On Thu, 2005-04-14 at 11:55 +0200, darshan jadav wrote: > > -Which OS can best be installed first, CentOS or XP? > > XP u need to install first, boot with Xp, create the need partion, > format NTFS, install, cause win XP boot loader over writes yr GRUB > boot loader, save the trouble, finsh MS first > > > -Are there special actions required to enable proper dual booting? > > Make sure u install GRUB on MBR, so it will overwrite XP bootloader > and will give u choice which OS to boot. > > > -Which boot manager can be used best CentOS' one or XP's one? > > CentOS - GRUb Agree, although both approaches can work. > > -Can CentOS read (and perhaps also write?) from the NTFS partitions? > > Yes but u need NTFS support, get the RPM from > http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/rpm/index.html and u have rw access > to NTFS Writing with the above is problematic at best. Can only rewrite existing files more-or-less safely. Read-only is pretty solid. Have not tried the the captive approach that uses the Windows drivers. > > -Hypothetically: would installing VMWare and installing XP in that give > > me pretty much 100% XP compatibility for at the very least the various > > web browsers such as IE, and also for XP Office? > > Yes u can move in with VMWARE also, same stuff like a OS installed in > sep partions, but vmware costs $$, if u dont mind shelling out, vmware > is cool, otherwise dual-boot rocks. Another vote for VMware. Well worth the money if the company is paying, and probably cost-effective in terms of productivity. (Not quite the same trade-off for personal use.) Have been using VMware Workstation since V2.0 - V5.0 just hit the streets; although I use it much less now since OOo has come so far, and Crossover Office covers about 90% of my remaining M$ needs. For the OP's requirements of testing web apps, VMware is the clear winner in my book. (But then I'm of the opinion that dual-boot sucks, except for backup copies of Linux in case of failed installs/upgrades. :-) I'd just install the old NTFS drive, copy files as necessary using a read-only NTFS mount, reformat to ext3, and use for both Linux storage and extra VMware virtual disks as needed. Can also use Samba for file sharing with VMware. Could also use the 2nd drive directly without reformatting as a physical disk in VMware, but that's a bit trickier. Phil