UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hiya folks,

Before I install Linux, I want to partition my HD, basically I want to split my 80GB HD in half so I can run Linux but still keep Windows XP. I tried doing through the windows workstation and browsing the XP help files but it either didnt work or I was doing something wrong. I dont have a windows disk, only a reboot disk, so I can't reinstall windows and do the partition then. Any ideas would be greatly appreacated. Oh I also search "partition" on the forum but nothing useful to my situation came up, I did find some useful infomation though

M.P

There is a utility called fips, this could be the solution to your problem.
using it you can partition your Harddisk without requiring to reinstall XP.

To more for "fips": do a google

regards,
Rishi

Hiya folks,

I checked out "fips", it's pretty complicated and I keep getting weird error messages. Is there any others out there that could help me? Apart from the one that looks like a Bios setup, I think its called Raan or something, I already tried that and it was well too complicated for me.

M.P

If your hard disk is a fresh one without file system been shown to it that is if u are formatting and installing for the first time
then u can use partition magic software.
But it seems that u had already windows xp in ur 80 GB hard disk but want to have Linux additionally.

If u want to additionally install Linux with existing XP
then check out for these
is your 80GB HDD under FAT32 file system
then
format a portion of your HDD and leave the portion as unallocated partition
note if the partition in ur HDD is of NTFS, that partition cannot be split
u need to complete format and have FAT32 as unallocated partition

If u want to install XP and Linux
and if it is a fresh install of ur HDD then
have a portion as unallocated and remaining as windows native partition FAT32 .

there is no need to re-install windows when u r installing linux
unless by mistake if u partition ur primary drive or ur entire partition FS is of type NTFS for existing XP

Start inserting ur Linux CD, and procced to install in the unallocated partition, which can then be selected as Linux native partition of EXT3


There is nothing to cause u headache if u r failing and restarting somewhere but dont forget if your HDD 's bad sectors are increasing u need to have a check on theprocess.
Untill then u can proceed happily.

Please let me know if u have anyother questions, or queries or if u r stuck up some where.

All the best.

hiya folks,

Thanks for that. My main problem is that I cant figure out how to partition using Windows, I'm pretty sure it is in computer management from the console tree but there are no options to create a partition, even with right click menu's. This is my major stumbling block. My C: drive which is my HD has 80GB formatted in FAT32. Sorry for being so stupid.

M.P

try this: http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/

Actually, look for parted or qparted, free equivalents to partition magic. I havn't tried either myself since I have partition magic, but others have reported it to work well and be reliable.