Ok, I'm ready for Slackware, (or maybe just not yet :) ), and I printed out the intructions, and I'm at the step where I have to start in MS-DOS (pure) mode. It told me: "Go to the Shutdown, and "Restart in MS-DOS Mode" I don't have that option in XP for some reason, not without a disk. MAIN QUESTION: I looked up how to start in MS-DOS mode, and the help file told me to make a boot disk. I followed the instructions, and created a floppy boot. Now, I put it in my drive, and restarted. I'm looking at A:\ I type in "cd C:", and it changes, then automatically switches back to A:. I don't know how to fix this, any help would be appreciated. Thanks

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Arild Fines

968

July 02, 2004 09:41 AM

Type either cd /d C: or just C:. The cd command alone without switches won't change the current drive.

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clum

217

July 02, 2004 05:25 PM

Don't you think this is the wrong forum for a Windows/DOS question? [wink]

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Johnson5001

122

July 02, 2004 05:33 PM

You can burn the iso Slackware image and boot it from cd. From the question you're asking, I wouldn't recommend messing with Slackware, try SuSe first.

Stan100

Author

100

July 03, 2004 06:38 PM

Thanks all. I'm still having some troubles, and if you don't feel like reading this entire post, just read the bolded part of Fines's reply

Arild Fines: Thanks for the quick reply. The cd /d command works while in normal mode, but from the disk (it uses COMMAND.COM), it says invalid command. Oddly enough, I just typed in C:\, and it changed. Go figure. I typed linux, and it said invalid directory. So I typed dir to find out, only to see that it thinks my C drive is my recovery (D:\) drive. I don't know why this is happening.

Clum: Yeah, maybe. If this gets moved, then I'm sorry I wasted the space on the Unix forum, but the final goal is installing slackware, and I wanted to become known, as I will be visiting here a LOT.

Johnson5001: :). Believe it or not, I know about DOS, and windows, but I can easily agree I don't know anything when it comes to linux/unix etc. But, I learn best by diving in head first (started off with C++ for example :)), but if worse comes to worse, I'll try the boot thing. Besides, I'll be your best friend! I'll give you a google invite (if, um, linux people do that...kinda...stuff. I don't know)

-----If you thought I was helpful, rate me down.If you thought I wasn't helpful, rate me down as well.This idiot didn't read my signature and tried to insult me.

Puffy_Taco

184

July 03, 2004 07:02 PM

Quote: Original post by Stan100
I don't have that option in XP for some reason, not without a disk.

Windows XP is based off of the NT kernel, which does not rely on MS-DOS to load. As such, there is no support for booting into MS-DOS. That is why you have no option to reboot into DOS mode, it simply does not exist in that form. As far as installing Slack, I hope that your system is formatted in FAT32, or else you are out of luck. NTFS can not be reliably wrote to in linux, so you will be unable to use it for installing Slack. Another alternative is to alter the partition table on your disk, creating a partition in a native linux fs, where you can then install slack. If you could explain your needs, we could help you along! Other options include virtualization software (running linux inside another operating system environment, such as windows) or bootable cds, such as Knoppix. The more questions you ask, the more help we can give you!

bytecoder

100

July 03, 2004 07:36 PM

Quote:
NTFS can not be reliably wrote to in linux, so you will be unable to use it for installing Slack.

The 2.6 kernels can write to already present files on an NTFS filesystem; it just can't create files. I successfully resized my NTFS partition with the Mandrake 9.1 boot disks.

Stan100

Author

100

July 04, 2004 11:57 AM

Ok, sorry for being vague.

I'm thinking of downloading (56k :() the slackwae ISO. I have partition magic, so I will/can make a linux partition. I just wanted to see if I knew what I was doing. I guess I don't. But I'll follow the sage advice of the members here and make a new partition.

Any last words (besdies make backups, I'm good there), before I embark on my journey? :)

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George2

187

July 07, 2004 01:52 PM

Quote: Original post by Stan100
Ok, sorry for being vague.

I'm thinking of downloading (56k :() the slackwae ISO. I have partition magic, so I will/can make a linux partition. I just wanted to see if I knew what I was doing. I guess I don't. But I'll follow the sage advice of the members here and make a new partition.

Any last words (besdies make backups, I'm good there), before I embark on my journey? :)

In case of trouble go here (they have a slackware forum).

"THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT IS CLASSIFIED; DO NOT GO TO FOX NEWS TO READ OR OBTAIN A COPY." , the pentagon

Installing Slackware Dual with XP. MS-DOS Startup Problems

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