| Nov 25, 2009 |
Windows also shows you things too, just things that no one understands unless they have the Windows debugging book . It shows it during a BSoD.xboxrulz
If it doesn't have the partition function, then try getting the XP bootdisks and see if you can fdisk and partition there. I haven't tried this before since I usually use my original Windows XP CD to partition. So if that doesn't work, then get a Windows 98 bootdisk and use fdisk there. It probably won't work, so try getting this fdisk version to see if it will see that NTFS (if that's what you have) partition so you can delete it and create new partitions. Linux has so many "flavors" (versions) that you can choose from, so I say go with that. If you are new to Linux, I suggest using Mandrake. If you like the command line more, then go with Red Hat. There are other distros which you may like, so explore and try them out. Most of them are free. To install Linux, make sure you installed Windows first on the main partition and then install Linux so that you can get the Linux Boot Loader to install properly. Otherwise, you will have to get it back manually from the CD again.
I just reformatted my hard drive a few days ago and this is how I done it. When you get to the XP screen that shows your hard drive partitions and asks which one to install to, customise the partitions before you continue. Since this is a reinstall you will most likely already have a windows partiton. Hit "D" to delete the partiton. You should show an entire hard drive with nothing partitioned. Then hit "C" for create partition. A new screen appears asking how big the new partition should be. By default it is the full size of the hard drive. In my case I do not use Linux that often and I did not need a very large partiton. Out of my 160Gb HDD I created a partition of 100GB for my Windows XP portion, i.e. I just put 100000 in the blank. Agree to this. The partiton screen reappears and simply hit enter on your new partition (the 100GB one in my case). Continue with formatting in NTFS (shame on you if you even consider FAT) and continue the Windows XP install as normal.
After Windows XP is installed, start the Linux install. Depending on disrto you will eventually be presented with a screen asking where you want Linux to be installed. Use the unallocated partition (the 60 odd GB in my case) as the Linux partition. Follow directions for your distro for any additional partition such as swap. Just break up the unallocated space even further.
There are plenty of other threads in the linux section about which distro to choose for different ppurposes, so i wont get into that.
With Linux, you need 2 or more partitons depending on variouse things. a popular yet basic partiton scheeme is to create only 2 partitons for linux, a root partiton (the main partiton) and a swap partiton (for virtual memory) 3 partitons in total, 1 for windows, 1 for linux main, and a small one for swap space. a better partiton scheeme would be 3 partitons for linux. / (root) /home (home partiton) swap (virtual memory) the addition of a home partiton adds 2 advantages. 1) you can format linux, and install a different distro without having to backup your files or settings. 2) having your home partiton mounted as a seperate partiton means you can mount it with different settings to your root partiton. a good setting would be "noexec" mounting home as "noexec" means linux wil not allow you to run scripts or programs from your home partiton. all programs would need to be officially installed by root first. This reduxces the risk of getting a virus in desktop linux from practically zero, to almost definatly zero. some people will also put /boot /tmp and /usr on different partitons, but that benefits servers more than desktop's so i wont do into that. enjoy.
Haha, just a tad over my head.
First, what is Fdisk? Second, Where would I get a XP bootdisc? (I have home)- I'm pretty sure last time I used the disc there were no options to partition. I think it was Norton Ghost related. (there was a ghost picture and, if I'm remembering correctly, said Symantec or Norton somewhere) The drive wipe itself took about 20min for my 60gb HD. It restored the laptop back to its original state with all the junk freebies that Toshiba put on it. Third, I already have a boot-from-disc version of Linux - (Gnoppix). Is that good enough or should I try Mandrake? I'm very unfamiliar with Linux. Fourth, I think my drive is FAT32, but I'm not sure. I remember wanting it to be NTFS but that's pretty much it. How would I check and what's the differences between them both? Thanks for the info guys. I'll let you know how it goes when I get around to backing up my files. PS: Is there some sort of info I can post that would fill you guys in a little better? I know in some spyware forums people post their HijackThis "logs" but I don't know if that would help.
The differences between NTFS and FAT32, is that FAT32 would require more space per file, while NTFS files are smaller. Linux CAN ONLY read NTFS and not write, while it has full functions w/ FAT32.
Fdisc (Fdisk in American English) is a program that sets your partitions. It doesn't do formatting though. For Linux, if you want to try it out fully, download Knoppix (the real thing, Gnoppix is just a clone w/ GNOME instead of KDE) and you can actually install Knoppix w/ it's installer (after it boots the desktop) xboxrulz
Oh ok, thanks a lot.
Now to use Fdisc, do I just download and run? Or is there something special to it? Thanks.
the command is fdisk (but it's really supposed to be called fdisc, but the programmers are Americans, so o well), anyways, it comes w/ Windows.
Just launch cmd then type fdisk. SuSE Linux, Fedora Core, Ubuntu Linux will help you partition when you insert the installation disc. xboxrulz
Ah ok, thanks.
When I run Fdisk, does it erase anything on my HD? And does it do it immediately? Or can I run it and look at the commands without actually partitioning?
fdisk only writes your partitions, if you use SuSE, Fedora or Ubuntu, it can also do the partitioning and formatting for you.
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Windows also shows you things too, just things that no one understands unless they have the Windows debugging book
 . It shows it during a BSoD.xboxrulz
Most Linux Distro contain the partitioning software. Just one tIp defrag you windows before partitiong keeps you from losing some files. Then boot into the linux disc partitiona nd format the linux partiton into ext3. Most installers are user friendly and give you step by step instrcutions. The thing i love about Lnux is that it tells you what its doing a lot of the time unlike windows hangs there telling you nothing. The Linux distro will install a boot loader and it will ask you when you boot which OS to boot.
Good Luck zerofool2005
when i installed ubuntu i used the built in installer which lets you resize your windows partion or create a new partion from unallocated space
If you're starting with a new, blank hard drive, partitioning is easy. The installation routines of Windows NT, 2000, and XP give you some control over partitions. Other versions of Windows come with FDISK, a basic partitioning utility that you copy to a bootable floppy.
But if you want to have extensive partitioning options, you'll need a utility such as Partition Commander ($40) or PartitionMagic ($69). They offer such options as changing the size of partitions and converting from different file systems. And, given enough free space, they preserve the data stored on your drive. If you're starting with a new, blank hard drive, partitioning is easy. The installation routines of Windows NT, 2000, and XP give you some control over partitions. Other versions of Windows come with FDISK, a basic partitioning utility that you copy to a bootable floppy. But if you want to have extensive partitioning options, you'll need a utility such as Partition Commander ($40) or PartitionMagic ($69). They offer such options as changing the size of partitions and converting from different file systems. And, given enough free space, they preserve the data stored on your drive. Before you run the partitioning software, decide how you want to organize your hard drive(s). Consider the size of the drive, whether you want to simply segregate data from the operating system and applications or create a more complex structure, and whether you want to run more than one OS. Once you've decided how to set up your partitions, follow the directions to install and run the partitioning software. Although the software won't let you make incorrect choices, you should check and double-check the new partitions to make sure you've allocated all the drive's space. Creating and moving partitions may take 30 minutes or more, depending on how full your drive is. The software will also format the new partitions for you.
i think at the beginning, should you first try to confirmed that is, typical copy of windows xp have the drivers of you laptop it want or not. if it did, you can go install xp as normal. however, if not, then, you may backup you current xp first. after that, following the step to get running both os on you computer.
NOTE: THE STEPS BELOW YOU FOLLOW MAY BE MADE YOU LOSS ALL OF THE DATA YOUR COMPUTER HAVE, ALWAYS BACKUP IT FIRST. I have assumed that you are using fat or fat32 filesystem, coz this make setting easy. 1.) if you wanted a fresh windows to be installed, use your restore cd that come from you machine first. now, you should have a fresh window xp installed. 2.) boot your computer from ms-dos or win9x start-up disk, backup the newer windows to any media( including program files, ...etc), this will use later 3.) now, install the window xp using you typical copy( not the restore cd ), and dont forget choose partition your hard disk, this is coz the computer vendor typical make use of whole disk in the restore disk system. partition a size you like but that can be holding a complete windows xp system, you should have 1GB or larger( if you would installing game, then, you may make larger). this step is to partition you hard drive to have room for windows xp and linux and install the system loader for windows xp. 4.) then, boot you computer with ms-dos or win9x start-up disk again, first rename the windows you just installed, and then, copy your windows xp backup create in step 2. 5.) after the windows xp is copyed, restart you computer to test it if it can boot-up, dont forget the newer window directory name and the backup window directory must be the same. otherwise will failed. 6.) if windows xp start-up success, enjoy to check it whether all the function of you computer would do as before. if it did, go next step, otherwise, check the step above again. 7.) now, you are arrived the last step, for now, you have installed a windows that came with you vendor and have room for installing a linux distso to you computer. you may now following the method posted before to install linux. have fun.  - hope this help |
 Partitioning The HDD For Multiple OS - How would I go about doing it? |
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