There is some info about partitioning and boot disks here

http://freepctech.com/pc/001/001.shtml

Partition Magic is the spot on for partitioning hard drive.. (its now part of Norton)

http://www.symantec.com/partitionmagic/

you'll need to use fdisk to partition a hard drive or software like partition magic.

If you really do need a separate partition with DOS on it you will have a big and potentially dangerous job ahead of you, so do check that you really can't do what you need using DOS mode within windows, this is usually controlled via the PIF (look these up in Help). There are a lot of options within that if you explore it and I would be quite surprised if you can't make it do what you need.

Your existing PC probably has one single partition filling the whole disk. It is NOT possible to split this using Microsoft tools. You have to wipe the whole disk, create your partitions, format them and reinstall EVERYTHING. Obviously you need to take backups first.

To check your partitions: Start, Settings, Control Panel, Adminstrative Tools, Computer Management. Then click on Disk Management under Storage. That will show your partitions. These may include some small ones put there by the PC manaufacturer that hold recovery tools and data - don't touch these!

Third-party Partitioning tools say they CAN split partitions. But, before doing this you would definitely want to take backups anyway.

You have to wipe the whole disk, create your partitions, format them and reinstall EVERYTHING. Obviously you need to take backups first.

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No you don't, I use Partition Magic all the time for partitioning drives with Windows already on before installing Linux.

hmmm sounds a bit too much like hard work, dont really fancy formatting etc, thankyou all for your advice though, i am going to try using cmd within xp and do it that way

No you don't, I use Partition Magic all the time for partitioning drives with Windows already on before installing Linux.

Got to agree with "Lurch" Partition Magic works great with no problems and no loss of data on your hard drive....

Quote from Norton web site:

Symantec

Edited December 15, 200421 yr by jpaul

Hello jpaul and Lurch, if you read my post we're saying the same thing.

I said

It is NOT possible to split this using Microsoft tools.

which I'm pretty sure is correct.

I then said that you CAN using third-party tools, but you should take a backup first.

Ah righto, I think that was one of those paragraphs you can take any way.

Third-party Partitioning tools say they CAN split partitions

I think it was the way you said it

But you were right in saying "take a backup first" just in case

By the way, I've got a bit of free software on my laptop called Dosbox that allows me to run all my old dos programs, you can control the run speed as well incase they're going a bit too fast.