[GLLUG] Re: partitions

[Sean]

Okay, first, back EVERYthing up. 

Second make sure it backed up. =)

(everyone seems to forget to mention this step.. =) ) 

Partitioning, isn't exactly a science. It is more of an art. It can vary 
greatly depending on what you do and what you need so if you seem like you 
aren't getting straight answers, it is because of the "Well that 
depends..." It can be as complicated as you want to make it. 

Anyway. very basically, you need one partition for your windows, two 
partitions for Linux, one is a large one for the distribution, and one is 
a small one for your swap space (technically you don't _need_ it but you 
want it.) This question gets more complicated because people break up 
their root linux partition into pieces like a partition for /home or /opt 
/usr/local, etc. which you can do if you want to that will be your first 
decision as an admin. The swap space, is basically virtual memory the 
typical rule of thumb is 2x however much memory you have so for 512M of 
real RAM you will probably want around 1gig of swap space. 

take a peek at http://www.linux.org/docs/index.html
the how-to's section has a dual boot how-to, and there is another one 
close to that. 

If you want to SAVE your windows partition data, you will probably need 
partition magic that does non-destructive partitioning. fdisk is 
destructive, meaning it destroys data on the disk. 

You will probably want to use the grub bootloader, i think it is a tad 
easier for a newbie than lilo. 

I think the full install of redhat is around 2 gigs if you click on the 
everything button I would probably give myself 3 gigs so you have room 
to do stuff.. well who am I trying to kid, i would use the whole disk for Linux. 

Just be forewarned when you ask questions, people have THEIR preferences 
and they are sometimes very adament about their personal preferences, just 
because it is theirs doesnt mean that solution works for you.. 

Second, try and be specific as possible with your questions and you will 
get better answers. Like:

"I am trying to install linux on my 500mhz dual processor G4 machine, I
have 60 gigabyte drive, 2G of ram. I have windowsXP installed on the
drive, I would like if at all possible to save the windows data, but 
I wondering how I should partition this drive. I would like to keep 30G 
for the windows installation and another 5 gigs for the user data and my 5 
gigs of mp3's I would like to share between Linux and Windows. I would 
like to use the other 20gigs for Linux. How should I partition this?"


Sean 

On Mon, 20 Jan 2003, April Curley wrote:

> 
> I will have Windows on the system I get and want to have he dual boot system use
> both Wondows and Red Hat Linux. My father is giving mye his copy becuse he can't
> make heads or tails of it. I don't know how detailed I can be I just don't know
> much about software which isn't pre-packaged and click here oriented. I'm reading
> a tutorial on partitions but some of it is still out of my grasp.
> 
> April
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [emlove.gif] [emlips.gif] [emrose.gif] [emlove.gif] [emlips.gif] [emrose.gif]
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>  
>  
> April Curley
> 
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