I will change to either Suse Linux 10 or Mandriva 2006. To sum up, I would like to recommend Mandriva (previously "Mandrake") to any Linux newbie who wants to try Linux. I haven't tried the latest version yet, but based on my experience and on what all the Linux magazines say, it surely must be the easiest distribution to install. Oh, and I did try Ubuntu 5.10. Running the live CD worked fine but at installation it got stuck on the partitioning. Despite that, I do think Ubuntu is worth to have a look at. And since you can get CD's with Ubuntu shipped worldwide for free, it's not that much to lose.

Mandriva : Suse : Ubuntu

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