So - I've successfully installed Suse Linux v9.3, and was also able to configure Samba server so my Windows box can see the FS. Hurrah! However, further question ( I have an old i386 which I have rescued to use as a FS for my families' two laptops).

I installed a second hard drive (80G Maxtor) alongside the 20G Maxtor in the box before installing Linux. WHen installing, YAST suggested 2 partitions, which I accepted - 1) 1 G +/- Swap Partition, and the rest a root partition. Now, when I run the partition tool in YAST,it sees the second harddrive, but labels it as extended. When I attempt to view diskspace, utility only 'sees' the 20G drive.

A) Is this ok? Will the second hard drive 'kick in'once the first drive fills up? I will rapidly fill up the 20G HD once I begin backing up files, downloading MP3s, etc.
B) Is this ideal? Something tells me that maybe I should just buy a second 80G HD, as they are cheap as chips.
C) Lastly, any partitioning advice? My Linux friends tell me that two partitions are usually enough, and that I shouldn't fiddle with things.

Me? What I'd do here is install on the 20g. Setup the 80g as ext3 (readable by all distros) /mnt/data partition. Share that in Samba. If you ever want to replace the distro, do not format /mnt/data, but have it setup in /etc/fstab. All data is retained.

hda
/ - 10g
swap - 512m, your choice
/home remainder.

Use second drive for data storage.

Hi - many thanks for your quick response. Regarding my current disk setup, does 'extended' mean it would look like the same virtual disk as hda? Why wouldn't my diskspace utility see the second drive? You say to use the second drave as Samba; that makes a lot of sense - what is the difference between /home and /data? Lastly, can I have two different formats on the two disks? I believe the 20G is setup as reiser.

Sorry for all the basic questions, am trying to learn on the fly!

does 'extended' mean it would look like the same virtual disk as hda?
- Not sure about YAST, depending how you setup. With my setup, don't use LVM.

what is the difference between /home and /data?
- /home is, well... the /home partition.... user's settings. Keeping /home seperate from / will let you keep those settings if you change the distro. Just reformat and install the distro in /, which both (/ and /home) will be on hda. Don't reformat /home, just add it to the mount settings in /etc/fstab which the install should do. Keeping /data on the second hd(?) allows you to keep this data incase of the above... or move the drive another box if needed, or replace hda.

You can have as many different formats as you have partitions, as each partition is seperate.

Just setup the disks, hda and hd(?) through the installer seperate... without LVM.

X1 - thanks alot! I'll try your suggestions tonight. Will revert tomorrow with any questions/problems.
Wish me luck!

X1- one more question - more on partition than my specific circumstances: Under your suggestion (hda1 - 10G /, hda 2 - 1 Mg Partition, hda3 - (rest) /home, hdb1 /data) - where do the other directories go (eg, /bin, /etc. etc. etc)?
Sorry for the basic questions and thanks again.

hda3 - (rest) /home, hdb1 /data)
- Note, hdb1 and data will not be on hda3, but on the second hd. hda3 will only have /home

All other directories will be installed in / on hda1. When you do a "ls -l /", you won't see any difference. Even /home will show up, even though it's on a different partition.

Linux installers are smart enough to know what to do.