Repartitioning my HD for Linux

[scottmso]

I have a 40GB (about 37GB formatted) hard drive with one large NTFS partition it for Windows XP Home Edition. I want to install Mandrake Linux and would like to know what you think about the best way to go with this. I don't want to pay $70 for Partition Magic or a similar utility and don't want to install a new hard drive, so therefore I will reformat it. Here are my questions:
* Should I install Windows or Linux first?
* Should I choose NTFS or FAT32 for my Windows partition?
Thanks!

[choasforages]

install windows first, also before that create 2 twenty gig partitions, install windows on the first one, i would recommend using whatever partion you want for windows windows, but keep in mind that while linux can read fat32 easyer then ntfs that fat32 has a few limitations. then install linux on the second partition and use linux's boot manager on the mbr of the disk, you will be able to boot both linux and windows. i hope that this helps. o, ntfs i think supports larger files then fat32 but linux can't write to ntfs partitions safely last time i read about it anyway

[Calum]

install windows first because when you install windows it overwrites yr master boot record without telling you, and that will be greif if you're not expecting it. If you want access to yr files then use FAT32, or if not, use NTFS. You can access yr files using NTFS, but NTFS is a bit more unstable in linux than fat32. I recommend this as a partition table:

Notice that you can have the windows system at the start, on NTFS for stability, then put all your files on FAT32 partitions at the end of the drive, also it's good to put everything except system partitions inside a 'logical' partition so yr BIOS will cope, and it's a good idea to leave a little gap between the windows and linux partitions so windows won't bugger the start of yr linux side during yr next defrag.

Of course that's just my opinion...

[Master of Reality]

why have two fat32 partitions and the NTFS?
Why not have:

1. 3 gig NTFS for windows
2. 17 gig Fat32 for windows programs and files
10 mb free space (need this so windows doesnt corrupt linux)
4. 250 mb linux swap
5. 20 gig linux native (Ext.3) for all of linux

But since you will probably have to use Fdisk?
you will just create the first 2 partitions (or even just the first one) and then use the partition program within the Mandrake installer to create the last 2 or 3 partitions.

[ June 12, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality / Bob ]

[ June 12, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality / Bob ]

[Calum]

i only put the two fat32 partitions there as a suggestion, you may want one, you may want eight, depends if you like large files or not.

It helps to have small partition sizes if you are going to be using windows, since WHEN it crashes and needs to run scandisk, it will only scan the partitions you were actually accessing at the time of the crash. If this is just drive C and D, it might be 8Gb, say, saving you the time of waiting through another 32Gb of scandiak time.

[KernelPanic]

If you are actually reformatting then you dont need partition magic at all. Just fdisk it into the nessasary divisions.
Use NTFS for XP as it is so superior to FAT32.
When installing Mandrake (After windoze) you will need to reformat the space you left with fdisk to ext2fs or ext3fs or whatever FS you are using and install Linuxes boot manager.
If you ever need to reinstall windoxe... you know you will it will **** up you boot loader so be careful.
Dont forget to make /swap for linux.
All should be ok.
If you have windoze installed already or dont have the CD to reinstall then you will need PM to shrink it. Just d/l the demo version (http://www.powerquest.com ) and look for the crack online, there is a french crack knocking around that i used on UK/US versions of PM6 and 7.
Hopefully you will get to the stage where you wanna get rid of XP and everything will become happy in your life

[Master of Reality]

i believe that is basically what i said... but you wont necassarily be fucked if you re-install windows, all you need is a Linux boot disk to boot into linux and run /sbin/lilo to set Lilo as the bootloader again.

[KernelPanic]

Windoze NT line needs a FAT partition at the start of the 1st disk to install ntldr onto i think.

[ June 13, 2002: Message edited by: * Tux * ]

[Master of Reality]

quote:Originally posted by * Tux *:
Windoze NT line needs a FAT partition at the start of the 1st disk to install ntldr onto i think.

[ June 13, 2002: Message edited by: * Tux * ]

It can use a NTFS at the beginning of the drive too... actually it just needs to be anywhere on HDA