teacher Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 I will soon have two 80 GB hard drives. My intentions are to partition them so that I can have partitions for:1. Mandrake2. Swap3. Home4. Slack (don't grin so big Quint) or other distro5. Windows applications6. Windows files7. Files used under both.8. Room to add distros as I see fit.I am thinking I will have enough room to virtually back everything up on the other drive. I want stability and partition sizes that are managable. I can deal with alphabet soup as well. I have read this Partitioning Article that has some good meat in it but I am still looking for ideas. So my question is: What would be your idea of an ideal setup for the hard drives, keeping in mind I am booting into Drake 95% of the time now and W just once or twice a week for five minutes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 To make life easier, I would first choose a boot manager that isn't tied to the operating system. That is use something like Acronis, Boot Manager, or my favourite, XOSL. Let's take XOSL as an example. Use Partition Magic to define your partitions (you can also use Linux, too). I would use the parallel ATA drive to place the system files for each OS and the SATA drive for the data and user partitions.Make a primary FAT32 partition of about 100MB on the P-ATA drive for XOSL. Make a second primary NTFS partition of about 4-8GB for XP. Make a third blank primary partition for future use. Make an extended partition for the rest of the disk (this is where you will place all your Linux distros, one / partition at a minimum for each distro). On the SATA drive, unless you plan on booting an OS from it, make it one large extended partition. Place a 1GB swap at the beginning of the drive. Place a 1GB partition for XP's paging file. Create a /home partition to be shared by all your Linux distros. I am not sure whether creating seperate /var and /tmp partitions would be best. Bruno? The rest, use for storing backups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 28, 2003 Author Share Posted June 28, 2003 PeachyI knew you would be right on it. Thanks. Someone talked me out of a SATA drive so they will both be parallel ATA drives. At least I have a week or two to plot this all out and make my decisions. I hope to do it right the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 In general I would dedicate 30 GB of each drive to windows and 50 GB to Linux. Place the backup and swap of windows on the 2nd drive, the swap and backup of Linux on the 1st drive. ( crossover )( the backup always on the other drive, if ever one HD crashes, you have the backup on the other )( swaps on the other increases speed )1st drive is for the windows OS 2nd drive for the Linux distro´sYou can keep it simple and not divide windows up like I did down here, but to me the perfect plan would be:HD1C: Win XP 3 GBD: Win programs 10 GBE: Win my documents 10 GBF: Win other 8 GB - - - - - hda7 1 GB Linux /swap ( shared by distro´s )hda8 35 GB Linux /backup ( shared by distro´s )hda9 14 BG Linux /otherHD2G: Win swap 1 GBH: Win temp 2 GB(temp + temp internet files + recent + msdownload )I: Win backup 27 GB- - - - - - hdb6 Linux 50 GB divided as :25 GB Mandrake and 2 x 12 GB for 2 or 3 other distro´SMandrake partitionned :2 G for / 3 G for /usr 20 G for /home ( shared by distro´s )1 G for /tmp ( would not share them ) BrunoPS: I love Lilo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 28, 2003 Author Share Posted June 28, 2003 It looks like I need to do a little thinking now. I do like the idea of being able to use the opposite drive for swap files. There is a lot of logic in that. The defined XP paging drive Peachy mentioned makes sense as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 Well it is a little bit of work, and it needs carefull planning . . . but you did ask for 'optimal' partitioning ! Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 Bruno,Good point about the backup and swaps on a different drive from the OS. I think my scheme is a slightly modified version of your logic. Lots to think about, Julia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 We´ll keep her busy for the holidays, Peachy ! Those teachers have far to long holidays anyway might aswell give them a good project to keep them off the street ! Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 True. At our college last week, a group of faculty came back to work after taking a 7 week vacation. Nice work if you can get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 29, 2003 Author Share Posted June 29, 2003 Projects to keep me off the streets? Wht do you think I have been doing? Taking my comptuer out into the streets? I think Linux and the new computer are probably enough of a project. Of course, trying a summer job is a new idea as well.__________________The Too busy for Vacation School Teacher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 29, 2003 Author Share Posted June 29, 2003 True. At our college last week, a group of faculty came back to work after taking a 7 week vacation. Nice work if you can get it! From school this year we had off from June 19 to August 11. You should have heard the groaning about a short summer. We work hard though when we do work. It is amazing how many hours we do work during the school year. We are expected to learn something new or go back to school in the summers. You know what I am learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greengeek Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 If you want a longer holiday then give Windows half the first drive and give Linux the rest and all the second drive. Better still throw out Windows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 29, 2003 Author Share Posted June 29, 2003 I'm working on it. Right now I am trying Cross-Over Office to see if I can use Quicken. That is the main thing holding me back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 If you want a longer holiday then give Windows half the first drive and give Linux the rest and all the second drive. You´re right, Joy !Why would anyone want to backup Windows anyway ?? Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greengeek Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 I've never used Quicken. Is there some Linux version of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 Or Julia,with so much real estate, you could keep an archive of OSes. Why not multi-boot all known Windows OSes from 1.0 to XP, including NT, OS/2, DOS, BSD, and whatever you can think of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 29, 2003 Author Share Posted June 29, 2003 Sorry, I have tried and tried to find something Linux like Quicken. I am trying Cross-Over office to run the windows version in Linux. It is an emulation program to keep me from needing to switch back over. It is the only thing I have not found an equivalent I like. Peachy, I think I will pass on the W..... OSes. Doe sanyone even still have 1.0 or 2.0 or whatever else was before 3? I think I have used all my old disks as frisbees at this point. I coul not lay my hands on anything older than 2000. Somehow I don't think those old 5 1/4 disks would work in my computer. I don't even think I could fold them in half to fit or pull them out of the coverings and run them in the CD drive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 29, 2003 Author Share Posted June 29, 2003 I am very happy right now. I installed Cross-Over office. I found the link at this address.. If you click on the circle with "try now" they will send you a link and password to do a 30 day downlaod. It will then allow you to install windows programs on your Linux drive as a "Fake Windows" drive. I was able to load Quicken and then navigate back to my real windows drive and pull up my files. I opened them, made adjustments and successfully downloaded from my bank. That means I can get by without booting into Windows at all. Next I will try my Hoyle games. After that, I am off to their site to pay the $54.95 to buy the software. It is worth it to me. I might do a Linux only install on my new computer! Why mess with windows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 Hi JuliaSo you finaly found an emulator that lets you use Quicken in Linux, hope it's stable as well . . . . you must be very happy with this ! After the Wine and Xwine adventures and faillures, Codeweavers Cross-Over Office at last does the trick. Hope you will stick with the OpenOffice.org as office suite though and not start running MS-office with codeweavers too But seen your determination to run Linux as much as possible I don't think we have to be afraid of that.Congrats Julia ! Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 29, 2003 Author Share Posted June 29, 2003 There you go again. No I have no intentions to run MS Office from it. You have to reinstall each program on your Linux drive while in Linux. About the only thing I can think of to do now would be to load my Hoyle puzzle, word, and card games. Those are definitely family favorites around here. But as long as I don't do that, they won't get on my computer. I will have to figure out how to take the Linux off this computer before giving it to hubby. Don't want him to get confused. I figure the easy part is to remove the hard drive but I don't know about the Lilo. Is it on the Windows drive? Other than giving the computer to him, I don't know why I would ever want to remove Linux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 I will have to figure out how to take the Linux off this computer before giving it to hubby. Don't want him to get confused. I figure the easy part is to remove the hard drive but I don't know about the Lilo. Is it on the Windows drive?There is a simple trick to resotre the MBR to its Windows-state . . you need your Win-CD for that, but I keep forgetting what command you have to give . . . :lol: Bruno* will have a look for you though !UPDATE: To restore your MBR, boot a DOS rescue floppy and type: FDISK /MBR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 29, 2003 Author Share Posted June 29, 2003 At least I have a week or two to figure that one out. Right now I am trying to figure out if my Handspring will work with Linux. I saw something yesterday that said Visor in KPilot which gave me hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 Since you are twisting my arm ( and it hurts ) Here is a thread with a link to the MS official tip for removing Linux from your HD.Don't go telling everyone I gave you this information, is bad PR for the image I try to cultivate ! :DB) Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted June 29, 2003 Author Share Posted June 29, 2003 I bookmarked it. I did not even read it. I don't want to see it until I have built my new computer and have it up and running. Then I will remove it from hubby's computer. Actually I will probably pull the Linux Drive and copy the Home and other files over by swapping out the hard drives. Then I will put it back in Hubby's computer. I won't tell him it is there. Actually, what would be better would be to go in and make the default to Windows and leave the linux on there. Then, the next time he tells me he needs to learn something new to keep his mind occupied, I will send him off to Linux land. No, on second thought, I won't ever tell him that. I will just keep it there for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havnblast Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 FDISK /MBRIf your dual booting this will wipe your boot to Windows also. Is there away without having to reinstall the windows OS once you run that command? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 KellyI really don't know if I should be telling you all this, but: FDISK /MBR will simply restore the MBR to windows mode, so it's like you never had Linux on that system ! Do keep it secret though ! :DB) Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havnblast Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 Hmmmmm so what is the command to wipe the MBR completely so you don't have one? I thought that was the fdisk/mbr but I am mistaken that just rewrites the mbr as you said Bruno. For instance lets say you have a WinXP OS on a hard drive and your adding in a used hard drive that has win98 installed on it - both hard drives have a MBR; DOS is going to prompt you for which OS to boot to - how would you go about wiping the MBR of the 98 so it isn't detected. The answer is hanging in the back of my head but I can not pull it to the front to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 KellyI think this is a nice question for the tough questions forum since it is typicaly related to windows. :DB) Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havnblast Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 Yea I know it went off topic a bit - I just hate it when one gets brain freeze like that. Guess I should just go to bed - been up 24 hours straight now - everything is in a fog. A little sleep will clear that up I'll catch up to yas later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 KellyIt was not really off-topic, but "off-forum" we do the Linux questions here, over at the 'tough questions' they do the Windows questions . . . . I gave you the link just in case you would get lost in all the forums we have . . . Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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