ukbsktbll

Ok i have 3 HDs. The one I want to install the OS's on is the master - currently the C drive.

I will create two 100gb partitions. One for vista and one for xp. There is another 60gb on this HD - the master HD. So if unbuntu is installed on that extra 60 and it doesnt use the entire 60 what happens to the extra space?

Well my pc is already set up and windows XP is installed on the master drive. I currently have a 100gb partition with XP on it and the other partition of that HD is about 160 - so id split th 160 into 100 and 60. Is that fine? Sorry for all the questions i wanna feel comfortable with this before i attempt it

Rome5

If you choose to 'use largest available free space' when installing Ubuntu; it will use that entire 60GB so nothing will be left over.

If you chose to partition it yourself and you use 20GB for root and 1GB for swap, you'll have 39GB of free space which you can partition out for storage or whatever you want. To do that you need to as Bartender mentioned and create an extended partition.

ukbsktbll

ok is a extended partition any different than a regular one? and would that need to be 21gb? Thanks

Rome5

Yes, it's different. You can only have four primary partitions on a drive, but to get around that, for one of those primary partitions, you create an extended partition. The extended partition 'acts' like a primary, but it's different because it can then be divided up into sub-partitions (logical). You want an extended partition to take up the rest of the available space on the drive - 60GB. Then, you break that down into 20GB for root, 1GB for swap, and 39GB for storage or whatever.

[ 100GB XP / primary]
[ 100GB Vista / primary]
[ 60GB / extended --
-- [ 20GB root ]
-- [ 1GB swap ]
-- [ 39Gb storage ]
-- ]


#NOTE: you can break up the remaining 39GB of space into more than one logical partition. Once you do it the first time and get the hang of it, creating partitions becomes pretty easy.

ukbsktbll

thanks for clearing that up.

ukbsktbll

Ok I am setting up to try this triple boot. I want to partition a partiton first. Then I need to make those extended partitions.

What programs can I use to do this - make a partition then do the extended partitions. I thought one had been mentioned but I can't find it.

ukbsktbll

Ok i used Partition Magic to create my partition. Here is what it looks like

I want to install vista on V Linux on L and XP is already installed on C. Is this all right so far?

I have attached a screen shot of it:

Attached Images

Image1.jpg (92.9 KB, 6 views)

Bartender

I've always been told that Windows can't start from within an extended partition. I don't think that's changed.
So, unless I'm wrong and that HAS changed, your partitioning scheme on "Disk 3" won't work. Vista wouldn't function.

EDIT: You also asked about partitioners. I like GParted LiveCD. You can find that by googling it. SourceForge provides the website. If you're going to burn the CD (which can be done from a Windows PC), just download the latest version, the one identified as an .iso.
It's important to understand that converting an .iso to a bootable CD is not the same as "copying the data". Lots of people get hung up on that. It's likely that you already have the tools on your PC to make the image, but if you've never done it before you might build a coaster or two first...

Since GParted comes out of the opensource community, it's always being tweaked on and improved. One of the odd quirks I noticed with earlier versions of GParted is if you click on the graphical representation of the partition on the top of the page and nothing happens, try right-clicking on the text below describing the partition. I don't know if that's been "fixed" or not, but as long as you remember to try clicking on the text if the picture doesn't work you'll be fine.
That and apply each task as you go. Don't let the tasks stack up unfinished!

Done_Fishin

I'd agree with Brtender .. also I note that your Linux partition says NTFS .. I wasn't aware that was possible .. did you install your Linux or just partition it ready with NTFS .. you might need to leave an unformatted partition or direct Linux to use just that partition when installing ..

ukbsktbll

OK so Vista can't be put on an extended HD, and what does Linux need. I suppose the easiest way to resolve this is to add V and L back into G then partition that so G - being which will be not extended be where I can install vista. Then I should leave the extended partition I want Linux installed to unformatted?

Done_Fishin

you can make your extended partition and then make a portion of it available for Linux ..the rest you can use as a second / third partition for whatever purpose you think fit .. including a FAT32 partition which can be seen by Vista, XP & Linux .. without 3rd party software. This can be helpful when you want to search for solutions using windows then use that info in Linux .. but the choice is yours .,.

you're the captain of that PC .. so do what you feel will help you .. we are just throwing ideas as to what might be helpful or explaining why things aren't going the way they were expected

ukbsktbll

Ok i have made some corrections I now have G ready for Vista, S will be partitioned to pull off 21g for Linux - what file system type should it be LinuxExt2, LinuxExt3, or Linux Swap - those are the options from Partition Magic, and should i leave that 21g unformatted?

Attached Images

image2.jpg (89.4 KB, 5 views)

Done_Fishin

normally you'd need one partition ext2 for installation and one partition for swap however if you format with ext2 and then direct Linux towards the ext2 partition it should create them both for you. Just take care about where it is installing by checking the preview box when about to install .. that way you can confirm what is happening.

ukbsktbll

so creating a partition of say 21gb and using ext2 installing linux on that should work fine?

Bartender

Is "S" where you plan to install Linux? Go back and remove the NTFS logical from within the extended "box". Leave the extended partition empty. I imagine Partition Magic identifies that as "unallocated", like GParted?
Anyway, there's absolutely no point in having an NTFS logical partition inside the extended partition that's destined for Linux. You could place one logical partition inside the extended partition and format it as "ext3" if you wanted. Or leave it unallocated. Don't format as ext2. Ext3 is an improved version of the old ext2 file system.
If you let Ubuntu auto-install, it will create the ext3 partition for itself, and create a linuxswap partition. So you really don't have to worry about setting things up exactly right in the Linux partition.
Some of us like to manually install, in which case you do want to prepare the Linux partitions in more detail, but I'd say in your case let's just get you started. Make an extended partition, leave it unallocated inside or one logical ext3 partition inside, and point the Ubuntu installer at that space. You can always go back later if you decide you really want a separate /home partition for instance.

ukbsktbll

i was going to partion S into two parts one 21gb for linux and the rest for storage. Once I do that, make the 21gb part ext3?

Done_Fishin

that will do fine .. if you want to share the storage between windows and Linux then format that part as FAT32

if you only want it as Linux storage .. don't bother making the extra partition .. use all for Linux as said above .. Linux sees all free space allocated across multiple disks or partitions as one space .. only removable devices require their own space and addressing

Bartender

And if you do create a FAT32 partition for data that Windows and Linux can both access. that partitioncan be a logical partition inside the extended "box". Windows can't boot from an extended partition, but once it's started up from a primary partition it can access data inside an extended partition. Well, it can access the FAT32 data. Windows will ignore an ext3 partition, either logical or primary.

ukbsktbll

so if i was to make an additional two partitions one for storage and one for linux - make the one for storage fat32 and both windows and linux can access it?

Rome5

Yep, that's correct. They can both access the fat32