Need help installing Mandrake

DieuBaZin · 05-09-2003, 01:11 PM

Hello everyone,

As you can see I'm new both to Linux and these forums.
I'm a veteran DOS/Windows user and woud like to install Linux on my machine - I'm curious by nature. I'm also very cautious and I'm sure you'll add valuable input to this thread in order to help me to get Linux installed.

Allright, I'm willing to install Mandrake. My Windows partition (FAT32) uses my entire HD (70Gb).

*The Windows disk must not be touched in any way. I certainly don't want to get rid of Windows nor I'd like to play with partition managers. I know problems are rare - but I won't challenge Murphy's law. I like and need my Windows system and want to keep it functioning. I'd backup my important data, but if something were to go wrong, I'd have to reinstall the entire system - which is something I obvioulsy want to avoid, plus I really don't have the time to (I need Windows every day..!). So, I'd like to install my Linux partitions on a spare 20Gb disk. Inquiry : is it of any particular difficulty?

*As I'll mostly use Windows, I'd like LILO (or grub) to automatically boot into Windows without asking me anything. Inquiry : is it possible to auto-boot into a system which is not Linux with on of these utilities, and if so, how do I do that?

*At last, what's the size of your own partitions (root, swap, usr,...)?

Thank you all for your help

And...I'm aware these topics might be covered in a few other threads...but I wanted everything in one piece - hope you don't mind.

fancypiper · 05-09-2003, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DieuBaZin
Allright, I'm willing to install Mandrake. My Windows partition (FAT32) uses my entire HD (70Gb).

*The Windows disk must not be touched in any way. I certainly don't want to get rid of Windows nor I'd like to play with partition managers. I know problems are rare - but I won't challenge Murphy's law. I like and need my Windows system and want to keep it functioning. I'd backup my important data, but if something were to go wrong, I'd have to reinstall the entire system - which is something I obvioulsy want to avoid, plus I really don't have the time to (I need Windows every day..!). So, I'd like to install my Linux partitions on a spare 20Gb disk. Inquiry : is it of any particular difficulty?

You have chosen the easiest way to install. No problems that I forsee.

Quote:

*As I'll mostly use Windows, I'd like LILO (or grub) to automatically boot into Windows without asking me anything. Inquiry : is it possible to auto-boot into a system which is not Linux with on of these utilities, and if so, how do I do that?

Just list Windows as the first entry in the configuration file for your chosen bootloader. I don't remember if the install gives that choice, but it's just a matter of editing the config file and if you choose LILO, you will also have to run /sbin/lilo to have it take effect.

Quote:

*At last, what's the size of your own partitions (root, swap, usr,...)?

Code:

[phil@tinwhistle phil]$ df -h
Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda3             4.8G  2.9G  1.7G  63% /
/dev/hda1             9.3G  1.5G  7.8G  16% /mnt/winc
/dev/hda2             4.9G  2.0G  2.9G  41% /mnt/gentoo/boot
/dev/hda6             4.9G  2.0G  2.9G  41% /mnt/gentoo
/dev/hda7             4.8G  2.7G  1.9G  58% /mnt/mandrake
/dev/hda8             4.8G  1.4G  3.2G  29% /home
/dev/hda9             8.2G   33M  8.1G   1% /snd
/dev/hdc1             9.3G  2.7G  6.6G  29% /mnt/wind
/dev/hdc2              27G   23G  3.5G  87% /pub
none                  188M     0  188M   0% /dev/shm
[phil@tinwhistle phil]$

I have 128 mb swap partition

Using fdisk

Code:

[root@tinwhistle root]# fdisk -l /dev/hda

Disk /dev/hda: 255 heads, 63 sectors, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 bytes

   Device Boot    Start       End    Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1   *         1      1217   9772056    c  Win95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/hda2          1217      1229     99855   83  Linux
/dev/hda3          1230      1867   5124735   83  Linux
/dev/hda4          1868      4865  24081435    5  Extended
/dev/hda5          1868      1884    136521   82  Linux swap
/dev/hda6          1885      2522   5124703+  83  Linux
/dev/hda7          2523      3160   5124703+  83  Linux
/dev/hda8          3161      3798   5124703+  83  Linux
/dev/hda9          3799      4865   8570646   83  Linux
[root@tinwhistle root]#

I recommned for a home workstation:

/boot - 100mb - not needed if / is ext2 or ext3 FS
swap - 128 mb
/ - 3.5-4 gig for lots of software
/home - the rest of the drive

Proper Filesystem Layout
Bootloaders and Booting the OS HOWTOs

# Mandrake links
Mandrake home page
Mandrake Users website
Easy software management: Red Carpet
Maximum RPM
rpmfind
You didn't install the developmental packages? As root, command:
urpmi gcc

michaelk · 05-09-2003, 01:38 PM

Yep, these topic are covered in hundreds of threads on the site. But we give 1st time posters some slack. Welcome to the world of linux.

It isn't difficult to install to a 2nd hard drive. I suggest using the expert mode. This will allow you to manually select the install drive and partition it as desired. Selecting the default install options might overwrite your windows.

Mandrake uses lilo by default but you do have the option to select grub. During the bootloader install process you will have the option to modify its configuration. Select and edit windows as the default boot. Its easy to modify this after the install if you miss this step.

You have several options to restore the MBR. Using a W98 emergency boot disk the command fdisk /mbr. XP or W2k using the fixmbr from the boot CD. Or in linux if using lilo: lilo -u.

How do you want to partition your drive? You can go with seperate partitions or make it simple and just have one (not including swap).

Real simple no brainer scheme:
/boot 100mb
For a normal desktop users:
swap 2x RAM or 512mb if you have more then 512 mb RAM.
/ the rest.

DieuBaZin · 05-09-2003, 03:54 PM

Thank you all for your swift and complete answers!!