The Windows and Linux Operating System are support the multi-boot system. For this purpose, an operating system should has flexible bootstrap loader mechanism. But how does it works?

1. It loads the drivers for things like CDs
2. Windows bootstrap is less featured than Linux's and you have to let Linux's bootstrap program to take reign and let both Windows and Linux hook onto dual boot menu; this is why people always say install Windows first, because its bootstrap were so minimal it does not recognize dual boot even though it is capable of doing so like everyone else.

   The computer hardware default to let booting procedure be taken over by software installed at the head of physical platter so 1 meg is reserved for such bootstrap software, it then can redirect the booting process to wherever the actual install location of the OS. So at that stage a Linux bootstrap have the options of all recognizable OS: Windows XP/whatever/Linux. You choose at that point who to boot and moving on to booting stage from bootstrap.

   Windows bootstrap took a very basic approach: just pass the booting to C: so it can't dual boot except Windows NT with Windows 98 or some Microsoft-Microsoft combination. That deals with which OS on a later stage.

3. If you want to use Windows and Linux on the same machine, you must install Windows first. Linux will recognize Windows and will give you an option to load it during booting. Windows refuses to allow anyone to use any other operating system besides windows. By the way, Windows uses NTFS file system and Linux uses its own, therefore, they must be on different partitions of the hard drive.

Tags: mandrake linux, linux server