dual boot with windows xp, 98 and now i want Knoppix
 

Hi all!
i have recently obtained my first copy of a linux system, a copy of Knoppix v3.2 and i have become very impressed with it, so impressed that i wish to have it installed permanently on my hard drive. But that is where i come into a few hitches, i already have a dual boot configuration between windows xp and 98, both with FAT 32, the win 98 configuration having 10GB of my hard drive, and xp hogging the other 30. I have tried to create a persistant directory on my xp partition, but when i try to load it, it asks for a 20 character password, and i have never set a password that long in my life! Another thing that has prompted me to install Knoppix was its slow performance off my CD, and its uses for my tertiary education.
So i ask if anybody can help me with my very first linux related problem.
Thank you!
Chris

Well Chris,

you'll have to bear with me, because I never could see any point in dual booting windows.

But what I'd do, is go with the XP, it's more of the same, but it's up to date more of the same. Then, if you don't already have partition manager software (like partition magic) I'd go here and get the freeware/shareware one.

I've got partition magic, so I cant say how easy/straight forward the ranish one is to use, but there should be some doc's/instructions.

Then resize the XP partition (oh, and I would imagine that as you say both your window versions are formatted as FAT32, then you should be able to copy across anything important that you want to keep - and the FAT32 thing is also good - more later). After resizing, you should be able to boot the knoppix and when it's up and running, open a terminal and you should (in theory) just have to type which would then install it to the hard drive.

There's better advice/instructions here as well as links for you to be able to get the very latest version (which is 3.3 IF you've got access to a burner).

A few other points are, that I don't know if knoppix will format the "new" partition or not (I suspect it will - you'd have to choose ext3 if available, though ext2 would do, there's other format types as well, but as I understand it, you'd be better off with ext3, ext2 or ReiserFS). Also, the bootloader. Knoppix, being debian based, lots of the "debian types" prefer GRUB, whereas I prefer Lilo - grub uses a different naming system that I've never managed to get my head round, hence I've always used lilo, with it's normal linux (i.e. hda1, hda2 etc etc) naming conventions.

If you repartitioned to say 20 gig's windows and 20 gigs for linux, then that should be plenty. If the knoppix want's to make a swap partition, it's normal to use twice the amount of physical ram that you have (i.e. I've got a swap, but only because one of my installed distro's wouldn't install without one and I use 1.5 gig's, because I've got 768 megs of physical ram installed - but I had mandrake (various versions) running for nearly 2 years without one).

The FAT32 thing is good, because linux can write to FAT32 formatted windows partitions - whereas, currently I understand that some distro's will read NTFS partitions (which is what XP is normally formatted as, though I'm presuming that because you run it with 98 FAT32 was easier), but not write - I've heard that there are projects in the pipeline about this.

If your relative lack of disc space is because you've filled the hard drive with stuff, then again, unless you've got some way of getting it to disc (CD's because in most cases floppy's would be a waste of time) then you could free up space that way. Failing that, it would mean a second or larger hard drive.

Finally, I believe that knoppix is almost as easy/good as mandrake for a first distro. Fractionally harder to use/learn/install than mandrake, but it's hardware detection is superior and your only possible problem would be your modem. You'll need to find out if it's going to be difficult. If you use dial up, then you should look into winmodems. Check the exact make and model, and then check out the biggest winmodem site to see if it's going to be compatible/configurable or not.

Hope this helps a little.

regards

John

Well Chris, in my point of view it´s better that you backup all your files... make three partitions... format the 1st one FAT32 for win98, then install it...
So... Install your X-Poor Windows (X-Poor cause I hate XP - I prefer windows 2000 server) with all your MS-Ruindows Installed you should install linux in the remaining space...
I did it in mine computer and it works well ever...
I hope I help...
Felipe

Instead of using Partition Magic, you could use Mandrake's own DiskDrake, which is one of the best partitioners I have seen. I have successfully resized an NTFS partition with it (which they say may not work). If you reboot your computer after the partitions are made, you've got what you want and no OS install. Then you're free to install Knoppix.

I haven't installed Knoppix (it didn't like my video card and i didn't care to resolve the issue) but I have used Mepis and Morphix, which use Knoppix as a base. They included QTParted. If Knoppix has that, you can use it to resize your partitions and make space for Knoppix. Go for it.

Just be sure to back up your files and do it. If you wanna continue to use the Windows bootloader, you can. Just search this site for the way - been discussed many times. Or, you can use LILO or GRUB for the booting (another option is an excellent bootloader that is overlooked - GAG)