XP vs Linux

[k77]

i got my hands on my mates copy of redhat linux, and i already have XP pro installed on a single FAT32 partition. i am debating whether to install xp, linux or both on my machine and waht are the 'rules' regarding this. i.e partitioning, NTFS/FAT32 etc. i play half-life and quake a hell of a lot too. just wondering whether linux is worth installing, and wot kind of partitioning should i use. it would be a 4gb partition on my 20gb hdd for linux. and info regarding dualbooting would be much appreciated. also i have an 8gb drive im planing on formating as well. would it be wise to install linux on this and leave the 20gb as one partition in NTFS or FAT32....i need help

 

[VaTechHokies]

I was in the same sort of position when I decided to install redhat. It is a fun OS and you learn a LOT real quick. As far as installing on a 4 gig partition. What version of Redhat is it? 7.1? 7.2? I think they said if you are goign to install both KDE and Gnome (which I would do if I were you), you need 1.5 gigabytes of storage just for the install. It looks like 4 gigs would be enough if you aren't going to be using it too much. If you can spare an extra gig, I might give Linux 5 gigs.

As far as partitioning...Do you own partition magic? Or..would you be willing to do a clean install of XP? The easiest way to install Linux is to leave unpartitioned space on your hard drive. If you are using partition magic, it is really easy, just resize your existing partition by 4 or 5 gigs, and just leave it after it is done. Same goes with doing a clean install of XP...just partition your drive and leave 4 or 5 gigs unpartitioned on the end. When you install Linux, the installer will find the unpartitioned space on your drive.

There aren't really any 'rules' of NTFS/FAT32. Linux will be able to read and write to fat32 partitions quite easily. You just have to 'mount' the partition when you are actually installing Linux (If someone else can chime in and say where to mount it...I'd appreciate it. I am not at a linux box right now and forgot where I mounted it). You just need some unpartitioned space like I said above.

I just re-read your post on formatting the 8gb drive. If I were you I'd try this and leave your other (20 gb) drive untouched. As with everything though, there are about 15 different ways to install Linux. The way I did it was to install XP first and then have LILO (Linux boot loader) overwrite the MBR. All you have to do to get back to windows is add a line to /etc/lilo.conf (I believe). Here is a link that will help you out. It is another forum on redhats site about dual booting. Hope this helps!



p.s. Hope this make sense, its EARLY here! I am a little tired and this daylight savings time...it has really messed me up!

 

[Jeff Bolton]

well with newer versions of redhat, LILO automatically finds my windows partition for me, so i don't have to edit the lilo.conf file. so when you boot up, you can just choose windows or redhat. and when you are partitioning, don't forget to make a swap file. swap space is like virtual memory in windows...if you run out of ram, it starts to write onto the hard disk. if you have 256mb ram 256-512 mb of swap space should be fine. i have plenty of space on my hard drive so i have a 1024 mb swap drive (512mb ram) but i've never even touched it. but just remember that swap space IS something you need to have. when you are installing redhat, make sure you use disk druid to set up your partitions. make a drive of type 'swap' (from the drop down menu) and then just make the main hard drive. make sure to give it mount point '/' from the drop down. hope this helps and isn't too confusing. just post back questions, becaue i know you'll have lots of them..i know i sure did.

TIP: for better and faster answers, go over to the ALT OS forum rather than the regular os. we're always happy to help out a n00b!

jeff

 

[k77]

Dammit I just finished my post back (bloody long one) and the browser packed in :S weird.

i have redhat 6.2. im guessing this will make a fuss when combined with xp...is it worth bothering about?

the 8gb drive is a slave-will this do anything to hinder the dual booting?

the boot.ini file for xp reads like this :

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

im guessing that if i edit it after the install to have this on the bottom...

multi(0)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(1)\LINUX="Linux 6.2"

disc(1) as it is the second drive...im not sure, little help?

im going to start with 2 clean drives. the 20gb i will format as NTFS single partition and install XP pro on it.
the other 8gb drive i will leave blank with FAT32 on the single partition (how do i delete the partition leaving the hdd entirely blank and unpartitioned? do i need partition magic for this...) and install linux 6.2 onto it

then i plan on editing the xp "boot.ini" adding that line on the bottom and rebooting and mystically the linux option will sow up and i will be able to boot into linux or xp and access files on either drive from either os with no complications between the NTFS and linux.

Then i plan on having a bloody good time downloading updates for linux and having a bit of fun.

can anybody see any flaws with my dream plan? any files i have to edit? any formatting complications? and whats this about the LILO??? cant i just use the xp file instead? shouldnt either of them work? and what about this swap stuff, jeff? do i have to create 2 partitions on my 8gb drive one for swap and one for the active partition? doesnt it just make a swap file like xp in the OS partition? and whats this about mounting- isnt that for split or stripped drives??? or compressed ones? what ab9out the settings for the drives. will the 8gb still be able to boot linux if it is the primary slave? ive heard some word about this.

i think thats about it. one more thing. it says operating system for intel computers. i have an athlon. i take it this statement means optimized for, not only for :S help me out. haha as a linux newbie i need all the help i can get...thanks guys

 

[Yakbak]

If LILO took over the MBR, then you would edit the lilo.conf to specify which OSes it is able to boot.

If Windows still has control of the MBR, then editing the boot.ini of WinXP will work.

 

[k77]

mmm

ahhh ok. how do i make it so that LILO doesnt take over...

 

[k77]

mmm

ahhh ok. how do i make it so that LILO doesnt take over...

 

[Jeff Bolton]

lilo is IMO a better bootloader than the crap that microsoft puts out. my advice is to use lilo.

some other advice is to get a newer version of redhat. 6.2 is pretty worthless nowadays, the kernel is so much better now and there is a lot more support for different components, usb, etc. i beleive that if you get a new version of redhat your linux experience will be a lot more enjoyable.

and on top of that, lilo will configure itself on the OS install, too.

go to www.linuxiso.org to download a fresh copy of both discs, burn 'em, and you're on your way.

of course if you aren't on a fast connection this could take a while. but either way, you can thank me later

EDIT: don't want to sound like a jack@$$, and i'm not trying to, just so you don't get that opinion

jeff

 

[k77]

hmmmm 2 cds to download aye...damn. im thinking i mite just leave it and keep on with the XP hahahaha...

 

[Jeff Bolton]

ahhh but that's the easy way out! you'll learn SOOOOO much by using linux. believe me, i was forced into it but now its been my only OS for like 2 months and i can use it just as well as windows.

jeff

 

[k77]

ahh but 1.2 gb on 15kb/s isnt to attractive for a 15 yr old student

 

[Yakbak]

While we're on this topic, I had my own question: What if LILO took over your boot sector when I didn't want it to, and I have a NTFS partition and Linux partition on same drive...say I format the Linux partition from NTFS (WinXP, Partition Magic 7), will I be able to boot up again?

If not, how do I restore the MBR to Windows? I use WinXP and NTFS.