Step 7: Begin installation

To begin installation of Mandrakelinux 10.0, simply boot up with the first disc loaded in your PC. Most of the installation screens include a help button that leads to at least some information about the settings.

Pay close attention to any screens relating to partitioning your hard drive. With Mandrakelinux, the DrakX Partition wizard gives you several options. On the first screen, select Custom Disk Partitioning. If you used PartitionMagic to create your partitions beforehand, choose Use Existing partition. The next screen gives you a chance to select a partition to format. If you've used PartitionMagic, uncheck the box next to any partitions shown and move on. If you're installing Mandrakelinux on a second hard drive, choose either Erase Entire Disk or Custom Disk Partitioning from the DrakX partition-wizard options.

Depending on your version of Mandrakelinux, you may be given a choice of packages and software to install. If in doubt, accept the default options. Soon after, the install process should begin copying files from the CDs.