LinuxQuestions.org - Format n' go

- Linux - Newbie (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/)

- - Format n' go (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/format-n-go-195557/)

Hey,

I'm very close to doing the re-format before I freshly partition and reinstall Windows 98, with the addition of Mandrake Linux 9.2. :D I just need to make sure I haven't got anything wrong with the process, so I'd appreciate it if you guys could check it over.

*Format C: from DOS prompt
*Reboot with a FDISK boot disk in the floppy drive
*Will I need to delete the existing C: partition here?
*Partition (10GB C: (Win98), 15 GB Extended Logical 1 (Documents and such), 15GB left over
*Install Win98 (hoping it goes into C: :P)
*Reboot from DVD drive with the Mandrake install CD in the drive
*Go through Mandrake install

One thing I'd like to ask: I'm looking for the best performance from my relatively old PC after this, and so it makes sense to put the FAT32 documents partition at the end of the drive, yes? Thing is, how do I achieve this when I have to do the FAT32 partitioning before the Linux install? Can the Mandrake installer create the extra FAT32 partition when it creates its own Ext2 (or whichever) partitions?

IF you have Win98 FAT32 on your system, you can use FIPS to shrink your FAT32 partition and install Linux in this newly freed space...

Before you run FIPS,

1. run scandisk and rectify errors if any
2. scandisk again to make sure no errors exist
3. Run DeFrag
4, make a win98 boot floppy
5. copy the fips directory from your Linux distro cd to the floppy
6 read some fips documentation

When you are confident enough

boot from the newly created boot floppy and run FIPS.

Better take a backup of your important stuff before you run FIPS.

I think that's too ambitious considering how little I've messed about with partitions and such before. In any case, defrag took way too long the last time I did it... (leaving the computer on overnight is something I never want to do again).

Re: Format n' go

Quote:

Originally posted by Foxy

*Partition (10GB C: (Win98), 15 GB Extended Logical 1 (Documents and such), 15GB left over
^^^^^^^^^^^^

If you have 15G of free space, you can have Mandrake install on the freespace. Formatting your existing setup won't be necessary.

No, that is what I plan to do. Currently I have a single partition using up the whole drive.

This is the main point I need some info on:

Quote:

I'm looking for the best performance from my relatively old PC after this, and so it makes sense to put the FAT32 documents partition at the end of the drive, yes? Thing is, how do I achieve this when I have to do the FAT32 partitioning before the Linux install? Can the Mandrake installer create the extra FAT32 partition when it creates its own Ext2 (or whichever) partitions?