Hey Guys,

Questions on a triple boot set-up, and, can I get a specific factual answers on how is the best way to set up a triple boot system on a PC.

My system: AMD Athlon 2400XP Alabatron Motherboard

I have a dual boot system that has Windows 98 and Windows XP cuurently running on it, and I want to add a 3rd OS (Mandrake).

Question: Can it be done? and if it can, how is the best/easiest way to go about it?

I purchased Mandrake 9.1 (haven't received it just yet, but should be here any day.) and I have Partitcion Magic on hand.

I have not installed Partitcion Magic just yet.

I have an 80G hardrive partitcioned C:, D:, E:, F:, the "C" & "D" drives are FAT32 and the "E" & "F" drives are NTSF.

My PC boots off my "C" drive, with WindowsXP installed on my "E" drive and my "F" drive is blank or storage space.

Should I use Partitcion Magic first and if I do, do I install it on my "C" drive or my "E" drive, or does it matter? or will Mandrake partitcion it on its own?

Any suggestions is great appreciated...

d-1

Yes, it most definitely is possible. Here's what you do: If your F drive is completely blank and that's where you want Mandrake to go, let the Mandrake partitioning tool handle it. All you need to do at this point is install Mandrake. It will detect the other 2 OS's on your system and set up a boot loader for you (Lilo or Grub, I use Lilo) When you get to the point in the installer to where you can choose where you want Mandrake installed, click on the blank partition (F) and delete it. Then you can either set up your mandrake partitions manually or click on the Auto Allocate button (recommended, especially if you haven't installed Linux before). I recommend setting up /, /usr, and /home partitions.

Now, if you don't want to do it this way, or want to change the configuration of your drives in any way (make a few smaller so you can have more space for Linux or create a new partition all on its own just for Mandrake) then you will need to install Partition Magic. Install it wherever you want to. Doesn't really matter. Use it to manipulate your partitions how you see fit and then install Mandrake.

You might want to see if you can turn off or uninstall the XP bootloader that you have going now before you install Mandrake. I have heard some problems with Lilo/Grub and the XP bootloader. I'm not sure how to do this, though. Search the M$ knowledgebase to see step-by-step directions.

Personally I would delete the "F drive" to leave some unpartitioned free space at the end of your drive for Mandrake - then install Mandrake into this free space - choose the option to keep all existing partitions and instal into the free space.(ie you want to keep your current c,d,e partitions and instal Mandrake in the newly created free space) - Install LILO to the MBR.

Have you opened your Partition Magic box yet? If not, return it unless it has something you just absolutely need. Mandrake has put together a very easy to use partitioning program that works from within the installation and is FAR better than anything you'll get commercially. It can safely resize your partitions in most file systems used today w/o destroying any data, manage file systems, manage partitions and a heck of a lot more. I'm not quite sure how it does w/ NTFS file systems, though. The reason I'm not sure is that HardDrake is very reliable w/ FAT- and UNIX-based filesystems, but I have never attempted to resize an NTFS partition under it, and I know that the Linux NTFS driver has very poor writing ability on an NTFS filesystem (read access generally works fine, though).
So, unless you're into wasting money (or the NTFS partitions are taking up most of the disk), I would return P.M. ...but thats just me!

(Anyone know how well HardDrake works w/ resizing NTFS, though? Since that's prolly what he has for XP, unless XP and 98 share a partition, then it's FAT32, which HardDrake is very reliable with.)

I haven't had problems with the mandrake ntfs tool so far. A few things to note:
1. the partition needs to be defragmented
2. turn off hibernation support and virtual memory (i.e. swap)
3. you can't get the partition to be smaller than about half the proginal size

point 2. is necessary because the swap file and hibernation files cannot be moved and take up a lot of space (often towards the end of the partition). You can reactivate both after resizing the partition. point 3. is because windows installs some system files in the middle of the partition and the mandrake tool cannot move them.
BUT, as with any atttempt to mess with partitioning, BACKUP whatever is important before doing anything.

Yes I have opened-up partitcian magic and I'm awaiting Mandrake 9.1 to arrive, still havent received it and it was promised to be here. I have Mandrake 6.0 never used or opened here, but didn't want to waste time installing it, especially if a newer version of mandrake is available.

I appreciate all the replys, in reading partician magic, it sounds like I can convert my available "F" drive to a Linux format then install mandrake, is that correct?

I am confused with boot-magic and were to install it. Do I install it after all 3 operating systems are installed or does that even matter?

Thanks Agan...measure twice, cut once...

d-1

don't install bootmagic. The bootloader that comes with Mandrake (LILO) will take care of it.

So are you saying that I can install Mandrake 9.2 without using Partitician Magic, even if my system is already set-up as a dual-boot system with Windows 98 & Windows XP?

Mandrake 9.2 will automatically format the "F" drive to make it Linux compatable?

Thanks....for the tips...

Also how much different is Mandrake 6.0 from Mandrake 9.2?

d-1

yes. If you are just going to make F: available for Mandrake, then there's no need to use partition magic. During the install, tell it that you want to manually pick the partition where mandrake goes. Be sure to pick the right partition. It doesn't ask for a confirmation before formatting it so if you pick the wrong partition, you'll be in trouble!!

I think it will take care of the rest automatically but in case it does not. It's good to have a swap partition (the size of your RAM is probably enough) and maybe a separate /home partition as well.

Well from what I've read in the forums Mandrake 6 vs Mandrake 9.1 is a bit like the difference between Windows 3.1 and Windows XP - i.e. use those Mandrake 6 CDs as coasters ;-)

Hey I'm having problems installing Mandrake, here's the problem and it's really simple.

I have a C, D, E, & F drive, each drive is 20G. My C and D drive are FAT 32, my E & F drive are NTSF. My F drive has nothing on it.

I got to the partioning part of mandrake and I selected of click on my "F" drive, then click on my mount point and I forget what it said, but I clciked OK.

I get this message that states: You must have a root partition. For this, create a partician (or click on existing one.) Then Choose action "Mount Point" and set tp'/'

I have no idea what it's telling me. I tried several other options, like the auto and it didn't work either. It keeps taking me back to the same partioning point.

What do I need to do?

What am I doing wrong?

Remember, I have a dual boot system as it is, with Windows 98 and Windows XP booting off my C drive. Windows XP is installed on my E drive, but boots off my C.

Please offer some suggestions or advice?

Thanks.....

d-1

Spelling corrections:



Hey I'm having problems installing Mandrake, here's the problem and it's really simple.

I have a C, D, E, & F drive, each drive is 20G. My C and D drive are FAT 32, my E & F drive are NTSF. My F drive has nothing on it.

I go to the partioning part of mandrake and I selected and clicked on my "F" drive, then clicked on my mount point slection and I forget what it said, but I clicked OK.

I get this message that states: You must have a root partition. For this, create a partician (or click on existing one.) Then Choose action "Mount Point" and set to '/'

I have no idea what it's telling me. I tried several other options, like the auto and it didn't work either. It keeps taking me back to the same partioning point, the original point I started at.

What do I need to do?

What am I doing wrong?

Remember, I have a dual boot system as it is, with Windows 98 and Windows XP booting off my C drive. Windows XP is installed on my E drive, but boots off my C.

Please offer some suggestions or advice?

Thanks.....

d-1

do waht it says. When you get to the point of choosing partitons, click on your 'F' and then choose a mount point - it has to be / (the name is '/'). You probably also want to create a swap partition, about the size of your RAM, which you should be able to do as well by telling it to cut up your F drive.

What is / ?

Do I just type / or '/'?

or do I have to write /ext2?

I am confused.

Also at what point to I create the swap? before after or during?

I appreciate your help.

d-1

when you look at the screen where you choose the partitions, there are buttons on the left side. One of them is mount point. It gives you a pull down menu. Choose '/'.

It is at this stage that you create swap. You might have to click on 'Advanced' or whatever it is on the lower right corner. You want to do this before doing the above thing.

'/' is the name of the top level directory of the linux file system. Unlike windows, you do not really see the harddrives directly. Instead, you have a top level directory which is called / and then you can 'mount' different partitons and drives as subdirectories. Of course, the machine still needs to know where all the files actually are and that's what you do when choose the mount point: stuff in / are going to be on the drive that's called F in windows..