I have a 8 month old Dell. Here are some specs:

Micro-Mini Tower, 2.66, P4N4600, 533
Windows XP Home, Service Pack 2
Dual In-Line Memory Module, 512, 333, Non-Error Correction Code
Floppy Drive, 1.44, NBZ 212, FXCN
Hard Drive, 80G, 7200RPM, 01, Western Digital XL40
Card, Graphics, 128MB, NV34
Card, Audio, SB0203, Dimension
Compact Disk Read Write, 48X32,Hitachi LG Data Storage, 2nd, Midnight Gray, V2
Digital Video Diskette, 16X, Liteon, Dimension, Midnight Grey

I want to add a second hard drive and install Mepis Linux on it.

If I put the boot CD in, turn it off then plug in a second hard drive,
then turn on the computer to install mepis, then I should be able to
install Mepis Linux on this new hard-drive, right? Or is it a little
more complicated?

Check out this resource; I looked at it, but it may help the person
answering this question:

http://www.mepis.org/files/MEPIS%20User%20Guide.pdf

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Clarification of Question by odulsmin-ga on 06 Jun 2005 12:08 PDT

Thanks for that info.

So - when installing a new hard drive like that, I should be able to
just to "plug it in" and go?

I was thinking about doing this:
Getting a second hard-drive, installing MEPIS Linux on it;
uninstalling Windows on the other hard drive, reinstalling windows on
that hard drive (becuase it needs to be reinstalled anyhow). Any
advice? I guess I have clarified and focused the question a bit!

This seems to have expanded the scope of the question, so I have
increased the price a bit.

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Clarification of Question by odulsmin-ga on 07 Jun 2005 17:10 PDT

So I guess my question can be clarified into two main parts: 

1. Given that my dell has windows on it, did I correctly describe a
way to install MEPIS linux on it? I appreciate linuxgeeknerd's
response, but I could use a little more clarify becuase I am a
super-newbie.

2. Since I first posted this question, my windows has since become
currupt and needs reinstallation. I would like the grub to list Linux
first when I start my computer, BTW.
After installing MEPIS on a second hard drive, how do I erase, then
re-install windows?

I hope this helps.

You don't have to put the boot cd in before you plug in the second hard-drive.
Look at page 14 of the guide: there it is described how to choose the
hard-drive you want to install Linux on. Simply plug the new
hard-drive in and install Linux as normally.

Thanks for that info.

So - when installing a new hard drive like that, I should be able to
just to "plug it in" and go?

I was thinking about doing this:
Getting a second hard-drive, installing MEPIS Linux on it;
uninstalling Windows on the other hard drive, reinstalling windows on
that hard drive (becuase it needs to be reinstalled anyhow). Any
advice? I guess I have clarified and focused the question a bit!

Hello,
you will want to reinstall windows first. I wouldnt use the whole
drive for windows though, cut it in half or so. Install windows first
then install mepis on the second half of the drive and the grub boot
loader will let you select between windows and grub (be sure to select
"use free space on drive" or something like that when installing
mepis). Then you are free to partition out the second drive as you
wish, probably be a great ideal to have a nice big fat32 partition on
it to share files between windows and mepis (and install whatever you
wish in windows to!) Although mepis has ntfs read support I believe
the write support is questionable (may be wrong, never used it)
although it's making progress. Good luck and keep your money! Welcome
to Mepis Linux!!!!
;)