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Hello. I am very new to the world of Linux, and am a Windows XP user. I have sucessfully booted Knoppix on my computer. I was just wondering:
a) What is the purpose of changing the BIOS, so Knoppix can't use the HDD? Can't Windows XP and Knoppix share the same HDD?
b) How do I change the BIOS, to fit the Knoppix recommendation?
Other than perhaps changing the boot order so to be sure the CD boots first, why are you under the impression that the BIOS has anything to do with your use of Knoppix? There is a very simple issue of writing to an NYFS patrtition: don't do it or Linux will corrupt your partition. Why? Because Microsoft has put a lot of work into making sure that happens, and is keeping a lot of information about the NTFS file system propritary. Knoppix has managed to safely read from NTFS partitions (safe enough, since the disk never changes). And Linux / Knoppix can safely write to FAT partitions just fine. I made a FAT partition and do it all the time, and I've never done anything in my BIOS to let this happen.
Alright, so I m basically saying:
a) If I do not change the BIOS, will Knoppix corrupt my HDD that has all my Windows files on it?
b) How do I make a disc partition, and configure it so that only Knoppix can use it?
If you do not change your BIOS, Knoppix will not corrupt your WinXP NTFS partition.Quote:
Originally Posted by vikramkr
If you do change your BIOS, Knoppix will not corrupt your WinXP NTFS partition.
You have to really insist to Knoppix to get it to write to (and corupt) an NTFS partition; I don't even know how to do it (although at least one step would be a deliberate change of the way the volume is mounted to read/write. By default Knoppix mounts it read only.
Well, there are several options. I did it with Partition Magic (but being the untrusting type I backed up my entire partition first). I also did it on a very new laptop without a lot of the normal crap that quickly fiills a hard disk. If you don't have Partition Magic then you might search for other windows tools that can resize a partition, nothing that comes with Windows will do it AFAIK. If you are doing a fresh install you just make your NTFS partition smaller than the full disk, and create another partition making it a FAT32 partition (see below) . There is said to be a way to do it in Knoppix with a tool called qparted, but I've never used it and I have seen some reports of sucess and some reports of disaster, so if you decide to go that way do a lot of research and have good backups before you do.Quote:
Originally Posted by vikramkr
You asked how to make a partition so that only Knoppix can use it. If that's really what you want to do, do not make the FAT32 partition I suggested above. Windows can read and write the FAT32 partition too, it's a handy way to be able to move files back and forth between the two systems. If you want a partition that Windows can't see, then you would not make the partition with Windows, just lwave the space and make the partition in Knoppix as one of the Linux file types (sorry, don't know the exact tool of the top of my head) or use a third party partition tool that knows abut Linux file types like Ranish Partition Manager (this is what I use, which should explain why I don't know which Linux tools to use). These partitions will be writeable by Knoppix but not readable or writeable from Windows, as you requested above.
Other options include using a flash drive to save you Knoppix stuff or even slapping in another hard drive into the computer that you could put any type of partition that you wanted on, that way you would not have to deal with resizing the NTFS partition.
I have a filling that you understand BIOS in wrong way. Anyway, do not learn installation of Linux on PC with very important data. Back up first, than you can experiment. This is not because of Knoppix, but because of you beeing a noob, you will make some mistake, almost sure.Quote:
If I do not change the BIOS, will Knoppix corrupt my HDD that has all my Windows files on it?
Installation of Knoppix is very simple. First, you must make space for it. That means, you must squeze your Windows. Knoppix need minimum 3GB free space. This can be done with some Windows programs, or Linux programs for resizing partitions.
Than you must make 1 big partition for Knoppix, root, / , about 3GB, and one small, swap, about 300MB. Than you can install Knoppix on your hard drive. Partition and installation programs will do all necesary thing, so Knoppix will use its partition and will not corup yor XP. You can see very much about installation here http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...ighlight=flash
I saw no mention that he actually wanted to install Knoppix to the hard disk. Maybe he does, but I had assumed he just wanted some dsk space to be able to write data to, compile programs, and typical things like that but that he would still be booting and running from CD. The advice I gave should be in no way taken as advice for installing Knoppix on a hard drive. I have neverdone it, I don't plan on doing it, and I sure don't advise other to do it or how to do it.Quote:
Originally Posted by tdjokic
Thank you both for your help...I really do appreciate it. As I said, I'm a "noob" so I do not understand many things about Linux, and have never really experimented with/or understood BIOS that well. And yes, I do not plan to use Knoppix from my HDD. I just want to run the OS from a CD, and save Linux files/installers/docs on the same HDD I use with Windows XP.
I obviosly understood wrong this sentence. Sorry.Quote:
Can't Windows XP and Knoppix share the same HDD?
Ok, I'm using Knoppix as we speak, and there is a hard-drive icon that says"Hard Disk Partition [hda1]". I'm confused...what is this?
You knew it as CQuote:
Originally Posted by vikramkr
So can I safely download files in Knoppix, to that hard drive "partition" without corrupting Windows XP data?
NO.
Here's a thread on this issues that you might want to read: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...er=asc&start=0 :wink:
Lol. :wink: That thread looks farmiliar. So, can I use a USB flash drive and format it for Knoppix, and use that instead of my normal (C) HDD? Also, is there anyway I can make a partition using Windows XP?
If you have more space on you hard drive you can certainly make a FAT partition. The problem is that most people fill their hard drive (or the vendor that sold them the computer filled it) with one big NTFS partition. If you had two partitions then you might delete one and remake a FAT partition, but since you said above that you only had hda1 then I don't think this will work for you. There is nothing that comes in Windows that lets you shrink your NTFS partition to make space for a FAT partition. There are third party commercial products that will try to do it. Partition Magic worked for me, although other have reported that they lost all of their data trying it. I know of no free Windows program (but you're free to search). I've heard talk that the Linux program qparted might be able to do it. It is included in Knoppix. But I would urge a lot of searching the forums and reading everything with the word qparted in it before you try that. And have a good backup of your data.Quote:
Originally Posted by vikramkr
Putting another hard drive in would be a simple solution (far less expensive than buying a copy of Partition Magic.) You could get a small size drive dirt cheap or even find an old computer with a drive you could salvage. It doesn't have to be very big and lots of computers with "small" drives and the "small" drive themselves are thrown away every day. And by "small" I mean drives larger that the hard drive I paid $1000.00 for 10 years ago.
By the way, you don't have to format it for Knoppix, I would strongly suggest that you do not. It will already have a FAT partition on it. Knoppix can write to a FAT partition just fine. And that way XP will still be able to read and write it too.Quote:
Originally Posted by vikramkr
It's only fair to say that while I've had great luck with falsh drives some people have reported that Knoppix just doesn't seem to find them on their computer, and there may be some issues with different versions of Knoppix too. So if you have a flash drive give it a try (I suggest having it plugged in before you boot). If you don't I would recommend spending money on one before you can run a test. And by default when you click on the flash drive partition icon (named something like sba1), it will likely still default to opening in read only mode. You have to right click on the icon and use the actions .... submenu that pops up to make it read/write. Do not do this for your NTFS hda1 partotion.
I am probably going to just throw in another hard drive and format the whole thing so it's just FAT. Or, I might just take an old computer of mine that I don't use, and convert it to a Linux machine.
Yes, it's too bad, Knoppix didn't recognize my USB flash drive.
By the way, Knoppix vs. Linspire: who wins?
> By the way, Knoppix vs. Linspire: who wins?
competition? OK. What categories? Ease of use? Price? Target audience/user? Types of support?
Both have their + & their -. Linspire is designed for the non-geek. Support & access to their package repositories is a small yearly fee but for those folks who don't want to be forced to become sysadmins, it is a good tradeoff. If I had to setup a PC for my Grandma or non-geeky uncle, I would choose Linspire over plain Debian, Mandrake, Fedora, slackware, suse, etc.
Oh, I see.
Personally, I've tried them both, and I like both of them.
hard drives are known as hd <- hard drive... the "a", means the first hard drive (kinda like in widnows the 3.5 is drive a, the first drive, and then b, then c being the third, etc)... and the "1" means the first partion on that hard drive a...
if any of that made sence (because i never do)