will fdisk destroy the single windows partition?

captainstorm · 08-04-2003, 01:47 AM

Hi, all. It is a newbie question. I have not used fdisk before and have the chance to try it now.

I have a hard disk with only 1 partition with windows98. Can I use the fdisk to make partition for the rest of the free space, without destroying windows? If so, do I need to "new" a primary partition for linux? or only "new" the extension for swap, /boot and / ?

Thank you very much

Tinkster · 08-04-2003, 01:54 AM

Which fdisk are you talking about? :)
Window's? Linux? By default, neither
should do anything you don't want it
to (even though I had bad experiences
with Window's fdisk in the past ;}) ...

And the second question: Linux is not
particular at all, it likes primary and ex-
tended the same, and even a second
hard-drive is no obstacle for a flawless
install ...

Cheers,
Tink

captainstorm · 08-04-2003, 01:59 AM

Oh thank you very much guru Tinkster. It is an incredible speed.

I want to use linux fdisk to make use of the "free" space left by windows98. But there is only one partition hda1 on this hdd. I think probably I need some tools first to resize hdd and free some, say, 2G, and then use the fdisk to creat extension swap /boot and /. Is that correct?

Thanks again

Tinkster · 08-04-2003, 02:07 AM

How much free disk space have you got?

Cheers,
Tink

captainstorm · 08-04-2003, 02:09 AM

the hard disk is 10G, and leaving about 8G free. So resizing 2G as "unallocated" is not a problem (I believe).

Thanks

Azmeen · 08-04-2003, 02:27 AM

You got to use something like PartitionMagic or GNU/Parted to resize existing partitions. Fdisk does not resize partitions, it merely creates/destroy them.

captainstorm · 08-04-2003, 02:35 AM

Thank you Azmeem. I found that. My partition magic CD is corrupted

It seems the only way I can do is to destroy everything

Tinkster · 08-04-2003, 02:56 AM

There's a bunch of rescue/mini-distro's with
parted/ntfsresize out there ... just go to
http://freshmeat.net and search for parted

Cheers,
Tink

captainstorm · 08-04-2003, 04:01 AM

Again, thank you Tinkster. I've managed to resize the partition (I should declar I did not use illegal software

)

I was told that the partition where kernel resides (I think /boot) has been put beyond the 1024 cylindral limite. Sorry but I've been using auto-partition all-along and never encoutered this problem before. Anyway I proceeded. I'll see whether linux could boot after I install it.
More later...

captainstorm · 08-04-2003, 04:43 AM

Haa, linux boot quite all right. It previously told me that /boot is beyond the 1024 cylindral limit, and my BIOS does NOT appear to support this. However, it supports

This is a good practice, one a desktop computer

Azmeen · 08-04-2003, 06:29 AM

Congratulations! Use Linux more often

Tinkster · 08-04-2003, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by captainstorm
[B]Again, thank you Tinkster. I've managed to resize the partition (I should declar I did not use illegal software:))

Ciao Ragazzo,

and my pleasure :) (piacere mio?)

Cheers,
Tink

captainstorm · 08-05-2003, 04:14 AM

Tinkster
Con piacere a conoscerti. Non sono Italiano, sono Cinese