Dual Boot Pre-requisite Question...
 

this isn't directly related to linux...

i want to make a bootable backup on my winxp partition prior to setting up my dual boot with linux.

can someone point me to a good tutorial? i have maxblast4 since my usb drive is a maxtor unit.

i'd prefer to go all open source, if possible.

also, winxp isn't moving all the data to the beginning of the partition when i run defrag. does the partition resizer usually do this? i forget which one i used before... something like q... something-er-rather...

tia...

Hello there,
At least i'm not clear with what you are intending to ask.
Reframing the question could help.

regards

What is a "bootable backup"?

I am not sure that defrag is **suppossed** to move all data to the beginning.

To install Linux, you need to create free space--I dont know what maxblast does, but be sure to back up data before messing with partitions.

Also, if you tell us your total HD setup---#, capacity--we may have other clever suggestions.

Finally, serch on the LQ forume---this is a very common topic.

In WinXP, it's normally possible to resize a partition directly from "Disk Management".
You can find that by clicking with right mouse button on "My Computer", choosing "Manage" and
finally selecting "Disk Management".
I haven't tried it yet, but it should move the files to the beginning of the disk.

"defrag" just puts all fragments of a file together, by moving the fragments around on the disk.
It doesn't necessarily put everything in 1 consecutive block, ie at the beginning of the disk.

What do you mean by "bootable backup"? When installing a dualboot, a Linux bootloader (Grub or Lilo) is installed in your MBR. Normally, you can configure it to run either windows or linux. Most modern Linux installers know well how to create Linux partitions on the disk, configure the boot loader for you, etc. So the risk should be small.
Furthermore, restoring your windows boot loader should be possible from:
-your windows installation CD;
-a bootable Windows rescue disk (you can create one via: Start - Programs - Accessoires - System Tools - Backup, but I think it only works with floppy disks.
-You may want to try http://jsifaq.com. It contains some very useful tips on how to tweak Windows for your needs. Maybe there's a tip on creating rescue disks too (ie on USB).

If this is not what you were looking for, please give us some more details...

1. i think the jist of one question was answered - the partition resizer is the software that moves the data to the beginning of the drive.
2. sorry for confusing everyone. i'm trying to create an image of my winxp on a usb hard drive such that i can plug in the usb hd into a 2nd computer, boot from usb and boot off the image i previously created.

i think the issue is that i can back up my hd fine and dandy... but i'm not sure i'll be able to restore it unless i can actually see it up and running on another computer (via usb boot). i'm sure there are other, better ways, but i'mnew to this and want to see it in action rather than trust it and be sol if something goes wrong.

i'm trying to dual boot my toshiba a15 laptop. i want to back up the current partitition (create iso that is usb bootable in a 2nd machine), resize the partition and install gnu/linux (probably mepis, maybe suse). i've resized a partition on my main desktop's 2nd hard drive (to keep legacy win98 install) and installed mepis with no problems. since it was legacy win98, i didn't go through the trouble of 1. backing it up and 2. verifying that the backup was restorable. this is the new part.

also, win98 defrag moved everything to the beginning of the hd, so i had no idea whether the partition resizer would do this. my winxp laptop has a big block of data at about 85% of the hd.

thanks for the guidance.