Linux installation

[jes]

How many partitions do you need for a Linux installation? How do you make them?

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I’m not trying to do anything malicious…just curious.

[Supa Dupa]

You only need one partition. What flavour of linux are you toying with? I just installed Mandrake Linux 8.2 and it does everything for you. I just have to get my hands on a bigger hard drive so I can install the development tools. Smooth OS.

Supa Dupa

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There's a hole in my memory, dear Liza, dear Liza, there's a whole in my memory, dear Liza, a hole.
Then disable it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, then disable it, dear Henry, dear Henry, disable it.

[jes]

I have many but I think I would go with mandarake 8.0
I have read that you just put the cd in the drive and reboot. it does the rest. it was a long time ago that i did that so I forget what happened, but that was not it. I am running win 98 now. i want to do a double boot with mandrake.

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I’m not trying to do anything malicious…just curious.

[penta_chris]

You only need one, but almost all Linux installations use at least two, with the second being a dedicated virtual memory partition.

Check this thread (http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/Forum15/HTML/001145.html) for some basics. Setting up to dual boot with 98 would be no different than with 98 (right? somebody back me up or tell us otherwise here...)

With an existing 98 installation, wanting to install Mandrake this is what I did and what I recommend. Use Ghost to image your hard drive and either burn it to CD-R or put it on a separate hard drive. Delete existing partition information (and use a wipe utility to clean the drive if you'd like). Then create only the partition(s) you'll use for Windows, leaving the remainder of the drive unused. Restore your ghost image.

Alternately, you could just use Partition Magic to shrink your existing partition, or use the built in partition manager that runs during the Mandrake setup - it offers the option to create its own space out of the empty space on an existing partition. You are advised to defragment first - check the tutorial on Mandrake CD1. Even if I chose one of these options, I'd want to be on the safe side and back up first, so why not just repartition myself?

When installing Mandrake, it offers to create its own space as I mentioned, or use unused space, which is what you'd choose if you went with my suggestion of Partition Magic. It's easy-breezy-Japanesy. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

When I installed Mandrake into an unused 5 GB space, it suggested 3 partitions. I told it to go ahead, and it sized and set them up for me. Piece of cake.

Edit: I just re-read your post and saw that you're using 8.0. My info is based on experience with 8.2 Sorry.

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I been doing it since I was a young kid
I come out grinnin'
I fight authority,
Authority always wins

[This message has been edited by penta_chris (edited 06-13-2002).]

[jes]

I will get 8.2 then.

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I’m not trying to do anything malicious…just curious.

[mjc]

I too would recommend 8.2.....more hardware compatability, newer kernel (fixes some bugs/security issuses...yes linux has them too) and several other all around improvemnts.

If you have access to a highspeed connection try http://www.linuxiso.org/.

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mjc
Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[jes]

Do I just download the iso and burn it onto a cdr? The boot from it?

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I’m not trying to do anything malicious…just curious.

[mjc]

Yep....it is a self-booter.


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mjc
Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[jes]

Im just getting more than one opinion so that I can be sure that I understand this.
I asked my friend, he said that I must use a utility that will be among what I download to make the cd bootable.
Is it a "whatever works" type of thing?

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I’m not trying to do anything malicious…just curious.

[penta_chris]

The only thing you must do is go into BIOS settings and tell it to look to the CD drive first for bootable media. If your BIOS doesn't do that, there is a utility on the installation CD to make a boot floppy.

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I fight authority,
Authority always wins

[jes]

Allright. Gotcha. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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I’m not trying to do anything malicious…just curious.