problems partitioning hard disk
 

Hi,
I'm trying to partition my hard disk to install linux.

But FDISK just says I have no space (dont think this is right) and won't let me.

Alternatively I have FIPS on my linux CD to load onto floppy disk and try that but I can't create a bootable disk
(FORMAT A:/S doesnt work it says use add/remove programs, that doesnt work either cos it says "the file aspi2dos.sys was not found")

Can someone tell me how to solve either one of those problems and partition my hard drive?

Thanks :) i appreciate the help
Emi

Most likely windoze has a partition using the whole drive. You'll need to shrink it down to create some unpartitioned space.

how do i do that please?

If using Xp, I believe you can do that through the control panel/administrator/disk management. Otherwise, you can use third party software like partition magic.

running windows millenium which sucks and wont even boot dos to sort it out with FIPS :(
but i'm going to change it to 98 anyways so i might delete it altogether then install linux then partition it from there and then install windows 98.

thanks for all the help :)

It is possible to install Windows after linux, but it geats really ugly from a bootloader (grub, lilo) perspective. If you are going to go from Winme to Win98, I suggest you install Win98 first, and during the install, make sure windows doesn't use the entire drive. Delete the existing Winme partitons(s), then create a new partition that is at least 5 GB smaller than the disk in total. Leave all the space for linux as unpartitioned. Once Win98 is running, install whatever linux you have chosen, and grub/lilo will auto sense your windows partition, and allow you to boot both. Doing Windows first makes dual booting difficult, because Windows wants sole control over the MBR (master boot record), which just destroys your linux bootloader. Unless you created a backup boot disk for linux, you need a recovery CD to recreate the linux bootloader. During the linux install, it will ask to use the unpartitioned space on the drive, and tell it yes. It will create whatever partitions you ask for (usually at least /, swap, and often /home and /boot).

Peace,
JimBass

I suggest you download the GParted LiveCD. It runs GPParted, which has the ability to resize both FAT32 and NTFS. I've used it successfully on a couple of occasions. Remember to defragment your partition before you attempt to resize it, otherweise it won't work. Also, back up anything important you have just in case something goes wrong and you hose your partition.

Ahhhhh, GParted. That's it. I used to have that one and lost the CD someplace, was a great tool. Works quite well. Had forgotten the name.