Installing a version of Linux on Windows machine...

Could anyone please help me with something about Linux?

I'm wondering what would the best version of Linux (I can get RedHat 8 i think (or 7)), so which would be the best?

Also is the installation of an operating system like that difficult to do on a laptop already running windows?

Just thinking of doing all this because I'd like to get up to speed with unix and I think that having linux will help enormously.

Thanks in advance for help

ramius

If your using Linux for the first time i would highly reccomend you get your hands on Mandrake 8 as the installation is far easier than red hat. It is a simple step by step guide and it creates the partition for linux and sets up a new boot menu for you, its simple!

dahamsta

Nearly all distros can automatically partition these days ramius. I don't know of any that don't come with a boot loader. Mandrake /is/ good for first time Linux users though, in that you can install into an existing partition just to try it out. Performance is slower, but when you're only trying it out, who cares? I think Red Hat can do this too, but I can't find the relevant docs.

adam

Would ye recommend I install in a partition beside windows or completly partition the hard drive using partition magic or something like that?

Would the linux run just as well (apart from the speed loss) on the said partition?

Typedef

If you are running fat32 then you can either repartition or resize the windoze partition to make room for linux is probably a more accurate description, or run a linforwin or linux on a umsdos root file system.

If you are running ntfs on your windows parittion your options become rather more limited, ie, get partition magic and resize the partition because without pm you will not be able to resize the partition(probably)?
Pm me if this is the case.

The crux. If you are running fat32 you are sorted, simply defragment this partition, boot off of the Mandrake cd and resize the windows partition (without data loss(sweet)), else run off of umsdos(if for some obscure and illogical reason you don't want to have a dedicated linux partition). Else someone (me) could resize an ntfs partition if necessary. If you were going to use usmdos then don't, I mean why would you want to? I don't think I ever heard of Mandrake fscking someone's windoze partition in a resize,(but I suppose there is an 'outside' chance of it) bar someone pushing the button that said (use the whole disk) as opposed to the one that said (use diskdrake to resize the disk).

Glad that wasn't me

seamus

Shít, it's started already - I understood everything in Typedef's post. WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!?!. Sorry. If you had said something like that to me a month ago (when I first installed rh7) I would not have a clue what you were on about. But I'm sure he'll pm you or post again if he don't understand

Typedef

Shít, it's started already - I understood everything in Typedef's post

Happens to the best of us --|_

Use of slackware entitles you to trial by jury![ii]
[ii] Use of Red Hat is Grounds for indictement[iii]
[iii]Use of Caldera is grounds for excommunication.
Go with god.

dahamsta

[iv] Use of Corel is grounds for execution.

Aha! I did indeed post again...Typedef, when you say FAT32, is that the file system running on windows 98?

logic1

Yeah if you have any of your drives over approx. 2 gigs in Win98 then you're running it on a FAT32 filesystem as opposed to the older FAT16

.logic.

dahamsta

Most probably, yes. AFAICR, you can run 98 on plain ol' FAT too, but it uses FAT32 by default.

adam

sisob

Originally posted by MoonHawk
Aha! I did indeed post again...Typedef, when you say FAT32, is that the file system running on windows 98?

if your interested:

dos and win3.1 and win95 ran on FAT16

Windows 98 brouught in the new and improved FAT32 and it has was used with 98 and ME - although they do support FAT16

Windows NT always used NTFS

Windows XP is based on windows 2000 so it has the option to use NTFS or FAT32

FAT32 is easily resizable with fips or the mandrake installer

NTFS is only resizable with partition magic

Righty then I'm running Windows 98, so that means that I'm running FAT32...so if I get the linux mandrake cd, boot the computer off the cd, then the program on the cd will automatically repartition the disk drive for me without any effect to my windows data?

I was never comfortable with any sort of repartitioning, i'd almost get a smaller computer just to accomodate the linux os, but at the moment, the idea of doing that is just hassle, so it'd be good to have everything on the same computer, i'm just a bit cautious.

sisob

Originally posted by MoonHawk
Righty then I'm running Windows 98, so that means that I'm running FAT32...so if I get the linux mandrake cd, boot the computer off the cd, then the program on the cd will automatically repartition the disk drive for me without any effect to my windows data?

I was never comfortable with any sort of repartitioning, i'd almost get a smaller computer just to accomodate the linux os, but at the moment, the idea of doing that is just hassle, so it'd be good to have everything on the same computer, i'm just a bit cautious.

i have never used mandrake to resize partitions (i'm much happier with fips or partition magic), but Typedef has: does he have to defragment first? I would make backups of important work before doing it.

Also one in the mandrake installer you will see a representation of your partitions. just click on your FAT32 partition and click resize.

Moderator: there should really be a nice stick with a guide for newbies to get from a single fat partition to a pc with some unpartitioned space ready for linux.

i'd be happy to write up a quick guide to fips.

It's great having ye here to help with these problems,certainly gives one a piece of mind.

When i resize the FAT32 partition, the linux will be installed there?
Essentially the partitioning makes the computer think that there's more than one hard drive when there's only one?

So when partition magic creates a new partition on the one hard drive (so there are now 2 partitions), then the newly created partition will house the linux os yeah?

I'm getting there...

Mountjoy Mugger

Originally posted by MoonHawk
Righty then I'm running Windows 98, so that means that I'm running FAT32

Not necessarily.

You might have Win 98 installed on a FAT 16 partition. Easy way to find out - use the FAT 32 convertor on Win 98. That'll tell you.

sisob

Originally posted by MoonHawk

It's great having ye here to help with these problems,certainly gives one a piece of mind.

When i resize the FAT32 partition, the linux will be installed there?
Essentially the partitioning makes the computer think that there's more than one hard drive when there's only one?

So when partition magic creates a new partition on the one hard drive (so there are now 2 partitions), then the newly created partition will house the linux os yeah?

I'm getting there...

If you resize with partition magic or mandrake you will have unpartitioned space. You can then choose what sort of partition you want to create in the space.

If you use fips it will create a second FAT partition.

now come's the interesting bit. while windows use's FAT linux doesnt.
your new partiton will have to be linux compatible. the mandrake installer will help you create the linux partitions. If you use fips you will have to delete the new FAT partition first.

by default linux uses a filesystem called ext2. but in recent times two new beasts have emerged. reiserfs and ext3. these are journalised filesystems, which , to leave out the details, means that your data is safer if you cant cant shutdown properly for some reason. Also you never have to scandisk.

whether you use reiserfs or ext3 is your choice. I use reisefs for my os because it is faster and ext3 for a sepporate data partition because it is safer. Just as long as you dont use ext2

actually I have at least 10 partition's but we'll leave that out for now ;-)

Typedef

Yup

Defrag first, then boot drake, select the option to resize the fat 32 partition decide on the size you want and you are away, partitions Reiserfs is sweet and windows sux. I dunno, good luck.
/There is harmony to the universe.
Save all of your stuff in case you make a mistake, but in fairness to the diskdrake I don't know if I have ever heard of someone have a problem with it, except foolish people who click the button that says "use whole disk" when they meant to click the button that said, use diskdrake ?
/Good thing there aren't too many of those in the world hmm\

nucular

Originally posted by sisob


Windows NT always used NTFS

ermmm... :rolleyes: :eek:

don't think so.. as with 2000 and XP you have a choice.