[lug] Dual Boot with Windows XP

[J. Wayde Allen]

Just bought a new laptop and need to setup Linux.  As usual step one for
me is to pretty much wipe the disk clean and start over, and often I just
install Linux and nothing else.  However, this time I'd like to make this
a dual boot machine.  Nothing particularly odd there, except I was just
looking at the partitioning scheme for the factory install of XP and
they've got:

Name	Flags	Part Type	FS Type		Label	Size
----------------------------------------------------------------
hda1		Primary		Unknown (DE) 		   32.91 MBytes
hda2	Boot	Primary		NTFS		[^C]	29964.70 MBytes
		Pri/Log		Free Space		    8.23 MBytes

This is a bit different than what I've seen in the past.  Is there
something special about the first and last partitions here?  My first
inclination is like I said, to delete everything, partition off a minimal
section at the beginning of the disk for a reinstallation of XP, and then
install Linux in what is left.  I'm just wondering if maybe my
partitioning might end up being a bit more complicated this
time.  Comments or references I should read?		

- Wayde
  (wallen at lug.boulder.co.us)