Best way to set up dual XP/Linux machine?
 

Hi everyone.
I'm currently running an XP machine with a 3GB OS partition and a 57GB data/applications partition, both in FAT32. What's the best & safest way, preferably using free software, to create a new Linux partition without destroying existing data? How big should the partition be?

Thanks for any advice-----
---- The Burninator

Hi burn, how's it goin?

Ok, so apparently you've got a 60GB HD then? You want linux on this drive, and want to sort of "shrink" your data/app partition to make room for a linux one?

If this is correct, cool. Look for a tool called ranish partition manager. It can shrink fat32 partitions supposedly with no data loss, however YMMV, so good luck ;)

Let me know if this will work for you, if so, we can go on with how to get the rest of this all setup :)

Cool

http://download.com.com/3000-2248-91...ml?tag=lst-0-1

There's a link for ya.


EDIT:
http://www.ranish.com/part/

That's probably a more appropriate link for it.

Cool

Burninator:

Which distro are you planning on installing? Most newer distros include repartitioning software which is used in the installation, as long as you're repartitioning FAT32 volumes. I've used Mandrake for some time, and if I need to repartition, it's always worked perfectly.

Master C, you got it right. I want to shrink the 57G partition for linux. And what exactly do you mean by "YMMV"?

I'm planning on installing RedHat 8.0, and I haven't tried just installing it and seeing what features it has. I figured - perhaps incorrectly - that any installation-integrated repartitioner would ignore my data.

You should also defragment your HD before repartitioning it. The other way to go is to use 2 HD's, making Linux the slave drive and installing GRUB on the Master Boot Record during the Linux RH8 install process.

this is rellly a personel taste but if you want the minimum 2 gig for the os and 2X(your amount of ram) for swap is ok.

The whole problem revolvng around having Linux and Windows on the same HD is that MS Windows doesn't have utilities to make linux filesystems. Microsoft doesn't want you to use Linux and they make it difficult. It would seem crazy to get another HD for Linux, however that really is the easiest way to go, and it protects you from messing up MS Windows. You would have to manually switch a jumper on the new HD to slave than during the Linux install make root / primary and install GRUB to the master boot record (also label the choices). This is all done during the Linux install. That's the easiest way unless you are a Linux guru.

P.S. I started out with 2 HD when I wanted to try Linux. It worked fine but than I totally erased Win2k and now I just use linux on both HD's.

I also use XP, and i have been trying to unsuccesfully install slackware 8.1(i think). I get far enough to use cfdisk but it will not let me create a new partition. Is this just something that WinXP is causing, I have a NTFS patition. Is there something im doing wrong? Will I have to get a 3rd party partitioning program?

It's all done in the best possible taste!!!
 

As Chad (master C) will tell you, I have a way of asking the most basic questions in the most convoluted way - this is brought about by an almost complete lack of linux knowledge (and because I'm a truck driving f**kwit!)

I was lucky!!! When my PC arrived, it had the XP formatted into 3 partitions. the main "C" drive, formatted as NTFS, the "D" partition which was set up as FAT32, but had nothing on it and the "E" or recovery partition which was also FAT32 but had the "recovery" files on it.

As a result, and in my arrogance/self belief/whatever when I threw the SuSE 8.0 discs in, it found the space itself...

When I first tried mandrake, I accidentally started the disc with windows still running, and found that it gives you some interesting options.... though as far as I can work out, mainly if your XP install is setup as FAT32 - and yes you can reinstall the XP and tell it to format as FAT32 - it's doesn't have to be NTFS.

Then mandrake (and presumably deadrat) would give you the option to modify the partition size---though the earlier comment about defraging first sounds like good advice.

It's only when you've got something installed that you get to the stage that I'm at - threatening the computer with a variety of Hammers, and moaning about the lack of decent printed documentation, the differences between linux and windows, the inconvenience of having to go looking for additional libraries when an additional software install won't play ball, etc etc etc etc etc

regards

John

p.s. You could always wait until you're under the affluence of incohol, then if it goes to rat shit, you just don't care!!!!!!!

YMMV means your mileage may vary, or You might not have as much luck as someone else with the same setup.

John, great response and advice! :D

Yeah, defrag, run ranish partition manager, chop up the large drive (I'd suggest giving linux at least 5GB) and then install. Make sure during the install you have linux install to the blank 5GB and not over the win data! ;) Also, don't worry about swapping master/slave just install your boot loader to the MBR, regardless of which bootloader you use. Both of the 2 common linux boot loaders: LILO and GRUB can boot win partitions as well as linux just fine. Personally I'd install LILO, but that's just my 2 cents ;) Good Luck and have fun!

Cool