picky little BIOS/ ME vs REDHAT

[kerrysue]

I want to run a dualboot with winME and Redhat v7.1. The first time I tried to install Linux, it did something terrible to my BIOS, to the point where my hard drive was not seen by BIOS at all. So, after flashing the BIOS and erasing all traces of linux from my machine, I am ready to try again. Now, obviously winME is the only OS on my hard drive, and there is only one partition taking up the entire drive. How can i fdisk or use FIPS without absolutely corrupting either the ME OS or the BIOS settings? I am not exactly nervous, just trying to cover my bases this time! ANY ideas or tips will be heartily digested. I am such a newbie, but a Linux newbie is better than most!!!!~thanks in advance, kerrysue

[Statica]

That is strange indeed .. Linux does nothing to your BIOS. Are you sure that it isnt a virus? or perhaps a flaky BIOS/Mobo? The only thingLinux isntall acesses is the MBR.

Its perfectly safe to run FIPS, just make sure you defrag out the drive and scan for errors.

I'd really check your computer components for any anomalies.

[kerrysue]

well, It may not have been the Linux that messed with the BIOS, but that was only conclusion I could come to. I did a complete scandisk and i defrag at least once a week (i know, over-kill) so who knows....but, i am going to go ahead and use FIPS and hold my breath...I love Linux so much, i want to use it for my OS, but the other computer users in residence fear command-lines like cats fear dogs....so, thanks for reply and hopefully i can post back happily!~kerrysue

[Statica]

Good luck Its better to install Linux then .. you will have weeded out the mouse-pushers!

[kerrysue]

~well, the install did not work. I am having the same result any way I try installing Linux. First tried FIPS, got a blank screen during boot process( from cd rom) then I tried booting from a floppy i had made on another Linux machine...no go...and THEN (gosh i am tenacious) I tried a partitionless install, which puts all of linux in a folder residing on DOS partition. Nada..I cannot even get past the Install screen for Linux. Does anyone know of any limitations of windoze ME that would prevent me from this install? I have double-checked my hardware and it is all supported, i have plenty of memory, plenty of harddrive space.

[Statica]

I'd recheck the H/w compatibility again. In addition to all of the above, check your BIOS settings esp the HDD mode it is set to. Is your HDD on a separate controller?

[Grimey]

try using partition magic to add a linux partition to the end of the drive, and maybe look into slakware as oposed to redhat.
u can download slakware easy, and u can get a hold of partition magic at this website. make a pm boot disk and run it at startup. it's pretty good at making linux partitions.

[kerrysue]

~~I went ahead and bought a used system to make my Linuxbox...thank you all for helping...not quite sure why other system wouldn't suck it up...and I have been messing with Mandrake AND Slackware and like them both...I just have some advanced classes in UNIX/Linux and need a box to network with anyway...thanks again...kerrysue