Can I install SuSE, Red Hat and Mandrake in Windows Partitions.
 

I would like to install SuSE, Red Hat and Mandrake on Drives D, E, and F respectively, on my hard drive partitions that were created with Windows. Is this possible?

Yes, that is definitely possible, but then there will be no D,E anf F drives after installation as Windows cannot recognise linux partitions.

For all intents and purposes, no. Linux will (well should) not be installed on FAT filesystems. Besides, you will need to delete at least one of those to make room for a partition for swap (you can use the same swap for all three).

You can use two of the three you have but you will not see them from windows... and they won't be FAT. They will be formatted clean by the installer.

I think sjia knows that he has to convert the FAT partitions before install. Also, all the installation programs themselves give an option to change the partition type.

I don't know. The way the question is phrased it seemed to me that he wanted to use the partitions as they were. Besides, he is still one partition short.

Why is he a partition short?

Yes, frob you interpeted the question correctly. I want to be able to ghost Red Hat, Mandrake and SuSE before I start fiddling with these OS. I feel the only way to learn is jump in a get you feet wet. The problem is that when you take that approach, you usually end up corrupting the OS. I do not what to get myself in the situation of re-installing everytime something goes wrong. (Like I have in the past with windows).

If you are careful you should not kill windows or the other *nix installations but you might kill the current one you are running. Even if you had it all on FAT, you could still screw it up. I know some of the older versions of slackware would install on DOS disks but it really hurts performance and in not recommended. Is this something you cannot live with?

You are one partition short because you need to create a swap partition... nothing huge (usually 2*RAMsize). You only need one because all the versions of linux can share it.

Thanks frob but I am not one partition short. Remember, I said I wanted to install on partitions D, E and F. Well that leave me with C open. I planned it that way should a need arise. It looks like that need has just risen. LOL.
I have already installed SuSE. When I install the other OS, Is there something I should be aware of so I can share the swap partition.

Also, do you know how to create a boot disk for SuSE or can I use a Red Hat boot disk to boot SuSE

I obviously had no way of knowing you had a partition open. ;-) But yes, that partition will work. Just remember that everything will be wiped off it.

When you install the other OS... during the disklabel phase it will ask how you want to set partitions up -- it should see the linux swap and ask if you want to use that for swap. Just say yes. Also, if it asks about mounting the SuSE partition anywhere... you may (just select /SuSE/ as the mountpoint. If you do that you could damage the partition should you mess up with the other version of linux. So only do it if you know you will need to share info frequently.

You can set up sharing between them all when you feel more comfortable about not screwing things up. Trust me, it will be quick. The learning curve is steep but doesn't last forever.

Thanks frob for all you help. I understand ;-)

I have SuSE already installed. I have already connected it to the internet through a router. I'm asking these questions before I take the next step and installing the other 2 OS.

sjia:

the only way that you have to install *nix in windoze partition is with vmware (coomercial software that you can try)

Also you can install any other OS inside windoze