hello all,
maybe it's a stupid question,
anyway,
i completely want to move to linux,not to use xp any more,but if i use all my hard drive to install Linux,
what if i want to install a new version in future,so how can i install the new version without loosing the data i have in my hdd?
in windows i just format the c drive and install xp on c,and there would be no interfere with other drives.
thanks in advance

I'm not sure whether you are asking about:

• installing one version of Linux and, at some later time, installing another version of Linux in its place
• installing more than one version of Linux at the same time

in any case, the key is to do something like making a separate partition for /home. If you do that, when you install the second Linux, you have to ensure that you do not re-format your /home partition.

(None of this obviates the need for a backup, of course, just decreases the likelihood that you will use it, if everything goes well.)

sorry,yeah i mean:
the way i install linux is to let linux use all the free space on my hard drive to install itself,
but i want to create partition as you said and move my files there,should i create partitions in the process of installing linux,or i don't know,i think i should change the way i install linux,if that's possible would you explain more or introduce some source about that

Thats nice ,you are welcome ,

As per your need you should create a separate partition(LVM) or any normal partition using fdisk of any size to keep data permanently in them and they will remain intact irespective of any os installation .

So to do this you have to keep that moch of space unallocated during ur 1st installation ,so that after installation u can create a normal partition of any size u want .

After creating one partition keep data in that and just mount that volume after every new installation .

thanks,
so can i just keep my d and e drive then delete my c drive and add it's space to my linux,then let linux to use all free space on my hard drive to install itself??!! is it a good way?!!
so how would linux know the 2 partitions [d,e]? i mean they not belong to any O.S?

What filesystem ur [d,e] drive have ?

FAT/NTFS ?

ntfs

Dont worry ,Which distribution of linux u want to use ?

right now using fedora core 11 but after removing xp,i will install fedora core 12,

Fedora kernel has ntfs module .So u can mount ur D and E drive .
Its better to have fat partition ,bcoz sometimes fedora has bugs while mounting ntfs partitions .

hi i am a bit worried,i have both windows xp and fedora 11 installed on my laptop but i dont actually remember what i did to the fedora i am unable to boot it.I decided to do re installation of the fedora but only to get stucked at how to mount root filesystem.I chose to replace the existing linux partition but it tells me critical error occurred and i am not able to continue with the installation.I would be very much happy if someone could show me what to do when i get to the partition side.Actually i want to use fedora 12 this time,i would be very grateful if some one can show me these :root,swap and the rest

that's what i do now to access my windows drive,but if i remove my xp but keep my 2 [d,e] partitions,after installing linux at this point,how can i mount them i mean they were belong to xp with ntfs format but now,there is no xp,how can linux recognize them,is it possible?
or i should format all my hard drive,keep as much space as i need,then install linux ,move my files to new space i've kept?

z99 if D and E drive have not much important data u have just using fdisk delete those 2 partition and make them VFAT .Dont need to format all ur harddrive .

U told they belongs to XP ,what does that means ?

Any OS kernel that can read the NTFS parttion ,can access those D,E .

well,i need your help,assume a 160 gb hdd,i need 140 gb for my music,20 gb for linux,i want my 140 gb [music] to be stable i mean whenever i do a fresh fedora core installation i can reach that drive with no data loss and no change,
what do you suggest for partitioning,should i do it when i'm installing linux or whatever! thanks divyashree

If you'll never need to read a partition from Windows (which I assume you will not because you are erasing Windows), you definitely want to format it with a native Linux FS. I would recommend ext3 or ext4.

You probably also need a swap partition. How much RAM do you have?