Partitioning....

when I use Partition Magic... and after going through all the steps for installing another operating system the tutorial says that its supposed to reboot or something like that.... well after I do it... it doesn't do anything... it shows that I've created the space needed and such... but when I try to do anything else it all disappears and goes back to normal.... I dunno what to do....

I don't think I've ever had PM reboot my computer automatically. You have to reboot manually to make the changes.

if I do that then it all goes back to normal... like I didn't do anything with the program at all....

it says that there are 8 operations pending...

You have to click "apply" or something like that. IIRC, it's in the lower left hand corner.

(assuming you're using windows) go to dos-prompt in windows, type "fdisk", enter,
if it asks about 'large disks something something' just select 'yes', now find the option to "display partition information"..on my computer it's option #4...copy the results and post them here.

sry.. I've never had to use the dos-prompt so I don't know how to get to it

hmm...i moved it on my computer..i think it's originally start->programs->accessories->ms-dos prompt ..... if it's not there look under "system tools" or something similar

hmm.. I fallowed that and all I found was the command prompt.... nothing in system tools either...

Start, run, "cmd", enter.

You can probably get the same information fdisk gives you by going to computer management (on XP at least, right click My Computer->Manage, Under storage click on disk management)

misplaced + confuted's method = >>>THIS<<<

JaWiB's method = >>>THIS<<<

i think i need a little more info...
1. hard drive size? (i forgot windows doesn't always acknowledge non-windows type file systems.. or at least won't display them anyway).
2. how much space did you try to allocate for you new operating system?

(if answer #1 minus answer #2 is about or equal to 112 GB, then partition magic was successful and your problem lies elsewhere...perhaps you didn't install a boot loader?)

3. what operating system are you installing? (if linux, distro too)
4. how are you installing the OS?
a. cd-rom, 'net, etc. ?
b. are you using command line interface or a GUI interface when installing? (in other words, do you point and click, or type everything in?)

i'm a little confused by the original post after re-reading it.
5. you already tried to install the new OS?
6. what do you mean it "dissappears" and what brings you to this conclusion?

if you went through the steps to install the operating system without a hitch, then i don't think P.Magic is your problem. it may also be helpful to us if you elaborate on what steps you have taken.

a side note on paritioning: for your first time, i suggest you do not create more than 4 partitions on a drive. if you want to create more than 4 on one drive, things start to get a bit hairy. it's possible to do, but is slightly more complicated.

wow...sorry if this post doesn't make sense..i've been drinkin

I think I figured out the problem :P haha... its quite simple.... I don't have the full version of Partition Magic..... I only downloaded the trial version since I was only going to use it once.... everytime I click on the apply changes bit a little box pops up and advertises the full version.... maybe I need to get the full version.......

BUT... Knoppix has a version of Partition Magic that comes with it.... and looking at it... it all seems different in a way... when I try to resize a partition I get different sizes between the two programs... weird... so idk which to use... and I don't want to pay $60 some dollars for a program that I'm only going to use once.... and possibly once more in the future....

I want to install the Debian Distro.