Partition Filesystem

[bsaber]

I was wondering if I can partition 1 hard drive into two partitions. Here's the catch though... can I make one partition NTFS and the other VFAT? The reason I ask is because I want to create a dual boot without having to reformat my drive (I'm currently running Windows XP Pro with NTFS filesystem. ). Also how much space should I reserve for Knoppix? for Fedora?

I ask because I'm not sure if I should install Knoppix to HDD or Fedora. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help.

[Harry Kuhman]

I was wondering if I can partition 1 hard drive into two partitions. Here's the catch though... can I make one partition NTFS and the other VFAT? The reason I ask is because I want to create a dual boot without having to reformat my drive (I'm currently running Windows XP Pro with NTFS filesystem. ). Also how much space should I reserve for Knoppix? for Fedora?

I ask because I'm not sure if I should install Knoppix to HDD or Fedora. Any suggestions?
My notebook came with 1 NTFS partition and XP home. One of the first things I did on it (before I filled up the disk) was to shrink th NTFS partition and make a FAT patrtition in the remaining space. I wanted a place that I could write files for Knoppix while I ran from CD. Works fine. Installing Knoppix to HD might be a different matter though, so don't take my positive response about mixing NTFS and FAT as an endorsement to Install Knoppix to HD.

For that matter, XP does not need any NTFS partitions (although it depends on them if you want the "security" features for multiple users). Some users would be far better off installing Xp with a FAT partition rather than an NTFS partition.

[bsaber]

What program did you use to shrink the NTFS partition and create the FAT partition?

Thanks for your help.

[Harry Kuhman]

I used a commercial program that I own to do this, but there are many free programs that will do it too. I also made a backup of the entire partition (across my network to another computer) before I did this, just in case the shrinking went bad. And had a plan on how I could recover that backup, if needed, to the notebook again, even if it had no OS on it. This was by far the harder thing than shrinking the partition, but I consider it a very important step. If you have a good backup then I would not hesitate to use any of the shrinking solutions (there has been a lot of discussion on these forums about partition shrinking lately, just look for it), without a backup you need to think about what you'll do when it goes wrong.

[bsaber]

I was just wondering out of curiousity if its possible to make a triple boot system running Windows XP Pro, Knoppix, and Fedora.

[OErjan]

sure.
shrink tha current poartitions, make new partition/s and install there,
then it is just a matter of just avoiding installing a bootloader (or install it to / on THAT install).
then add a new entry in the already used bootloader.
worst case you MIGHT trash the partition scheme or loose data (resising is NEVER fullproof) and you may have to edit the old bootloader conf via a booted knoppix and perhaps reinstall the bootloader but...

[Harry Kuhman]

I was just wondering out of curiousity if its possible to make a triple boot system running Windows XP Pro, Knoppix, and Fedora.
Absolutely. I've even had multiple copies of Windows as well as Linux on one drive. You might want to research XOSL and/or Smart Boot Manager a liitle, they are great for this type of thing.

[bsaber]

Thanks for all the assistance. I truely appreciate it.

[Harry Kuhman]

As an extreme example of what can be done with XOSL you might find this interesting: http://www.maximumpc.com/features/feature_2002-09-24.html
A teenager had 37 different operating systems booting from one PC.

[bsaber]

Dang... that's just over kill. But quite interesting.