[newbie] Mandrake 7.2 vs PartitionMagic version 5,0 ?

[Michael Hagen]

I can install 7.2 as second OS (/root, swap, /home partitions) ito 8GB of free space on my primary drive (following Win 98 in first 8GB) and boot to it no problem from rescue floppy.   But when I launch Partition Magic from Win, I get this error:   Disk 2(8056MB 1027c 255h 63s) appears to have partitions created using a different drive geometry (1h 63s). This serious problem can lead to data loss. No partition manipulations should be made to this disk using this product or the operating system's products. You should back up the data on this disk, delete all partitions,create new partitions under the new drive geometry, and then restore your data using the backup.   Disk is a 40 GB IBM with a recent install-from-scratch of Win98 in first 8GB, 8GB Linux, 24GB free space BootMagic likewise fails to recognize the second 8G as Linux. Since this was a fresh Mandrake, I could and did reinstall. Tried both Reiser and standard filesystems.PowerQuest likes neither. Nothing under my control in install made any obvious reference to drive geometry.   I'm sorely tempted to return to Ranish Partition Manager and LILO here. Somebody please tell me that Partition Magic 5 just sucks and is the cause of my problems?   Or is PartitionMagic telling me the truth and the Mandrake installer has gone rogue, misreading my drive?   Thanks for any advice.