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binarybum
04-28-2003, 02:34 AM
Hi all,

I tried Knoppix CD and was so intrigued I want to install Linux on my Windows machine. I have a 80 gig HD with 4 NTFS partitions. I chose Mandrake 9.1 because it has a partition resizer. I decided not to install LILO into MBR but in root and boot from floppy. Mandrake does not let you stop the install at the bootloading section. It skips right by and puts LILO in MBR. The option is in there but you can't get to it. With 8 tries I managed to get to that window once but it was too late.
I decided to let it install in MBR and then reconfigure the setup at the review stage and later repair MBR with fdisk. Next Mandrake then hangs while making boot disk. In text mode it lets me know there was an error making boot disk and continue to end of setup. Now I have no boot disk.
So now I think I will use Mandrake install to resize the partition and then install Debian.
Question 1: Can I install Linux at the end (around 65 or 70 gigs in) of my 80 gig HD? Seems I've read about 1024 cylinder bios recognition limits for booting.
Question 2: Is Debian a good choice for Newbie or am I better off with something else like RH maybe?

Thanks.................BB

garyng
04-28-2003, 03:38 AM
Can you revert one of the NTFS back to VFAT ?

I am doing it this way(mine is a inspiron with only a 10G HD) :

C:\---->FAT 32, 3G(with ME installed)
D:\---->NTFS,6G(with XP installed)

I just put KNOPPIX on C:\(and now on D:\ after some customization of KNOPPIX), a simple file copy from CD-ROM and everything works(basically). If you want to be more exotic, install lilo and chain boot from the XP boot loader to it and boot from there. I have finally deviced a non-intrusive way of having lilo living happily with M$, in fact none of the MBR/boot sector of the hard disk is ever touched by lilo.

The reason I choose KNOPPIX is that it doesn't require its own partition and there is lots of application already in there for me to play around

binarybum
04-28-2003, 04:13 AM
I don't really want to mess with my windows partition. I have XP on C, a small partition for paging file on D, apps installed on E, and data storage on F. It's easiest to just resize F and partition the free space for Linux. Just not sure if I can install Linux past the 1024 cylinders.

I'm not sure what you mean by "chain boot", bu my plan was to install LILO in root (dev/hda8) and make boot floppy. I would then copy bootsect.lin to my windows boot.ini file so I can choose it at bootup from XP boot loader.

rickenbacherus
04-28-2003, 09:30 PM
Just not sure if I can install Linux past the 1024 cylinders.

Sure you can- you must lose the windows mentality my friend!


I'm not sure what you mean by "chain boot",

When you install Knoppix choose to put LILO into the ROOT directory. (/dev/hda8)

Chainbooting is using more than one boot loader. For example, you install LILO to the MBR, you boot, a menu appears that allows you to choose the OS you'd like to boot. Now you select 'Knoppix' which is on /dev/hda8 and LILO points to /dev/hda8 which also has LILO on it(in the ROOT directory) and it proceeds to load Linux. Does that make sense or did I make it even MORE coonfusing??



bu my plan was to install LILO in root (dev/hda8) and make boot floppy. I would then copy bootsect.lin to my windows boot.ini file so I can choose it at bootup from XP boot loader.

If you want to use NTLDR I can't help you there since I can't for the life of me come up with even one good reason to use windows, but there are much better boot loaders out there. You could do a search on google.com/linux for 'bootloader' or even search right here on this site.

Just my 2 bits

binarybum
04-29-2003, 03:19 AM
Thanks rickenbacherus,

I'm learning. Maybe someday I'll give up windows also. Right now it's what I know and it runs all my stuff and I have it tweaked, etc,etc. I'm not familiar with Linux but so far I like what I see. Looks like there is a bit of a learning curve though.
I'll be glad to get it living in peace with windows so I can learn more. Mandrake would not let me skip loading LILO in MBR. Maybe I'll try Debian next. Since this is a Knoppix forum maybe I should ask if I should HD install Knoppix instead.

rickenbacherus
04-29-2003, 02:47 PM
Maybe I'll try Debian next. Since this is a Knoppix forum maybe I should ask if I should HD install Knoppix instead.

It is generally advised not to make Debian your first Linux experience. Not that it can't be done but I imagine it would be very frustrating. You can simply boot the Knoppix cd and install it after you boot it. Are you aware that you can surf the web WHILE YOU INSTALL!?!?!?! Try that with wimpdoze. Obviously if you have any questions about the install you can get online and find the answer. I have a 550Mhz w/ 256M ram. It takes about 20 minutes to install it on my machine. You could install and reinstall Knoppix repeatedly in the time it takes to install wimpdoze once.

editcan't spell anymore :D

binarybum
04-29-2003, 09:14 PM
I like the Knop. Any disadvantages to Knoppix HD install as opposed to other distros?

Stephen
04-29-2003, 09:59 PM
I like the Knop. Any disadvantages to Knoppix HD install as opposed to other distros?

Only one that I can see, it throws everything into one partition so you have to move things around if you want seperate partitions.

Henk Poley
04-30-2003, 11:52 AM
Are you aware that you can surf the web WHILE YOU INSTALL!?!?!?! Try that with wimpdoze. <snip> You could install and reinstall Knoppix repeatedly in the time it takes to install wimpdoze once.
Hmm, you beat 'me' this time. Yes, this impossible under Windows. Though I'm not really sure about this browsing while installing. Windows PE (Preinstallation Environment) is a cut down, *cough* 120MB, bootable windows XP env. used for installing Windows XP.

Never used it. But anyways, that one could have IE onboard (*secure* this time :-)).

rickenbacherus
04-30-2003, 04:42 PM
Though I'm not really sure about this browsing while installing.
It works great it does.


Windows PE (Preinstallation Environment) is a cut down, *cough* 120MB, bootable windows XP env. used for installing Windows XP.

Never used it. But anyways, that one could have IE onboard (*secure* this time :-)).

Now that I did not know. I have forgotten most of what I knew about windows and never had the pleasure (torture?) of using XP although I have heard quite a few good things about it. Still I wonder, do you have to reboot 16 times during the course of an installation? ;)

binarybum
04-30-2003, 05:11 PM
I've installed XP on a few systems w/o any problems. I think it requires 1 reboot.

rickenbacherus
04-30-2003, 05:26 PM
Only one that I can see, it throws everything into one partition so you have to move things around if you want seperate partitions.

True but somebody (I can't for the life of me remember who ;) )explained very nicely how to get that done without alot of aggravation. I used that 'how-to' myself.

Stephen
04-30-2003, 06:15 PM
Only one that I can see, it throws everything into one partition so you have to move things around if you want seperate partitions.

True but somebody (I can't for the life of me remember who ;) )explained very nicely how to get that done without alot of aggravation. I used that 'how-to' myself.

:oops: I've thought of one more you have to delete the knoppix user and create your own user.

rickenbacherus
04-30-2003, 06:26 PM
:oops: I've thought of one more you have to delete the knoppix user and create your own user.

Well.....ya know- technically you don't have to delete Knoppix (maybe you've become good friends) and adduser is standard linux all the way- certainly not specific to Knoppix. Of course you could always edit the how-to right?

Stephen
04-30-2003, 08:41 PM
Well.....ya know- technically you don't have to delete Knoppix (maybe you've become good friends) and adduser is standard linux all the way- certainly not specific to Knoppix.

Your right there, it's just a little peeve of mine I tried to hack the install script a couple of times but the best I could do was get it creating my user and directories but no password. :(


Of course you could always edit the how-to right?

I should put a section in it on adding your own user if I get some extra time tonight I'll do it.

binarybum
04-30-2003, 10:50 PM
At this point I have little experience and know next to nothing about Linux. I am still running Knoppix off the CD. When I create a persistent home directory and save my settings I still lose my kmail accounts. If I use a HD install of Knop will I have difficulty saving all program settings and preferences from session to session? Will I have full functionality with apt-get and updates and installs?

rickenbacherus
04-30-2003, 11:33 PM
Keep in mind that using Knoppix from the cd is quite different from an installation. Yes your preferences will be saved, yes you can use apt-get, yes you will soon forget that windows ever existed. :D

Stephen
04-30-2003, 11:38 PM
At this point I have little experience and know next to nothing about Linux. I am still running Knoppix off the CD. When I create a persistent home directory and save my settings I still lose my kmail accounts. If I use a HD install of Knop will I have difficulty saving all program settings and preferences from session to session? Will I have full functionality with apt-get and updates and installs?

When you install to HD you have a functioning system everything you do is saved to the disk, apt works for installing and removing programs. You will still have a more to do if you use dhcp to access the internet you will have to edit /etc/network/interfaces to "turn on" dhcp, if you want to dual boot you have to edit /etc/lilo.conf and uncomment two lines and so on.

binarybum
05-01-2003, 06:36 AM
Stephen,
Sounds like I would have knoe problem at all. Dont know much yet but I have the inpression Knoppix is one of the best distros . (period)

Stephen
05-01-2003, 06:59 AM
Stephen,
Sounds like I would have knoe problem at all. Dont know much yet but I have the inpression Knoppix is one of the best distros . (period)

It's pretty good, it's the quickest and easiest way I've ever seen to get linux on a computer and actually have a working system. You get to try before you buy so to speak so you know the problems you will have with your hardware and can sort them out before you get half-way through an install.

Tortoise
05-23-2003, 07:29 AM
Somewhere back there there was a question about NTFS -> FAT32. Partition Magic will convert both ways.

jumpinkiwi
06-07-2003, 05:17 AM
Just thought I'd throw in my two cents. I had so many problems dual-booting Linux and WinXP on the same HDD it just wasnt worth it to me so I found a used 6Gig HDD just for Linux. I built a switch that lets me boot from either HDD at will(not when the PC is running...) Now I can install any distro, any time I want without worrying about my WIN partition.

AJ

PS If anyone is interested in the HardDrive switch, send me an E/M and I'll be happy to help.