Chapter 1. Installation Warning

This installation guide only covers the most common steps of the installation. If you plan on using Windows as well as GNU/Linux in dual-boot (meaning being able to access either OS on the same computer), please note that it is easier to install Windows before GNU/Linux. If Windows is already set up on your system, and you have never installed GNU/Linux before, DrakX –– Mandrake Linux's installation program –– will have to resize your Windows partition. This operation can be harmful to your data. Therefore, you must perform the following steps before proceeding:

If neither scandisk nor defrag are installed within Windows, please refer to the Windows documentation for instructions on installing them.

Warning

NTFS Partitions. Windows 2000, NT or XP users should be careful: even though it is possible to resize NTFS partitions with GNU/Linux, it is highly recommended to back up your data before starting installation. Use partition resizing at your own risk.