First, here is what I want to accomplish:

I want to manage the size (not just create) of RedHat 8 Linux partitions from within Windows (where I still spend most of my time) using PartionMagic. I see myself changing the Linux patition sizes over time and I would rather use PartitionMagic than any other tool to do this.

Now, the tricky details.

RedHat 8 will create the necessary partitions automatically in "unallocated" space on my hard drive. If I let RedHat do this however, the partitions cannot be modified by PartitionMagic without causing PartitionMagic to freak out about errors.

I can create the partitions manually using FDisk during the RedHat install (yuck) but then again, PartitionMagic doesn't like to touch them.

So, I'm thinking that the best solution (correct me if I'm wrong) would be to create all the necessary Linux partitions from within Windows ParitionMagic (boot, system, swap) and then have RedHat nicely install itself into the paritions I've created.

...but how do I make RedHat 8 do that?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

And yes, I know there are other programs out there but I want to find out about PartitionMagic. Thank you.

I think that your best solution would be to not use partition magic at all (just my opinion). there are programs from gnu called "fips" or "parted" that will do what you want (resize partitions) on anything but ntfs- with out "freaking out".

As for installing redhat... don't they have an option to use fdisk or cfdisk? I'm almost positive that it did when I installed r.h. 8.

just choose the partitions you want to be mounted where you want (probably one for "/"... your main linux partition, and a pretty small one (somewhere around double your ram.. up to around 250 is what I've read) for your swap)

get back if you are still having problems

good luck

-Adam

nt

ok, that's fine. use partition magic to create a couple of (empty) partitions.... of the size you want to use for linux.....

then install redhat on those partitions. if partition magic gives you crap about re-sizing them in the future, use a different program to resize it. what's the problem?

I think you are overlooking a step in the install process of redhat. you can install it on one, or however many partitions you want.... not just everything that's left on your hd.

even if that IS the case... get a program that doesn't put up a fit with ext2, reiserfs, or whatever... and resize it after you install redhat.

OOH... I JUS NOTICED THAT YOU JUST EDITED YOUR FIRST POST... SO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER ONE'S NOW, HA? CONGRADULATIONS... YOU'RE ON YOUR FIRST STEP TO REALIZING THAT THERE ARE CHOICES!!!

why do you NEED to use PM so badly? are you afraid of learning something?

ok, I don't mean to sound bitter, it's just that if you are interested in trying out linux, try it out.... don't be stuck in the microsoft world.

When you are installing R.H., use the fdisk option, all you have to do is specify which partition you want to mount where, and that's it... it will install on those partitions. Create them with PM if you want, it doesn't matter as long as the partitions are there.

You can also mount FAT32 partitions for linux too, so maybe you should install redhat on the smallest possible ext2(/3), and then use VFAT's for all your other stuff, then PM shouldn't care. Although, now that I think about it, my friend mounted vftat partitions w/ R.H. 8 and it says it's read-only, but I don't think that's the case for the newer kernels (I wouldn't know, b/c I don't have any vfat partitions on my system)... might be something to look into though.

Partition Magic is a front end for fips and fdisk anyway.
Just like Windows XP is Windows 2000 in drag.

P.S.- open source partition utilities.... WORK on everything BUT ntfs
(microsoft), partition magic..... DON'T work on anything BUT ntfs, vfat

I think it's time to change your frame of thought

again, sorry if i'm bitter.... it's 2:25 a.m., and I got a bunch of crap to do before I can sleep.

I know I'm the one asking for help here but I am not completely clueless when it comes to Linux and the oh-so-scary command line.

Like I said, I spend MOST of my time in Windows 2000 (installed on NTFS). Partition Magic is a BEAUTIFUL prog that shows me graphically how my HD looks (ain't that the purpose of GUIs???).
I manage with clicks and drags - ain't life grand?

And I'm not trying to be bitter either, except it seems that whenever somebody comes asking about using a certain closed source prog on any open source board, the response from the community is usually something along the lines of "why use that" or "this is better." It may be better, but I'm not lookig for a BETTER way of doing things (all relative, I hope you agree) I want to do things the way I described.

And I'm not trying to be mean or a smart alek... just want to use PartitionMagic (without any psycho analysis about my aversion to use something non MS).

Now, if the way I want to do things is completely impossible then I'll consider alternatives.

That being said, any specific insight?

PS - PartitionMagic works on EVERYTHING (that I'll ever need).

...but how do I make RedHat 8 do that?
You're just looking for a way to make Red Hat use your existing partitions, right?

Usually when you're past setting up the install parameters kbd, media, etc) you enter the partition selection thingie disk druid gizmo, and there's a choice between setting up your own partitions in free space or use prefab ones. To use prefab ones select in "current partitions" the partition you want to use, do "edit partition" and select the mount point (/, /boot, /swap). Something like that.

Ppl on the board may seem a wee bit overzealous in trying to convert ppl sometimes, especially the ones that don't have to deal with clients who use Mac/Win platforms and not Linux. I've had some probs with PM in the past due to how if fscks up partition tables, but then again that'll learn you how to use a slew of GPLed apps like testdisk, bootpart etc, etc to fix things properly :-]

I have only used linux for one month, however I found my way to this thread trying to solve a problem I believe was caused by Partition Magic. I'll just tell what happened for information purposes. I don't know enough (yet) to offer any possible explanations. (or solutions)

I have SuSe, RH, and Win98SE living on my box in a multiboot using lilo. I used PM 7.0 to set up the partitions before install. After both distros were up and running, I went to windows and opened Partition Magic to check setup. PM gave 5 or 6 error messages which I allowed PM to fix (stupid). Result = kernal panic and reinstall #1. Knew PM 7 did not work with ext3 or reiserfs, but I did not expect it to hose my system.

It gets worse. After reinstalling I just made sure if PM 7 wanted to change something I said no. Partition magic didn't read the disks properly, but my linux distros did not get wrecked.

One month later I started using PM 8.0 because at least it recognized Ext3. First time I opened it. Looked good. No error messages. Read ext3 properly - called reiserfs ext2 though. That's OK.

Went to boot into SuSE - Kernel Panic!
Went to boot into RH - Kernel Panic!

Partition Magic 8 evidently made changes with out asking for permission and hosed my system again. How rude.

Forgive long post. Not looking for help (yet). just wanted to relate experience and keep someone from making same mistake.

I thought the solution was like you mentioned but didn't have a spare Saturday to experiment.

Ppl on the board may seem a wee bit overzealous in trying to convert ppl sometimes



Yes, thank you. And I did learn a lot from installing and using RedHat (mostly from mistakes).

Maybe some day I'll be daring enough to depend largely on Linux as my desktop machine. While I like to experiment, most of the times I just want my OS to work.

ok, ok.... I got some sleep and coffee.... I'm not so grumpy anymore :-)

part of what I was trying to say was this:

1) make your partitions w/ PM
2) when you install RH, choose the fdisk option
3) when you're in the fdisk section, all you need to do is specify what partition to mount where, you don't need to make new partitions. (although you probably have to tell it to make a ext2/3 filesystem on one(+) and swap on another)

hopefully, if you made the partitions w/ PM, it won't give you crap. but if it's giving you crap b/c of the filesystem type, just try out another program, I used "fips" and it was really easy, but I've heard that "parted" is even easier.

Also, you can just install linux onto a vfat partition (I don't know if R.H will let you do that though)

anywase, sorry for being "overzealous"... I just think that you shouldn't feel like you HAVE to use PM for everything, but I guess that's just my opinion.

anywase, good luck with everything

-Adam