Linux Alongside Windows

[ZcWorld]

@WeirdEars about the hard drive problem with linux

make sure you use IDE hard drives not the SCSI its wil give you problems

fav linux

arr thats hard i got 3

CentOs 4.2 ( 32 bit) and FC4 ... both from RedHat

Xandros desktop OS ver 3

i havet used it in ages but it was nice and easy

if i can remember right:)

[KamiQuazi]

In what order should I install? I mean I want to triple boot, XP Pro sp2, XP Pro x64, and Ubuntu.

[SiMoNsAyS]

1. xp pro sp2 (c: fat32)

2. xp pro 64 (d: ntfs)

3. ubuntu (e: ext3, reiser... whatever)

with additional software you'll be able to access all drives from c: and d: (depends on e: filesystem).

from e: you'll have r/w access to c: and possibly d: (total read, experimental write).

plus you can use wine to run programs from c:

[KamiQuazi]

SiMoNsAyS:

Is it ok to change the fat32 on xp sp2 to ntfs?

[SiMoNsAyS]

is ok as long as you don't need write support from ubuntu (as i said write support is experimental)

[tain]

Although not a 100% solution, progress is being made: NTFS-3G: Full Read-Write Open Source Linux NTFS Driver

[Drugwash]

Hi there.

Sounds like the right place to ask my question, if you'll excuse my reviving this old thread. So, here it goes:

I would like to install (as a multiboot) Win98SE, WinServer2003 and Linux (K/Ubuntu, openSUSE or similar) all on a 160GB HDD which is already split into 4 FAT32 + 1 Linux partitions. The BIOS (AWARD 6.00PG on a Jetway630CF board) would only "see" 137GB out of 160, due to bad (or no) implementation of 48bit LBA, chipset incompatibility or whatever else, and it's not gonna be fixed by the manufacturer (I already contacted them months ago), but that's not a problem - I can live with a few GB missing. For easy recovery/interaction between partitions, I would like to keep the Server2003 partition as FAT32.

If anyone could offer a simple but thorough guide to accomplish such task, I would very much appreciate. Thank you.

[McTavish]

I’m not sure of the long term stability of using just part of the drive Drugwash. There is the option of getting an add-in controller card. The other thing is a Dynamic Drive Overlay (translation software in the MBR) that can compensate for your motherboard, but I would advise against this if you want to multiboot. Besides, if you want Win98 on there then you would need to fix its 137gig limitation so it could run without problems on a 160gig drive. I would say your best option would be to get a smaller hard drive.

If you want to go ahead then probably best to use the Linux bootmanager. So, install Win98 first to a primary. Then 2003, also to a primary, making sure it does not set up the ntldr as a bootmanager by putting it inside Win98. Do this by making the 2003 partition the Active one on the hard drive before you start the install, (by booting the computer from the 2003 DVD). Then install Linux to any partition/s you like and during setup if you get a choice make sure it puts the bootmanager, probably Grub, to the MBR of the hard drive. That should setup the multiboot for you.

You can’t make a logical partition the Active one on the hard drive, so if want to install 2003 to a logical you can only do it by allowing it to put the boot files on a separate primary, which will be inside your Win98 install, which will make the whole multiboot thing with Linux much more messy.

Are you sure your 2003 will use a FAT partition? http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluati...ysreqs/2003.asp

You can create a separate logical data partition in FAT that all the OSes can use.

[profmike]

there are several programs I recently googled to fix the 137 gig issue with my dual boot on a 250 gig. I forgot wehich one I used but I know they are out there. the instruction previously stated sound find, I used ranish to setup my partitions and it went quite well. I've got win98se, winxp and server 2003 as well as ubuntu linux on my 250 with 10 partitions.

try this site :

http://www.largeharddrivesupport.windowsre...l.com/winxp.htm

my bios says my hd is only 65 gig but dos and windows and linux all see the various partitions and I don't have any problems...

[McTavish]

Unless you've fixed Win98's 137gig limitation Mike, then don't let is use any part of the drive over that figure. It may seem to be fine, but you will get data corruption. It was no doubt a DDO you used - perhaps MaxBlast or EZ-Drive. Just be aware it is on your hard drive and of possible problems it could cause if you ever alter your configuration.