QTParted for Install- Total Noobie

[binarybum]

Hi,

I am a complete noobie but want to learn more about Linux. I'd like to HD install Knoppix but not mess with my Win XP installation. Plan on booting from floppy for now. When I learn a bit more maybe I can use the NT loader to point to LILO and have dual boot w/o needing the floppy.

I have read the info for "poor man's install". I have plenty of free space in my 4th NTFS partition for Linux. I have the 5/3 release wich has QTParted. Can I use QTParted to resize this partition and create an ext3 partition so I can install Knoppix? How do I do this?

Thanks......................bb

[rickenbacherus]

Hi,

I am a complete noobie but want to learn more about Linux. I'd like to HD install Knoppix but not mess with my Win XP installation. Plan on booting from floppy for now. When I learn a bit more maybe I can use the NT loader to point to LILO and have dual boot w/o needing the floppy.

Sure you could do that or you could just use LILO to boot NT as well.

I have read the info for "poor man's install". I have plenty of free space in my 4th NTFS partition for Linux. I have the 5/3 release wich has QTParted. Can I use QTParted to resize this partition and create an ext3 partition so I can install Knoppix? How do I do this?

Thanks......................bb

Yep- you can resize NTFS BUT- I would go read the docs at the Qtparted homepage first.

It is not complicated to resize NTFS- the problem is doing it without losing data.

If you have a partition of 2500MB (preferrably more) then you don't need to resize anything. Just run the installer and select the partition you want to use, choose 'ext3' file system, install Knoppix and choose 'NO' when it asks to install LILO to the MBR. LILO will instead be installed to your '/' (root) directory. You could then use NTLDR to point to LILO which would in turn boot Knoppix (Debian after you install it). If you were unable to get NTLDR to work you could always boot your install with the boot floppy that I an CERTAIN you will choose to make during your installation.

If you're brave- you can choose YES to "install LILO to MBR" and you should be able to dual boot no problems.

The only advantage to the 'poor man's install' is that it takes up very little space and if you plan on swapping hardware frequently you would still have the hardware autodetection feature. Otherwise a real install is much preferrable.

gluck

[binarybum]

rickenbacherus,

Maybe I remember the term "poorman's install" wrongly. I plan a full install but don't want LILO on MBR (at least for now). I will try to get NT boot loader to point to Knoppix. And YES I will make boot floppy

My main now problem is getting QTPArted to work. I see 2 start shortcuts in Knoppix (runing off CD) for QTParted. One tries to initialize and then does nothing, the other pulls up a dialogue box for su password. I hit enter and then nothing, it just goes away. I tried mounting the partition (hda7) but no help. I tried changing permissions from read only but got strong warning about this with an NTFS partition. It's probably just my lack of knowledge here. I've previously resized the partition and created ext3 parts with the Mandrake installer. Mandrake installer wouldn't let me skip installing LILO to MBR so I gave up on it. That was on a cloned backup drive and is all history now so I'm back to square one. I guess I could always use the Mandrake installer to resize and create partitions and then quit to install knoppix. I'd rather learn to do it all within Knoppix.

Thanks again........................bb

[Stephen]

My main now problem is getting QTPArted to work. I see 2 start shortcuts in Knoppix (runing off CD) for QTParted. One tries to initialize and then does nothing, the other pulls up a dialogue box for su password.

In a console window sudo qtparted to run the program.

[binarybum]

Thanks Stephen. Please excuse my ignorance!

[rickenbacherus]

Thanks Stephen. Please excuse my ignorance!

You know what bb- that is what has happened to alot of people who have gotten so accustomed to what I like to call "the blinky blinky lights" of another well known OS.

My free (hopefully unarrogant) tip for the day is:

While KDE is very nice to look at just use it for play and when you want to get some real work done use the CLI.

You have multiple desktops- use them. I always have a term open on each desktop- it's default behavior in fact. I almost always launch apps from the CLI- try it and you'll see why.

In time you might just forget that windows ever existed.

[binarybum]

rickenbacherus,

Thanks for advice. I have found no one at all arrogant in this forum. I really appreciate the help and know it takes some patience foe an expert user to answer such basic questions. Forums like this can only help make Linux more popular. On the other hand a forum where members have the zeal of Al Quata and are all about my OS can beat up your OS, where windows users are treated as if they are idiots, and where any criticism is taken like a slap to the face will keep people away. Thanks again...................bb

[tree]

Hi,
I'm using 2003-05-03 knoppix. I started qtparted from the root shell. It comes up, with my hard drive hda listed, but not selected (status window says no drive selected). When I click on the drive icon in qtparted, it dies. the following error message is left in the shell:
"Error: Can't have a partition outside the disk! errore!"

I tried nparted. I get the same error message from nparted, although it does die, instead it politely asks - ignore or cancel.
I have tried mounting and unmounting both partitions on the drive and changing the r/w mode on both, but still the same error.
Any suggestions
-tree