Partition directions
 

I have a 120GB hard drive.

I would like to make one partition in the NTFS file system at 100GB big.

I would like to make another partition in the Red Hat 9 file system at 20GB big.

The 100GB partition will be Windows XP home.

The 20GB partition will be Red Hat 9.

What is the best way to install these two operating systems so they can coexist the best on this one hard drive?



thanks




this might make a good sticky...

Partition Magic is what I use. NTFS is undocumented, and linux write support simply is not there yet. Soon, I hope.

My experience was with Captive, I couldn't get it to delete files (or change them for that matter) on my NTFS partition.

That's just my experience, YMMV.

It looks like he is coming along, and I expect that it will be (fully) working RSN.

Here's the link if you are interested:

http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/


But anyways, install XP first and allow it to take the whole enchilada, then come back with Partition Magic and resize the sucker to 100 Gigs and create your linux partitions while you are at it.

I went as far as to let PM convert my NTFS partition to FAT32 since I hate not being able to administor my Windows from linux.


Only 20 Gigs for linux? Are you sure that you don't have that backwards :)


John

I agree with installing XP first, then Red Hat. However, I would make the two partitions first, with whatever you have handy. You can use fdisk if you like, or the Red Hat installer, get to the point of partitioning, then abort. Then install XP followed by RH. Maybe Win XP has a partitioner, I've never installed it.

I have installed RH dual booted with a previous install of Win2k, and it does just fine by using the default Grub boot loader (although I think it will can the Windows partition "DOS" by default).

I am going to back up my Windows XP files, and delete my Windows XP partition by using a Win98 boot disc (FDISK).

so i create my first partition at 100GB using FDISK and then install Windows XP on that partition.

Ive changed my mind for NTFS filesystem (unless you can give me a reason not to) and im going to FAT32 filesystem for Windows XP.

Then i insert Red Hat 9, and use that partition selecter it has to take the free space that the 100GB partition left over, and install linux on that.

After that, what Filesystem do i use for Red Hat 9?

How do i configure the boot loader, which is better, GRUB or LILO?

Dude - if you install XP, you'll end up with NTFS. What I think you should consider doing is to do the following: Create 3 partitions, one 100G as Windows, and leave the other 20G as free space. Install XP, which will format the partition as NTFS. During the Redhat install, create a 256Mg partition (out of the 20 available) as swap, and allocate the remaining space as ext3. Proceed with the Redhat installation, assigning the swap partition to swap, and assigning the ext3 to /

Personally I recommend lilo over grub, but that's a personal preference. Good luck with the installation. -- J.W.

well, i am still a nOOb but,

I used Mandrake but might be the Red Hat installer is pretty similar these days, it might do the trick.
I recommend using red hat to create the partition (during installation)
as soon as red hat created the partitions, reboot. (don't finish the installation)

This way your able to make a fat32 for windows so you're able to look in your files with linux and linux already has it's own partition. One other option, i am trying right now, is 3 partitions. 1 for windows and its program files. 1 for linux. 1 for the data (movies, data etc)
Why? It sucks making backups every time I reinstall XP. This way my files are save.

(It's not possible (yet) to write on a ntfs disk while using linux, It is possible to use your linux partition (ext) in windows.)


Luck.
Bas

i got partition majic, made partitions, got to the red hat installer it kept saying "the thingy must have a / to install on"

i got pissed off and gave up.



happy you undropens

Ah, don't do that.

What it's complaining about is that you need to select a partition during the RH installation that it can use for "/". This will be the partition that you created for linux.

For example:

1) Start with a blank disk.

2) Install Windows (optional :) )

3) Use Partition Magic to resize your Windows partition to the 100 Gig that you wanted.

4) Use partition Magic to create a small swap partition (mandatory) for linux. I would recommend 512 Meg.

5) Use Partition Magic to create a partition for linux (this is of a different partition type than the swap, and will show up in a different color than the linux in Partition Magic).

6) Optional: Use Partition Magic to create a smaller (2 - 4 Gig linux partition that you can use for storing stuff between installs (you don't want to keep your linux stuff on the Windows partition since it messes up the permissions of your files, and if you leave it in your "/" partition, then you will lose it during the next install).

7) Optional: Have Partition Magic convert your Windows NTFS partition to Fat32 (that's what I did with mine). Now you can admin Windows the intelligent way.


Before you proceed any further, write down the sizes of each partition that you now have created on your drive. In the order that you created them. I don't expect you to know about the way linux labels partitions, yet, but you will have to make sure that you are installing linux on the partition that you intended or risk overwriting your Windows stuff.

While you are at it, create a Windows rescue disk complete with FDISK.EXE. You have been warned.


Okay, reboot with your RH CD in the cup holder.


In the Redhat installation (I am a SuSE guy, so this won't be too specific), pick expert installation or whatever it takes to have the installation allow you to select your own partitions (rather than having RH pick them for you).

In this screen, note the massive 100 Gig partition the says either "NTFS" or "FAT32"? Avoid this one.

See the itty-bitty 512 Meg partition? Make this your swap partition.

See the larger of the two linux partitions? Make this "/"

See the smaller of the two? Tell RH that you want the mount point for this partition set as "Extra" (I like to use a leading capital letter to signify that this is an external partition and not just a directory off of "/").

Tell RH that you want your Windows partition mounted as "WinC" (you probably won't need to do this, it should be automatic).


Install RH.
Reboot.
???
Profit!


Should it all go to tears and you decide that I have the uncanny ability to smoke crack and type at the same time, boot your Windows rescue disk and run “FDISK.EXE /MBR” from the command line. This will restore the original MBR (Master Boot Record) to your hard drive allowing you to enter Windows and then use Partition Magic to restore your drive back to the way that it was.


John

?