I currently have WinXP, but I wanna also have a linux on my comp, and ppl told me that slackware is pretty good for beginners.
If I wanna install the slack, do I have to make new linux partitions on my harddisk, so that I can either keep the win and also having the slack?

i have a PartitionMagic software for partitioning drives, but.. then.. what partitions should I acutally make ?

thanks in advance and please be as clear as possible, coz I'm afraid of breakin down the whole system and at the end with ending with no OS instead of 2 OS's

I don't have a floppy, so I won't be able to use fdisk ;(
and for the cfdisk.. I've only seen it once, I don't even know how would I be supposed to work with it ...

Fdisk is program no need for floppy disk it comes with the Slackware cd.
Cfdisk: http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/...TO/cfdisk.html
http://www.debian.org/releases/3.0/i386/cfdisk.txt
Fdisk:
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Partition/...titioning.html
http://linux.about.com/od/commands/l/blcmdl8_fdisk.htm
http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/linux/...p?path=f/fdisk
Check the links I hope they'll be helpful.

Hi Ongeboren,

You can use Partition Magic to partition your drive. You should make one partion at least 5-6 GB (to give you plenty of room to add new stuff) and one for a swap partion of at least double you physical memory. You should make the filesystem ext3 for Slackware, but the installation will format the partition for you. Slack (I believe) uses LILO as its default bootloader to allow you to load eith OS (WINXP or Slack) at boot. The installation is fairly straightforward so you shouldn't have any trouble. You might want to learn the LILO bootloader a little better before you start ( I can't help because I use GRUB.)

There is plenty help available here.

Hope this helps,

Bob

I think I'll first try with your example, since it seems easier. if I understood right , I'll have to finish with somethin like this :

Windows Partition -> quiet a lot of giga's since I have 120 Gb hdd
Linux ext3 .. I'll put about 15 GB
Linux Swap .. I'll put more than needed.. about 1 GB

and that's all ? and btw, do I need to backup my current data.. or is it safe using Partition Magic ?

@IceChant and SlackerDex :
I read the tutorial for cfdisk, I run a livecd of knoppix and open cfdisk.. it shows my current harddrive but the wierdst thing is that there isn't a way to make a new partition, as it was written in the tutorials u gave me there..I mean there isn't a New partition button,neither a "free space"

omg.. I feel so lame :/

Whether Slackware is a good first distro is a matter of opinion. Give it a go and see what you think. If you are willing to learn it should work out fine.

[QUOTE/]If I wanna install the slack, do I have to make new linux partitions on my harddisk, so that I can either keep the win and also having the slack?[/QUOTE]

Windows is likely on a partition using the whole hard drive, right? If you can spare the dollars a second hard drive would be ideal. Resizing has gone ok for me, but backing up anything you value would be a good idea.

[QUOTE/]i have a PartitionMagic software for partitioning drives, but.. then.. what partitions should I acutally make ? [/QUOTE]

PM has a good reputation. To see how this could be done with free software check this out;
http://mlf.linux.rulez.org/mlf/ezaz/ntfsresize.html
the gparted live cd mentioned there is only 25 MB
One man's partition idea (and a good tutorial) http://www.bitbenderforums.com/vb22/...?postid=311808
Really, a root partition and a swap partition is all that's needed.

[QUOTE/]thanks in advance and please be as clear as possible, coz I'm afraid of breakin down the whole system and at the end with ending with no OS instead of 2 OS's [/QUOTE]

Did I already mention "back up anything you value"?

BTW, partition magic created partitions won't work with Slackware at once. You need to reformat them in proper Linux standard. So you could easily do this:
Take some space from NTFS (you said 15Gb for linux root partition + 1Gb for swap = 16 Gb) and leave it unallocated (do not make any partition). By now, you should have around 104Gb ntfs space and 16Gb unallocated space. Boot CD1 of Slackware, run cfdisk. It will find your unallocated space. Create partitions which you want with cfdisk and give them types (ext2, ext3, reiserfs - for filesystems, swap - for Linux swap and so on), write changes to the partition table.

One thing to add: you can't resize neither with fdisk nor with cfdisk. So do resizing in Windows.

too bad.. I had already made the Partitions (root + swap) before I saw your answer.. and now.. what do I do then.. is it all false... everything is lost ?

No, if you resized your windows with something non-destructive (like Partition Magic) you should be good to go. The bitbenderforum link I gave you earlier explains what to do next. No need to partition to his exact example, choose your own scheme. Even if you have already partitioned it might be good to run through the part about fdisk as a learning exercise.

I hope you are not saying you tried to resize with fdisk/cfdisk. Fdisk is destructive by design.