possible to install linux on xp machine?

[mark]

@gamehead200 Thanks for the clarrification. If you install Windows 2nd, then your boot up needs to be configured correctly. Windows just ignores the other OS, takes over the boot process and boots . Linux will let you choose .

[KernelOverlord]

DaLurker - correct, windows will not recognise linux, You should install Linux second and it will usually offer to resize your windows partition to create a partition for itself.

Incidentally - Linux also cannot directly boot a windows installation, instead the Linux bootloader acts as a chainloader whereby it loads the native Windows bootloader which in turn boots Windows.