Problems with attempt to install dual-boot linux on Win2000 PC

From: Nalini (nalinimg_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 10/30/04 

Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 02:09:46 +0530

I have Windows 2000 Pro on my PC. My PC vendor has tried to install a
Caldera OpenLinux 2.4 (Developer edition) so that I can boot either Linux
(through a diskette) or Win2000 (HDD). The OpenLinux does not boot. It
starts to boot and then gives

Loading Kernel : OK
Booting Kernel : Wait

Kernel Panic : VFS : Unable to boot mount root fs on 16:02

I think my vendor used PartitionMagic to set up OS partitions. But I am
unabe to see the partitions using PartitionMagic. Its says

"There are no supported partitions available. In order to create the Linux
partition, there must be at least one FAT, FAT32 or NTFS partition with a
minimum of 300MB of unused space"

When I try using the OS Installation CD, after a few steps, I get :

Mount Point Device Request Actual Type
 ---------------- --------- ------------ --------- ------

<not set> hda1 4777M 4777M Win95 FAT32
<not set> hda2 2023M 2023M Linux native
<Swap> hda3 125M 125M Linux Swap
<not set> hda5 5530M 5530M Win95 FAT32
<not set> hda6 5530m 5530m Win95 FAT32

Drive Summary

Drive Geom (C/H/S) Total Free Used Used %
------- ------------------- -------- ----------- -------
----- ----------
hda 2434/255/63 19092M 1106M 17986M 94 %

Here I am unable to proceed.

I need to keep all my Win2000 software and data. I don't have the
installation CD for WIn2000, MS OFfice etc which are pre-installed.

Can someone help. Please suggest the possible problems and solutions.

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