\_ I'm guilty.... The best way to go about it is to install NT5 (W2k)
\_ in the first partition on the disk using the NT install's partition
\_ maker.  

This is a key step, here folks.  Based on my experience on a tri boot
and a few dual boots, you want to let the M$ beasts create the
partititons the way they like them.  If you create them some other
way, YMMV.  Typically I've seen the installers for M$ lockup/die
unexpectedly (as opposed to anticipated deaths) when it doesn't get to
write the partition tables.

Linux, of course, can cope with whatever the partitioning is,
excepting the 1024 cylinder limit on elder setups.

David