[pdxireland]

Hello,

I have decided it is time to learn something about Linux.
I would like to set-up a new partition on my boot HDD.
Its an older Dell but running clean w/ a 1.7P4 & a gig of ram w/ a small 20 gig C Drive w/ XP/sp2 & a second 250 gig drive for video storage.
All I really use it for is home video & DVD authoring and burning.
Online very little w/ the machine.
Currently there is about 15 gigs of the 20 on drive C free.
I would like to partition and install Linux.

I have never partitioned a drive - is there freeware I can you to create the necessary partition.
How large of a partition should be created for the Linus OS?
Any other directions to get me started?

Thanks in advance for the help.

fmg

 

[K-B]

Hello,...............
I have never partitioned a drive - is there freeware I can you to create the necessary partition.

Yes. Many Linux installers come with "gparted" partitioner built into the installer.

How large of a partition should be created for the Linus OS?

The bare minimum is 1.5-2.5 gigs. Obviously you won't be able to install many programs on that. If you have 15 gigs free space, and want to leave some free space for Windows, 9 or 10 gigs is plenty, leaving 5 or 6 for Windows. [/quote]

Any other directions to get me started?

Have you decided which "distro" of Linux you're going to use? There are many available to pick from. If you could wait a week or so, I'd recommend PCLinuxOS 2007. I've been using PCLos for a while and the new 2007 that's coming out at the end of the month is totally superior than anything I've ever used. But other options for easy-to-use Linux distros are Linux Mint, simplyMEPIS, Suse, Xandros.

 

[Bartender]

You'll notice Kyle lists two free partitioners in his sig. I'd like to add GPLCD

You download the latest version, burn to a CD, then boot from the CD. If you've never done any partitioning, I guarantee you will find this scary and confusing. Who wants to wipe out their Windows data by mistake?

The GPLCD website has some screenshots and a forum.

You need to do some more research, visit some linux distro forums, maybe poke around on YouTube and look for some videos showing partitioning, etc. We can't send you partitioning knowledge via e-mail. It's a hands-on sort of knowledge.

Also ask yourself if you're prepared to rebuild from scratch if something goes wrong. Do you have a Windows install CD, CD's of your programs, all necessary keycodes, have you backed up your pictures, documents, etc.

Do you have an old HDD laying around you can practice with? Nothing like a few mistakes to learn what not to do. Remove both of yours and go at it with a practice HDD. Wipe the drive, do it again.

The modern Linux LiveCD's all have partitioners built in that will try to make room for Linux one way or another, but they go about it differently. I like PCLOS also, and its installer is good, but totally different from Ubunutu's.

Is there a Linux User's Group near to you? It'd be great to sit down with some Linux users.

 

[pdxireland]

Thanksa for the advice

Well, after I posted this thread I remembered I have a spare 20 gig HDD that I "retired" due to some funny noises.
I will pull both of the HDDs out of the machine when PCLinuxOS 2007 becomes available.
Where would be a good place to watch for and download PCLinuxOS 2007?
When it does come to doing a partition set-up I'm not worried about making a mistake.
All that is on the original 20 gig HDD is XPpro(retail)/MyDVD/Avast & a few other programs easy to re-install.
Thanks,

fmg

 

[K-B]

If you could have a HD dedicated for Linux it's the easiest method to partition.
I'll be very happy if you go with PCLinuxOS! I'm sure you'll love it. I predict that it is going to unseat ubuntu as the top Linux. In my opinion, it is very much better if you're a beginner looking for a easy to use, pre-configured desktop Linux. I've tryed over a dozen different distros and it's the best I've found. You can watch for it at www.distrowatch.com or www.pclinuxos.com. Distrowatch is a very interesting website, you can see which versions of Linux are most popular, and it is update daily with new or updated versions coming out.

 

[Bartender]

pd -
You have an old HDD laying around? Perfect!
I didn't make any progress with Linux until I got a spare PC to torture. Until then fear of screwing everything up on our main PC held me back.
If you've got an old HDD to play with all that fretting can be set aside.

Install any old Linux distro.

Download GPLCD, burn it to a CD, and take a look at your Linux installation.

Experiment with dual-booting 2 Linux distros. GPLCD is handy for pre-partitioning in preparation for a Linux dual-boot. Take a look at SRoy's blog. After the PCLOS guide there's a guide for setting up a Linux dual-boot.

When you get the hang of that, wipe the drive again.

If you can install Windows to that old HDD (XP, 200, Me, 98) do it and practice dual-booting a few times until you understand. Most of the modern Linux distros will walk you thru resizing the NTFS partition so that part of it is often simpler than a Linux dual-boot.

Your goal should be to become fairly conversant with at least these subjects:

- primary partitions & extended partitions
- how to edit fstab and the GRUB boot/menu.lst
- how to make swap, extended, & primary partitions and how to create the correct file systems (ext3, linux-swap, FAT32) within your partitioner of choice
- what it means to "mount" a partition
- the Linux partition and drive nomenclature
- The GRUB partition and drive nomenclature

Take notes! A lot of new stuff will pass across your monitor and you'll forget half of it unless you write it down.

Also decide whether you want to create a separate "home" partition. I didn't do that with my first dual-boot because I was already freakin out about all the stuff I didn't understand. I think now that having a "home" partition is the way to go.

 

[K-B]

pd -
You have an old HDD laying around? Perfect!
I didn't make any progress with Linux until I got a spare PC to torture. Until then fear of screwing everything up on our main PC held me back.
If you've got an old HDD to play with all that fretting can be set aside.

Install any old Linux distro.

Download GPLCD, burn it to a CD, and take a look at your Linux installation.

Experiment with dual-booting 2 Linux distros. GPLCD is handy for pre-partitioning in preparation for a Linux dual-boot. Take a look at SRoy's blog. After the PCLOS guide there's a guide for setting up a Linux dual-boot.

When you get the hang of that, wipe the drive again.

If you can install Windows to that old HDD (XP, 200, Me, 98) do it and practice dual-booting a few times until you understand. Most of the modern Linux distros will walk you thru resizing the NTFS partition so that part of it is often simpler than a Linux dual-boot.

Your goal should be to become fairly conversant with at least these subjects:

- primary partitions & extended partitions
- how to edit fstab and the GRUB boot/menu.lst
- how to make swap, extended, & primary partitions and how to create the correct file systems (ext3, linux-swap, FAT32) within your partitioner of choice
- what it means to "mount" a partition
- the Linux partition and drive nomenclature
- The GRUB partition and drive nomenclature

Take notes! A lot of new stuff will pass across your monitor and you'll forget half of it unless you write it down.

Also decide whether you want to create a separate "home" partition. I didn't do that with my first dual-boot because I was already freakin out about all the stuff I didn't understand. I think now that having a "home" partition is the way to go.

Great post. Just want to add on a bit. The need to edit GRUB (GRUB is the bootloader that many Linux distros use, at boot it allows you to select which Operating System you wish to start) normally arises if, for instance, you wish for Windows to boot automatically after a delay of X amount of seconds. But, in PCLinuxOS, there is no need to manually edit GRUB's menu.lst. Because, you have to chances to do it very easily, 1: during the installation you can select which OS should be the default (the default OS will boot automatically). 2: If you miss your chance during the installation, no worries. You can easily make changes using a GUI (Graphical User Interface - no command line) in PCLinuxOS's Control Center.

 

[Bartender]

Yeah, sorry, Kyle -
I knew I wasn't explaining the GRUB part very well but reaching the limit of my attention span.
I've seen Mint Linux (a derivative of Ubuntu) also take care of the manual boot entries that I thought were a necessary part of the process.

Regarding PCLOS, your enthusiasm is contagious. I'm gonna re-visit PCLOS when the new version comes out.

 

[K-B]

I have the Test Release 1 installed, and it just blew me away. Only problem is that I don't want to configure & customize it yet, because the developers said that it won't be upgradeable to Stable from the repositories, rather you'll need to re-install when 2007 Stable comes out. But it's been promised for the end of Jan, and I'm terribly eager:grin:

 

[pdxireland]

Hye.....

Thanks for all the advice !
I plan to break & fix & learn as time allows.
Cheers,

fmg

 

[K-B]

Sadly, I just heard that PCLinuxOS 2007 release is going to be delayed. Release date is uncertain, but I'm guessing it will be middle of Feb.