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Hello there. I want to install simplymepis on my laptop where I have 2 partitions: C (60% of the disk) where winxp is installed and D for documents, both ntsf type. Somebody suggested me to install in C but my intention at first was to do it in D, what is your opinion? Also I'd like to know if mepis would be able to share or recognize files in D, that is, between win and linux types.
Thanks
I'm a little confused by your post (Must be my head cold).
You cannot install Mepis or any Linux distro to a NTFS partition. If you install to C: or D: you will overwrite them.
You must install to an unused part of your harddisk. Mepis will take care of placing entries for both Windows and Mepis on your boot loader.
To answer your second question, if you want to share files between Windows and Linux, make sure that D: is a FAT partition (Be careful to back your existing data up first, I would hate for you to overwrite your D: partition if you are not confident.
The other way to do this nowadays, is to use a 2GB USB key. Both operating systems can read this just fine!
Let me state that a different way - you cannot install Linux into any (especially, in this case, Windows) partition that contains data you want to keep.
Quote:
Originally Posted by youngri
You must install to an unused part of your harddisk.
This (generally) means unallocated space - not free space within an already existing partition. You need to resize your partition(s) to free up space before proceeding if your disk is fully allocated.
Absolutely right. Thank you for the clarification.
The other option you have is to download the VMWare player and a pre-made Virtual machine. This will ensure that you do not touch your harddisk at all, whilst having the chance to learn about other operating systems.
Hello again. Maybe I didn't make myself clear: The question was if you recomend to resize C, where windows is installed (and it is a primary partition) or D that I use for data (logical partition), I know I have to repartition in order to install.
Concerning the sharing of files between win and linux, if I make the NTSF D partition into a FAT32 one then I can use it as a file partition for both OS? To install linux it is recomended the root partition and the swap one, so let's suppose I don't change ntsf to fat, in that case do you recomend to make another partition for data storage for linux only? Will I be able to see files stored in this one from windows?
Thanks
Hey, I almost forgot. Do you know if I need to set proxys in linux and how? I connect to internet via proxy in windows and I had to configurate every browser , e-mail client, messager, etc to acces it, so I know I can configure the proxy from firefox for example once in linux but what about any other application/software? To make ssh, ftp and so on?
Since all you want to create is 2 partitions for linux in this case it does not matter whether you resize your C or D drive. If you resize C all you will be able to create is 2 additional partitions. If you resize D you can create as many as you want in the available free space.
FAT32 is the easiest filesystem to share data between the to OSs. There are windows drivers to read ext2/3 and well as linux modules for reading NTFS. NTFS write capabilities is good but still experimental.
I recommend that you don't change the file format of your two existing partitions. You may however need to change their size.
Firstly, do you have enough disk space to resize your existing partitions? I am concerned that if you resize your primary (OS) partition, that you will create extra space between the two NTFS partitions, which may lead to confusion once you have installed your second OS.
Once you have decided how to do this (Are you going to use partition magic for instance?) I would then install MEPIS to the spare space. My personal recommendation is for three partitions / swap and /home.
You may also want to create an extra partition of type FAT32 for file exchange as well.
As for the other questions. Walk before you run. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying that you are trying to attempt advanced topics before you have mastered the more basic.
OK. I guess then I'll partition D into 4, one for win, root, home and swap using QTParted and I'll concern about the NTSF-FAT-linux file sharing later. As for the proxy setting, is it an advanced topic? Regards
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