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TR Forums View topic - WIN-XP but Also Leaving a Partition for Linux...
Hi, Folks:
I am about to do a build for a WINXP laptop.
But I might want to "add" a Linux or other OS to it at a later date.
If I do, I certainly don't want to get in a situation where I might have to reinstall WinXP.
What is the best way for me to prepare the hard drive for such a possibility?
Thanks!
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How big is the hard drive?
It is finished!
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40 GB, it shows up as 38.1 GB in Partition Magic.
For Windows/XP, I plan to split it up like this:
5GB - OS and "tools"
1 to 2 GB - SWAP (swap will only be about 700 to 1000 MB, the remainder will hold my static setup files such as I386 folder)
6 to 8 GB - APPS
6 to 8 GB - Windows storage (for school documents, projects, MP3 files, etc)
The rest will be available for another OS, swap files, and apps.
I will need to have one partition that both OSs can read and write to (in case I have documents or MP3s that should be accessible to either OS).
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Quote: : I am about to do a build for a WINXP laptop.
But I might want to "add" a Linux or other OS to it at a later date.
If I do, I certainly don't want to get in a situation where I might have to reinstall WinXP.
What is the best way for me to prepare the hard drive for such a possibility?
Leave some unpartitioned space so you wont have to worry about resizing the NTFS partition down the road.
Setting aside a few gigs for each distro (plus whatever user data you anticipate) should be plenty of room...
edit: the only useful filesystem that Windows and Linux can both read AND write reliably is Fat32 so consider that for your data directory Like Distributed Computing?
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Quote: : Leave some unpartitioned space so you wont have to worry about resizing the NTFS partition down the road.
Setting aside a few gigs for each distro (plus whatever user data you anticipate) should be plenty of room...
...right, but what partitions, and in what order?
Should I have 2 primaries?
Where should I put WIN-XP, on the first or second primary?
Can Linux go on a logical partition?
What about a boot loader?
EDIT - I'm not too concerned about having to resize a partition.
But what screws things up is if I need to "squeeze" a new partion in between other existing ones where an OS already lives...
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Quote: : ...right, but what partitions, and in what order?
Should I have 2 primaries?
Where should I put WIN-XP, on the first or second primary?
Can Linux go on a logical partition?
What about a boot loader?
Since you have already planned 4 partitions for windows, then linux will probably need to go on to logical partitions.
No problem as Linux will happily go on any primary or logical partition (as will WinXP I believe).
If you set aside a large enough chunk of unpartitioned space at the end of your disk for Linux then you wont have to worry about 'squeezing' in partitions later;
You can just create as many additional logical partitions as you need.
As for a boot loader, the two popular Linux ones are GRUB or Lilo.
Either one will do the job (or you can use the existing Windows bootloader and add a linux entry to that)
Be aware that 2.6 Linux distros have a bug that might alter your partition table making WinXP unbootable.
This is not as catastrophic as it sounds, as it is preventable (and recoverable if it does happen to you).
More info here: http://lwn.net/Articles/86835/ Like Distributed Computing?
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Thanks, "Mean."
Can you tell me if it's okay to just install XP on the very first (and only) primary partition on the hard drive then?
(edit)
Or would it be better to leave the C partition (physical) empty, and put XP on the D partition (logical)?
(end edit)
(edit 2)
And I always use NTFS for my Windows/XP environments.
I intend for the WIN XP OS, SWAP, application, and (non-shared) data drives to be NTFS.
(end edit 2)
Thanks again!
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I am reading this document right now: http://www.devhood.com/tutorials/tutori ...
Ial_id=405
It makes sense to me so far, but I need a few more minutes with it.
EDIT: Okay, I just finished that tutorial.
Here is my plan:
1) Install XP onto partition 0.
(primary - NTFS; I intend to keep using NTLDR...I think)
2) Partition 1 (logical-NTFS) will contain my windows swap and static install files (I386 folder as previously indicated).
2) Partition 2 (logical-NTFS) will contain my Windows APPS
3) Partition 3 (logical-NTFS) will contain my Windows DATA
4) A blank space will be left at the end of the hard drive
When the time comes to install Linux, I plan to
5) Format partition 4 (logical-linux) for LINUX OS
6) Format partition 5 (logical-linux) for Linux swap
7) Format partition 6 (logical-linux) for Linux apps and data)
8 ) Format partition 7 (logical - FAT32) for data that needs to be shared between Windows and Linux
9) Install Linux OS to partition 4, and other "pieces/parts" to other Linux partitions as indicated above.
10) Use NTLDR to allow me to boot WinXP or Linux.
#10 above is a SWAG (Silly Wild A$$ Guess).
Does this make sense?
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I think splitting everything up into so many partitions is overkill.
It make sense on a server or even a desktop because you can install a ton of drives and it can make it easier to expand without requiring too much work.
But on a laptop where you're only gonna have one drive ever it doesn't really have a benefit.
I'd say:
Partition 0 - NTFS - Windows XP main, apps, swap, etc.
Partition 1 - FAT32 - shared data
Partition 2 - Linux
Partition 3 - Linux swap
Was there any particular reason you wanted so many partitions?
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Thanks, Anand. Here's some insight into my thinking:
I maintain separate application and data partitions so that I can spend less total time defragging and running antivirus.
I can run antivirus at any time, but call me old-fashioned when it comes to defrags....I am not a believer in "unattended defrags." Too many things can go wrong.
I like to kick them off while I am working on other tasks, but I like to be present incase something hiccups.
But I want them to run reasonably fast.
I don't like having a defrag take hours.
This can easily occur with huge partitions containing a large number of disparate type of file (programs, PLUS data, for example).
When defragging/scanning one huge partition each and every time, it takes forever, because the system often has to spend time, CPU (when scanning), and/or or IO (when scanning or defragging) working on files that have never changed since their initial installation.
With my layout, I can simply defrag my smaller OS and Data partitions on a more regular basis, and leave the application partitions alone.
Some of my software installations can get crazy, with a lot of files.
I only defrag my application partitions whenever I am preparing to (or have just finished) installing a new application.
And I love NTFS's recovery and security capabilities.
For a number of reasons, XP will continue to be my personal "production environment" for a long time to come.
As such, I want my "production" data on NTFS disks, and I will only put data intended for sharing on the FAT32 "shared" data partition.
I hope that sheds some light on the matter.
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One other possibility would be for me to perform a "step 0" as follows:
0) Create Fat32 "DualBoot" partition first on the drive, and install Windows XP into it's own partition (first Logical partition, NTFS).
The benefit (I think) would be that my boot loader would be the only thing on the first (and only) physical partition.
Everything else can live in an NTFS partition in the same sort of layout as I indicated above.
Comments?
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And one final question...
If I were to go with Win/XP on the first primary partition (my first choice), is it possible to at some point use a different boot loader to boot Linux on another partition?
I've done some reading on this, but the answer isn't obvious.
As always, thanks again!
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Quote: : If I were to go with Win/XP on the first primary partition (my first choice), is it possible to at some point use a different boot loader to boot Linux on another partition?
I've done some reading on this, but the answer isn't obvious.
I'm not quite sure what you are asking, Typically when you install linux you install the bootloader either to the MBR or to the /boot partition (partition 4, according the the scheme you posted above).
You cant have two different bootloaders on the MBR but you can use the existing NT Loader to boot linux.
If you install LILO into /boot, then you have to either 1) boot with a floppy or 2) add an entry in your WIndows boot.ini so NTLDR knows where to find linux (google "dual boot nt loader dd" for lots of info on how to do this)
The one problem you may run into is that to dual boot with NTLDR, you have to be able to boot into Linux at least once without going through the MBR.
With desktops its easy, you use a boot floppy.
If your laptop cant boot from floppy, then you'll need an alternative way of getting into linux.
Hopefully the distro you pick will have a 'recovery mode' built into the install CDs that will let you mount, or even boot your linux install...
Personally, I always let the Linux bootloader take over the MBR...
BTW, is there any specific reason why you want a separate partition for your Linux apps and data?
Your previous reasoning for defrag and antivirus arent likely to be issues under linux...
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Hi, again, "Mean"...
I cannot write much.
It is time to prepare for a possible evacuation from Hurricane Jeanne.
But I didn't want to disappear without posting an update first:
The WinXP install went just peachy.
The little system is running like a champ, even though it only runs at 300MHZ while on battery.
I ended up putting XP on the first partition.
I cannot locate a usable BIOS updater, so the PCMCIA "Cardbus" WiFi card won't work.
I took it back and purchased a USB WiFi "dongle" instead.
That seems to be working fine at home.
I have a T-Mobile Hotspot plan, and I plan to use this little system for school.
I will try to write more later, but for now I must sleep.
I may have to "de-camp" tomorrow and head for parts West and North of here.
Take care, and thanks for your help!
I will give more details when I am able.
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