partition a disk drive

grayling · 02-07-2007, 08:23 AM

I have already got Windows ME installed and I would like to install LINUX. Is it possible to partition the disk so that I can have Windows on one partition and LINUX on another? Or would I have to start from scratch? Or would it be better to have an external hard drive and install LINUX on there?
I have only seen ways of doing it when you first install windows, I was just wondering if it was possible to do it with windows already installed?
Thanks

ceri sheeran · 02-08-2007, 10:20 AM

Hi,

You need a partition management program.

Partition Magic is the prgram of choice

Partition Logic and Ranish are both free.

These will allow you reducie the size of your C: partition and create a new one for Linux.

An external hard drive would be too slow and may not work either as USB or Firewire external hard drives are not normally bootable AFAIK

hth

Ceri

**OldGrayGary** · 02-09-2007, 12:45 PM

Hi grayling, Hi ceri sheeran,

If you have a nice roomy hard drive, it's OK is Windows is already installed. As it turns out, many of the latest "distros" (in Linux lingo, a recent Linux version, or "distribution") have partitioning tools built-in (saves money on having to buy Partition Magic [a wonderful program, but not free] or resort to the freeware sites. RedHat, Mandriva, Ubuntu ... you name it, most have such tools included (often automatically, as part of Setup).

If you'd like to "test drive" Linux, without making any changes to your current hard drive, or your current Windows Me installation at all --- you could try testing Linux from a "Live CD" such as "Knoppix". Such "Live CDs" boot and run entirely from your CD drive [they create a "virtual hard drive" in your system memory - called a "RAM disk" - and use that - the RAM disk disappears when you exit Knoppix, & your system is just the same as before]. You can read more about Knoppix, and find links to download it, from their homepages --- http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

You can install some versions of Linux on an external hard drive, depending on the boot capabilities of your motherboard.

Here's a similiar thread, with some quick helpful comments, followed by a linked article on how to install to a USB drive ---
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ins...ternal-hd.html

How to Setup RedHat Fedora on a USB hard drive http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin...isk-drive.html

You might be surprised how similiar the interface of Linux is to both MS-Windows and Macs-OSX. Different underneath, but familiar on the surface.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

grayling · 02-13-2007, 02:17 AM

I tried loading the CD but I think that I have not got enough memory to load the live cd. It is a bit ambiguous as the cover the cd comes in says you need 256MB RAM whereas the help contained on the cd says you need 128MB RAM. I have only got the latter. I let it run for about 3 hours but the whole thing seemed to be just hanging.

Anyway, thanks for your help. It has given me the information that I wanted. I will have to see about getting some more memory. I have lots of space on my hard disk and I would be interested to have an alternate system. I used to use Unix in my work environment so I was interested to see what LINUX has to offer.

Cheers for now

02-07-2007, 08:23 AM	#1 (permalink)
grayling Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 19 OS: windows 98 + Me	partition a disk drive I have already got Windows ME installed and I would like to install LINUX. Is it possible to partition the disk so that I can have Windows on one partition and LINUX on another? Or would I have to start from scratch? Or would it be better to have an external hard drive and install LINUX on there? I have only seen ways of doing it when you first install windows, I was just wondering if it was possible to do it with windows already installed? Thanks

02-09-2007, 12:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Hi grayling, Hi ceri sheeran, If you have a nice roomy hard drive, it's OK is Windows is already installed. As it turns out, many of the latest "distros" (in Linux lingo, a recent Linux version, or "distribution") have partitioning tools built-in (saves money on having to buy Partition Magic [a wonderful program, but not free] or resort to the freeware sites. RedHat, Mandriva, Ubuntu ... you name it, most have such tools included (often automatically, as part of Setup). If you'd like to "test drive" Linux, without making any changes to your current hard drive, or your current Windows Me installation at all --- you could try testing Linux from a "Live CD" such as "Knoppix". Such "Live CDs" boot and run entirely from your CD drive [they create a "virtual hard drive" in your system memory - called a "RAM disk" - and use that - the RAM disk disappears when you exit Knoppix, & your system is just the same as before]. You can read more about Knoppix, and find links to download it, from their homepages --- http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html You can install some versions of Linux on an external hard drive, depending on the boot capabilities of your motherboard. Here's a similiar thread, with some quick helpful comments, followed by a linked article on how to install to a USB drive --- http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ins...ternal-hd.html How to Setup RedHat Fedora on a USB hard drive http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin...isk-drive.html You might be surprised how similiar the interface of Linux is to both MS-Windows and Macs-OSX. Different underneath, but familiar on the surface. Best of luck . . . Gary __________________ Last edited by OldGrayGary; 02-09-2007 at 12:46 PM.

02-13-2007, 02:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
grayling Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 19 OS: windows 98 + Me	thanks for the info. I tried loading the CD but I think that I have not got enough memory to load the live cd. It is a bit ambiguous as the cover the cd comes in says you need 256MB RAM whereas the help contained on the cd says you need 128MB RAM. I have only got the latter. I let it run for about 3 hours but the whole thing seemed to be just hanging. Anyway, thanks for your help. It has given me the information that I wanted. I will have to see about getting some more memory. I have lots of space on my hard disk and I would be interested to have an alternate system. I used to use Unix in my work environment so I was interested to see what LINUX has to offer. Cheers for now

02-08-2007, 10:20 AM	#2 (permalink)
ceri sheeran Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 285 OS: WINXP	Hi, You need a partition management program. Partition Magic is the prgram of choice Partition Logic and Ranish are both free. These will allow you reducie the size of your C: partition and create a new one for Linux. An external hard drive would be too slow and may not work either as USB or Firewire external hard drives are not normally bootable AFAIK hth Ceri