Want to dual boot Linux

Post by **Roofus** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 11:18 am

When I get my new system together, I want to dual-boot Linux and XP Pro. I've got two drives, which I'm going to partition something like this:

Drive 1:
Win XP
Media (MP3s, Videos, etc.)
Setup files for applications

Drive 2:
Linux
Backup for Drive 1

I want to make the Media partition accessable to both OSes.

How do I set this up? I'm a complete noob when it comes to setting up a system like this, so I'll need a tutorial that would make this clear to a retarded 8 year old. Thanks.

toastman · Post by **toastman** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 2:50 pm

It's easy.
Partition the first drive as if you weren't installing Linux at all (using FAT32 or NTFS, doesn't really matter)
On the second drive you will need an extra partition for Linux's swap space. Partition like this:
Linux (ext2 or ext3, doesn't matter. If you want backwards compatibility go ext2)
Linux Swap (It's an actual partition type so you can't miss it. It only needs to be about 32 megs at most)
FAT32 or NTFS (depending on what you did on the first drive)

Install Windows, doing up all of your partitions on the first drive like you normally would.
Choose a Linux Distro. (Hardest part of all this actually

)
Install Linux.
Setup the partitions on the second drive (Disk Druid and fdisk on the Linux install disk should be able to handle this with ease)
When you get near the end of the installation it might ask you if you want to share any of the other partitions, choose the proper partition.
If it doesn't ask you that, it gets just a little complicated (not really, but for a first timer, it might seem a wee bit daunting)

Automatically making a partition visible in Linux:
This is quite easy. Log in. (That's an obvious one

) Open up a console and su to root. (Never log in as root, never) Make a directory to host the partition (commonly called a mountpoint.) Type 'mkdir /mnt/<name of dir>'. Use your favorite editor (if you are weaned on Notepad/DOS Edit I suggest pico) and open up "/etc/fstab". Once you have done this, add this line:

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 /dev/hda# /mnt/<mountpoint> <FILESYSTEM TYPE> defaults 0 0

Where # is the number of the drive on the first disk, mountpoint is the name of the directory where you want to mount the disk, and FILESYSTEM TYPE is the filesystem you chose while partitioning. For example if in Windows, the partition labeled Media is drive letter 'D' and you went with FAT32 filesystem, and you created a directory in /mnt named 'media' it would look like this:

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 /dev/hda2 /mnt/media fat32 defaults 0 0

So in conclusion, the commands are:

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 su -
 mkdir /mnt/media
 pico /etc/fstab
 //Once in pico add a similar line to the bottom of the file
   /dev/hda2 /mnt/media fat32 defaults 0 0

Manually making a partition visible in Linux:
Not hard either, and good for when you want to mount other drives (CD-ROM and Floppies) unless you have automount.

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 mount -t fat32 /dev/hda2 /mnt/media

The -t option specifies a filesystem. Most common ones you will use are fat32, ntfs, ext2, ext3, and iso9660 (for CDROMs) You can sometimes omit certain parts of the command, if the drive is specified in /etc/fstab. You can reduce the command to no more than 'mount /dev/cdrom' if you do it right.

Some common devices:
hda = Your first harddrive
hdb = Your second harddrive
cdrom = A symbolic link to your cdrom unit
floppy = Another symbolic link, this time to your floppy drive (usually fd0)

Uh, hope that was useful.

bizzle · Post by **bizzle** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 3:12 pm

remember, no linux distro's except Xandros can write to an ntfs partition(windows partition style partition), so that media partition you wont be able to WRITE to it, only read.

about xandros, darc is the one that told me it can write to them

i really want xandros too.

bizzle · Post by **bizzle** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 3:13 pm

the easiest FREE way to to do this would be to use mandrake..

i heard its really easy to setup.

404NotFound · Post by **404NotFound** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 3:15 pm

http://www.xosl.org/

Just install Windows as normal, "restore" the XOSL partition, install linux with LILO on the HARD DISK and not the MBR. Then just tell XOSL which partition has which OS and it takes care of it.

Very slick GUI based bootloader.

toastman · Post by **toastman** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 3:41 pm

GRUB
It comes with most Distros and has to be one of the easiest Bootloaders to use.

AmadeusZull · Post by **AmadeusZull** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 4:07 pm

Install Mandrake 9. better compatibillity and easy set up. reads ntfs.

also red hat aint 2 bad.

if you want to install grum on mandrake choose expert setup.

Guizzy's dead soul · Post by **Guizzy's dead soul** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 4:19 pm

Most desktop distros will do all the stuff you want to do.

As far as desktop linuxes go, I heartily suggest ELX Linux. Mandrake is, like Windows, very "broken". It almost never works fully it first, and the steps needed to make it work normally scar it (exemple: stuff that won't install because some package x is not installed properly, when you really KNOW it's installed) forever.

I have tried 2 versions of Mandrake (7.1 and 9.0), and it both ended in an ugly manner. Very ugly.

However, ELX worked the first time, was very complete and still works like a charm. It's even easier to install it than to install Windows.

And most distros will install LiLo instead of Grub. Let them do. If they give YOU the choice, take Grub, but don't insist if they don't. Messing with bootloaders is a bad idea, and most people use LiLo, so if you have problems, you get a better support. Be sure to make a boot floppy, however. I ended twice with a bootloader who had a problem with the "Enter" key on my keyboard. Very messy problem, and you really do want to have a boot floppy in case that happens.

Post by **|darc|** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:12 pm

lol, in this post 3000 people give different views...

I HIGHLY recommend Xandros as a noob Linux distro. It is PERFECT for a noob to learn from. It has full NTFS read/write access, and is the ONLY distribution that does. Installing things on it is easy, and the Xandros Forums have EXCELLENT tech support, so if you have ANY questions while you use Linux you can ask there.

Get Partition Magic and create the following on your hard drive.

Drive One
Extended Operation System Loader Partition (25MB FAT FileSystem)
Windows XP Partition (NTFS FileSystem)
Media Partition (FAT32 FileSystem)

Drive Two
Do not touch this drive yet.
Install XOSL on the 25 MB FAT partition
Install Windows XP on the WinXP NTFS Partition
Install Xandros. Xandros installation will create ReiserFS and SWAP partitions on your second drive. Make sure that you do NOT install the bootloader on the master boot record. You would probably want to use Expert installation, because in this distro, people like you are considered "experts".
Use PartitionMagic to create a FAT32 partition on your second drive, for backups.
Use XOSL disk to restore XOSL to the master boot record (WinXP overwrote it ).
Set up XOSL through the neato graphical interface.

Have any questions? Feel free to IM me when you do this.

Post by **Roofus** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:23 pm

Now, do I have to install Linux right away, or can I wait a while? I'm going to have to download it, which is going to take some time, and I really want to have my new box running today.

Post by **|darc|** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:26 pm

Roofus wrote:Now, do I have to install Linux right away, or can I wait a while? I'm going to have to download it, which is going to take some time, and I really want to have my new box running today.

If you do it my way, you can wait. Everything after the Linux step isn't required for anything else besides Linux and the backup partition you wanted.

bizzle · Post by **bizzle** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:26 pm

xandros sounds good, but its not free like most linux distros

i came to the conclusion linux is pretty much useless to the home user. i was going to get into using it, then saw how much space mandrake took. just wasnt worth it for me..

if xandros was free, i would get it. but if not, nevermind.

AmadeusZull · Post by **AmadeusZull** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 8:47 pm

Xylene wrote:xandros sounds good, but its not free like most linux distros

i came to the conclusion linux is pretty much useless to the home user. i was going to get into using it, then saw how much space mandrake took. just wasnt worth it for me..

if xandros was free, i would get it. but if not, nevermind.

huh? there are many pubs open.

and f yall mandrake haters.

Guizzy's dead soul · Post by **Guizzy's dead soul** » Thu Feb 06, 2003 8:56 pm

I do not hate mandrake.

It is IT who hates me!

AmadeusZull · Post by **AmadeusZull** » Thu Feb 06, 2003 9:19 pm

well did you sweet talk it. i love to whisper to my machine as it boots up.

Post by **Roofus** » Fri Feb 21, 2003 5:14 pm

Ok, I've installed Red Hat 8.0 on my second drive and everything's working fine. Now some questions:

How do I get my mouse wheel working?
Is there a decent Photoshop equivilent?
And finally, where can I find some Linux-based emulators?

Other than those things, So far, I love it.

The3FingerSalute · Post by **The3FingerSalute** » Fri Feb 21, 2003 11:14 pm

Make sure you have the proper drivers for your mouse or that it detected the right one.
The GIMP is a great photoshop like tool if you know how to use it.
To find linux based emulators..... goggle it :p

I would reccomend against Red Hat linux... Too many exploits and vulnerabilities. If you ever switch to another distro after you get used to Red Hat, I would go to BSD. Though not linux, it has linux support and is rock hard stable and very secure. I would reccoment either FreeBSD or OpenBSD.

Also, for any of you who want to try out a linux distro but may not want to go through the whole dual booting thing or installation stuff, try out Knoppix. Knoppix is a free, auto configuring, bootable cd version of Debian based linux, that runs off of the RAM and requires no installation. Very fun to mess around with

You can pick up the iso here: http://www.knoppix.org

btm4k · Post by **btm4k** » Sat Feb 22, 2003 1:55 am

The3FingerSalute wrote:Also, for any of you who want to try out a linux distro but may not want to go through the whole dual booting thing or installation stuff, try out Knoppix. Knoppix is a free, auto configuring, bootable cd version of Debian based linux, that runs off of the RAM and requires no installation. Very fun to mess around with
You can pick up the iso here: http://www.knoppix.org

Knoppix is the coolest OS I've seen. It runs straight off the RAM while giving you the nice (KDE I think) GUI. Very nice.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » Sat Feb 22, 2003 10:49 pm

|darc| wrote:It has full NTFS read/write access, and is the ONLY distribution that does.

Actually, all linux distros can read/write to NTFS...if you know how to do it. Actually just a simple change in the kernel would do it. Although then you would have to recompile the kernel (Which is not as hard as it sounds)

Post by **|darc|** » Sat Feb 22, 2003 11:37 pm

Ender wrote:
|darc| wrote:It has full NTFS read/write access, and is the ONLY distribution that does.
Actually, all linux distros can read/write to NTFS...if you know how to do it. Actually just a simple change in the kernel would do it. Although then you would have to recompile the kernel (Which is not as hard as it sounds)

I meant out of the box. If you're modifying it yourself, its custom, and not really the distro anymore.