I started to install Mandrake this morning on my Dell Inspiron. I wanted to go Linux only so I used the installer and reformatted the entire hard drive. I have a 10GB hard drive, but when I was selecting what packages I wanted to install it gave me a number like 1045/4950. The first number is (I assume) the total size of the packages I've selected. I am confused and and bit troubled by the second number. I am hoping that it is the size of the largest possible install, but I am afraid that is the size of available space on my drive. What does that number mean? And if it means there is only that much free space on my drive, where did the rest go?

If you allowed drake to auto partition your drive, then it will create a few different partitions. IF you want 1 single large partition, do it yourself instead of letting drake to it all

Cool

My personal choice in partitioning for Linux:

I prefer to partition a 75mb (smallest my installer would allow) /boot partition, because boot partitions never seem to use much space (mine uses a whopping 7 megs). After that, I use a swap partition equal in size to my RAM amount, in my case 384mb. Then I fill the rest of the drive with a / partition.

Some people will argue that having a /usr, /var, or /ect partition is good, but I fail to see the reason why. If you for some reason you fill those directory/partitions, you're outta space and outta luck. By utilizing the entire (more or less) drive as the / partition, you ensure that you have the maximum space availible for package installs, make jobs, and whatnot. In other words, it allows you to expand your system to the fullest potential.

How are the different partitions Mandrake creates different from one another?

With their mount points like sickboylives was suggesting. I believe Mandrake donates a bit to /usr and possibly /home You can always look back at that portion of the install to see exactly, or if you've completed the install already you can use the command:
df -h
to display mount points and their space left/used.

Cool

Hi Downinthemine

It won't be the total space left on your hard drive.

With a 10 gig drive you'll be alright with a maximum install - personally I would just do a Custom install and choose what package groups you want - I get by with about 1.2 gigs of Mandrake installed -

I think Mandrake by default creates a :

Root -
Swap -
Home -
and possibly Boot partitions.

For your situation, here is what I recommend, do an expert install and make sure you install configuration, console tools, development and mc:

/ - 3 gig I suggest reiserfs for the filesystem
swap 128 mb
/home the rest of the disk, also reiserfs

I have a very large install of Mandrake 9.0 which uses 2.7 gig.

# Mandrake links
Mandrake home page
Mandrake Users website
Easy urpmi config for Mandrake
urpmi mini-HOWTO
Easy software management: Red Carpet
Maximum RPM
rpmfind
You didn't install the developmental packages? As root, command:
urpmi gcc
An Introduction to the Midnight Commander. You can install it by commanding:
urpmi mc
Midnight Commander home page