linux on slave drive installation?

[JC00]

is it safe to install and run linux in a slave drive instead of master (houses my winxp)? i'm going to disable the master while i'm at it while booted on the slave drive. i'm asking this because i don't want to switch the master outlet of the ide cable everytime i'm experimenting with linux.

*btw. i still can't run red hat 7.2*

also, if i run windows xp independently (no dual boots) in the master and red hat 7.2 in the slave drive, would this cause some problems.

[MaXimum SMOKE]

RH will install and run fine on a slave drive. If I'm reading your intent correctly, you will have to do an 'expert' install, and make sure you make a boot floppy, to boot the system with. Linux usually installs the boot loader to the MBR of the first hard drive, so if you don't want this drive touched, you will have to make sure in the install, that you don't let it install the linux loader there. On other notes, I don't recognize your video card. There may or may not be support for it in 7.3 or 8.0, Be sure to check supported hardware on redhat's site. Sometimes you can configure the X windows system, with an administration utility like Xfree86setup, or whatever your version has. (I have no idea what will happen if you attempt to disable the master drive on this system. I am guessing CMOS errors and other problems ......)