2nd HDD
 

Just about to try Linux for the first time but I have a few queries I hope some1 can answer.

IN case something goes horribly wrong I’d like to keep Linux on a separate HDD. However, my understanding of the installation guide is that I have to have the linux on either the master/slave of the primary controller.

My spare HDD is a ATA33 – whereas the rest of my system is largely ATA 133. So I’m reluctant to have the slow HDD with the fast HDD on the primary controller.

Whats the easiest way around this. I create LILO on the mbr on the fast hdd, but I’ll have to add enuff space for the /boot dir iirc.

Or would I just be better biting the bullet and partitioning my main HDD….space is not an issue – it’s the rick I might screw up my work pc and/or slow it down…

It can be installed on secondary controller drive. No problem. It just needs a way to boot - and LILO installed on primary master will do fine.

well i would not do that
 

just install lilo an a boot-disk (only for booting linux).
so if something goes wrong (headcrash, dau-mistake)
just don`t insert the disk at start up and your old system will boot!

Re: 2nd HDD
 

If you have a big HDD and you don't have a CD writer, now's a good time to get one, just to save your work files.

I've screwed up my partition table and deleted EVERYTHING but that's only because I kind of panicked when Windows wouldn't boot (in fact it was registering an unrecognised (linux) partition so refused to boot until I changed the partition id using a linux tool called fdisk).

Fips, the program you'll probably use to partition, has never made problems for me - it's a fairly straightforward process.

Investing in a good linux book is also a great idea :study: . This is something I can never stress too much (especially to undergraduates in my college keen to install Linux) - sure you get a free OS and server software and compiler, and etc. etc. :D but learn how to use them, and sit on your hands for a minute before executing commands as root ;) .

Bert

heh thanks for the quick replies...

Just so i'm clear:

So just adding lilo or grub (seems grub is recommended for RH 7.2) on the mbr on a HDD on the primary will be sufficient...

I can have all the linux partitions including /boot on the 2ndary controller on another HDD?

Primary HDD is 80GB 7200RPM - 133 ATA and so is CD-R drive. So I'm obviously happy if I can keep the old [10GB 5400rpm ATA 33] drive away from them.

Are their any disadvantages of disk booting for Linux? Apart from initial speed?

I will get some books - dl'd all the manuals i can find just while I find my feet :)

Absolutely!! Pay particular attention to two steps:

1) the step where you are instructed to make an emergency boot disk (just like under Windoze!!).

2) the steps where you install Grub (my personal fave ;) ).

Make sure you take time to do these steps. They're not complicated, but it seems that the uncomplicated things are where errors can/do occur!!