USB booting :: Quick first time question

I'm a total newbie to Linux. I figured I might give this one a go, since it's so small. But I am still a bit afraid that it might damage my files already installed. So the question:

If I boot DSL from a USB stick (or CD), will it do anything to my files? Will it format anything? Will I lose anything at all on my WinXP install? Or can I just put in the CD/USB stick when I start the PC, and remove it when done?

Nope, nope, nope, and yup.
Unless you mount your harddrive and start messing around with it's filesystem, DSL won't go anywhere near it.

Exactly. Live cd's are a great way to start out, because you can try new things, install extensions and try programs without fear. Live cd uses your ram so when you reboot everything is gone unless you store it somewhere. Your hard drive will probably by hda (or if you have more than one hdb etc.), so if you are worried about your windows install just make sure you dont mount any drive starting with 'hd'. Besides that have fun with it, its a great learning tool.

Thanks for the answers. Two more questions though.

1. If I put DSL on a USB stick, will it safe the changes made to Linux on it? For example, I download an extension for FireFox. Will it save the extension to the USB stick?

2. Do all forms of Linux work in roughly the same way, ie does Mandrake feel similar to DSL?

Edit: And 3: if I don't have a BIOS that allows USB booting, how do I update it?

To update your BIOS to boot from USB you must either FLASH your BIOS ie.... got your bios makers website d-load program.exe to update your bios and run the program.... or buy another motherboard with a newer bios...

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