HELP KNOPPIX Installation - DUAL BOOT with XP

I have zero knowledge in Linux platform. please help me to intall knoppix on my laptop dual boot with my XP. I have 3 parititons:
C: XP OS
D: Free
E: Data drive
All are in NTFS. I want to install knoppix on D drive as singel parittion, dual boot with XP but i want to use my XP boot loader to select OS, SO if in case something happens, I can boot from XP and still my laptop is ok.

Please help me how to install it in step by step procedure....

What should be FILE FORMAT on my D drive so it will be detected by knoppix?
I need to boot from FLOPPY because my external CD drive is not bootable for its USB type of drive.

Please help.. thanks...

P.S. Im using a SONY PICTUREBOOK C1MW

For a HD install Kanotix is worth looking at as an alternative. I dual boot Kanotix with Windows XP on a desktop and laptop. The GUI installer on Kanotix is excellent.

What size is your D drive?

I would transfer E data to D. Convert E to FAT32 for safe file interchange between Windows and Linux (although reports on NTFS-3g suggest it is totally 'safe' - depends how conservative you are). You can then transfer the files back and use D for Linux.

A possible set-up would be to convert D to three partitions - a linux swap (say 0.5GB), kanotix (say 6GB) and separate /home (say 6GB) partition. 12.5GB is the minimum (total) for these three partitions for reasonable flexibility and future programme additions but you could get away with much less.

Thanks for the reply. I have the following:

C: XP aorund 17GB NTFS
D: Freee Space 17GB FAT32
E: Data 40GB NTFS

Shalll I just rename and SWAP the Drive letters or better delete partition and recreate it as D: 40GB NTFS and E: FAT32 Free for KNOPPIX?
Please let me know if the proceudre below i correct:

1) Download ISO EN and create A CD installer for KNOPPIX.
2) I will have to create the FLOPPY Boot DIsk for my CD rom drive is not bootable, im using a USB CD Drive (Is this CORRECT way to install using FLOPPY BOOT DISK)?
3) TO start installation, Boot from Floppy and when CD is detected, START KNOPPIX installation

To install,

1) I have to partition the E drive to three:
three partitions - a linux swap (say 1GB), kanotix (say 8GB) and separate /home (say 8GB) partition. IS THIS OK?

Now, after this i dont know what is next..... What I want o do is to use the BOOT.INI from XP as the loader for my OS... I want to get the XP as primary OS and have the option to select KNOPPIX as second OS... I want to do this so if i wantt o format the KNOPPIX I can just MODIFY the BOOT.INI and remove KNOPPIX selectio and FORMAT E drive later on... Please help... How can I do this....

Later on, I would like to install other LINUX software and drivers for my PICTUREBOOK. It has a builtin Camera taht I want to work... PLEASE ADVICE... THANKS>..

1) Download ISO EN and create A CD installer for KNOPPIX. ***I'd start with Kanotix as it is more suited to HD installation, is virtually debian and so dependencies are not an issue when adding software*****
2) I will have to create the FLOPPY Boot DIsk for my CD rom drive is not bootable, im using a USB CD Drive (Is this CORRECT way to install using FLOPPY BOOT DISK)? **** CD not bootable? use a fromiso cheatcode boot and then install from the hard drive*****
3) TO start installation, Boot from Floppy and when CD is detected, START KNOPPIX installation***** No floppy needed with above, also much faster installation from hard drive*****

To install,

1) I have to partition the E drive to three:
three partitions - a linux swap (say 1GB), kanotix (say 8GB) and separate /home (say 8GB) partition. IS THIS OK? *** this would be fine; use gparted on the kanotix CD to format, resize etc. *****

Now, after this i dont know what is next..... What I want o do is to use the BOOT.INI from XP as the loader for my OS... I want to get the XP as primary OS and have the option to select KNOPPIX as second OS... I want to do this so if i wantt o format the KNOPPIX I can just MODIFY the BOOT.INI and remove KNOPPIX selectio and FORMAT E drive later on... Please help... How can I do this.... *** Kanotix generates a nice GRUB page to select XP or linux - you can modify /boot/grub/menu.lst to change the order of the default OS. It will be Kanotix very soon! 2 days from 0 to 99% with me! Lots of help in Kanotix forum / Kanotix IRC to help you through anything ******

Quote:

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Originally Posted by drb

1) Download ISO EN and create A CD installer for KNOPPIX. ***I'd start with Kanotix as it is more suited to HD installation, is virtually debian and so dependencies are not an issue when adding software*****

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drb, I agree with you completely that Kanotix is not known to have some of the install problems that Knoppix is infamous for. But what advantage do you see in suggesting Kanotix over Debian itself? Particularly in this case where Linux is being added to a small laptop drive that already has XP? I would think that it would be far better to do a Debian install and apt-get exactly the applictions desired, that way there would be no fat, no extra space wasting applications installed that the user has no interest in. Am I missing something in that thinking, or do people just have a "I must install something that is already a live CD to get Debian" mindset?

Harry - most people (like me) don't know what applications they 'need' when they are new to linux - or what applications are available other than searching / trawling a long list. A self-contained LiveCD provides an OS an a working desktop to do most office activities - a good starting point.

Why Kanotix? For me and many others, it works. I've installed it on a variety of desktops (PIII upwards) and laptops with a variety of hardware and, so far, I've had no installation problems. They also have a great community via a forum and IRC to 'instantly' solve most problems. It can also be used as a (familiar) LiveCD for helping other people out with their MS problems.

On the downside, it is based on Debian Sid and, if you dist-upgrade most days , there is the odd 'hiccup' although I've had virtually no downtime in the last 10 months since I moved from XP to Kanotix. (I'm about 12 hours behind most people in dist-upgrading so most of the problems are identified by the Kanotix developes by the time I wake up!) The upside of Sid is you learn a lot on the way! Adding new programmes is easy as things are always up to date and, hence, there are rarely dependency issues.

As an alternative, you could go with Etch or other 'stable' distros if you want but my set up is where Etch will be in 4-6 months time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by drb

Harry - most people (like me) don't know what applications they 'need' when they are new to linux - or what applications are available other than searching / trawling a long list. A self-contained LiveCD provides an OS an a working desktop to do most office activities - a good starting point.

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I do realize that a LiveCD or DVD is great for users to get an introduction to Linux and a sample of the programs that are available. But by the time they are ready to install they should have some idea of what is available and could choose to download that without installing everything. And of course they are free to refer back to the Live disc when they go looking for something new, although it's important to note that that "long list" you mention is available sorted by category or popularity so it's pretty easy for a new user to look through, and in doing so they may find many things that would interest them that just did't make it to a Live CD for the masses. At least Kanotix doesn't suffer the install problems that Knoppix does, but I think we do people a disservice when we encourage them to install a Live CD before they even look at a Debian install. If it's an informed choice to install a Live CD rather than Debian (or some other HD distro) that's one thing, if it's done out of ignorance or confusion that's different and should be avoided.

Harry - there is an installer for etch but I would still struggle to get a fast, working version of sid on my PC. Although Kanotix is a LiveCD, it's development appears to be more geared to a HD install- not a lot different to getting an etch iso and installing it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by drb

Harry - there is an installer for etch but I would still struggle to get a fast, working version of sid on my PC. Although Kanotix is a LiveCD, it's development appears to be more geared to a HD install- not a lot different to getting an etch iso and installing it.

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I didn't know that sid didn't share the etch installer, but I suspect that most people who would install a Live CD should be installing etch, not sid. Yea, I do understand that Kanotix is very hard disk friendly (unlike Knoppix), I just don't see a reason for it when etch installs so cleanly. My thinking is that people should use a live CD for an intro to Linux, but when it comes time to install Linux the first action shouldn't be "OK, now how do I copy everything here to hard disk?". They should at least look at a normal clean Debian install, without installing all of the aps crammed on a CD that they will never use. Particularly in this case where we have a shared install with XP on a small notebook drive. I just see too many people in the forums installing Kanotix (or worse Knoppix) because they don't understand that Debian can be installed cleanly and that they can have exactly the software they want easily and with no bloat.

Harry - link below from the Kanotix forum gives some views on etch vs sid vs Kanotix (sid) etc. - the beauty of linux is "you pays your money (not much with linux!) and you takes your choice" translation : each person has to make their own decisions in a situation, because no decision is more correct than any other

http://kanotix.com/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-20711.html

Hi, I alrweady downloaded a CD copy fo the knoppix installer. I couldnt find the Boot.img file that I needed to create the bootable floppy. COULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME TO do the step by step procedure to make the BOOTABLE FLOPPY DISK.. I needed it for my laptop doesnt have a bootable CD drive. I only have the USB CD drive. Please help....... Otherwise, can someone please just email to me a ZIP copy of the bootable disk.... THanks...

See the downloading faq; use Smart Boot Manager (SBM) on a floppy rather than a Knoppix boot floppy. It not only will work and solve this problem, but it will let you boot any other Live CD also. (The old Knoppix boot floppy approach only worked for the version of Knoppix that it was created for.)

Could anyone please just help me where to get it or how to do it, instead of reading back agin to the forums. For i have tried looking and could not found. I just wanted to start doing the knoppix installation now. Please!!

If anybody has a copy, kindly just send me zip copy to ccabatotan AT hotmail DOT com

Thanks....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by technogeekchris

Could anyone please just help me where to get it or how to do it, instead of reading back agin to the forums. For i have tried looking and could not found. I just wanted to start doing the knoppix installation now. Please!!

If anybody has a copy, kindly just send me zip copy to ccabatotan AT hotmail DOT com

Thanks....

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Check out http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Download...t_Boot_Manager
I think you need to use the DOS-version for Windows XP as there are no Windows-versions listed.

Anyway, Knoppix installation is not recommended. Maybe you should consider some other Linux Distribution like Ubuntu?

HI, I booted from the floppy on SBM but when SBM starte, THE CD ROM DRIVE WAS NOT DETECTED i can only see floppy and the 3 partitions I have created. HOW CAN I SEE THE CD ROM DRIVE.. My CD ROM IS A TEAC USB CD DRIVE... Please help so I can start the installation. THANKS...

Anybody please help... how to detect my USB CD drive TEAC from SBM...

Can i just make a FAT partition and copy the KNOPPIS CD installer from there and select that partition from SBM to boot from there? is this possible... plese help...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by technogeekchris

Anybody please help... how to detect my USB CD drive TEAC from SBM...

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I'm sorry but I don't really know about that. :(
Maybe SBM just doesn't support your USB CD drive?

Still, if you have access to another computer, you could try starting Knoppix on that computer. Then you could create the boot-floppies from Knoppix. (Once Knoppix has started, click on the penguin-icon on bottom-left of the screen and select Utilities->Create bootfloppies for KNOPPIX)

I'd still suggest some other distro than Knoppix, but if you can't boot from the USB CD drive, then I'm not sure if you could install e.g. Ubuntu either.

ps. What Knoppix version you have?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by technogeekchris

Anybody please help... how to detect my USB CD drive TEAC from SBM...

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Actually, I just found this help from here:

When the Smart Boot Manager's menu appears, choose the menu option with "CDROM" in it, and press Enter. (don't think you need to install SBM to the HD - you can, but you don't need to.) If the CDROM option does not appear in your boot menu, press tab to see the Smart Boot Manager options and choose Rescan all boot records. The CDROM drive should now appear in your boot menu.

EDIT: That page also says SBM also does not appear to recognize external USB cdrom drives...

Hi, if it does not support USB CD drive, is there any other way to detect it. I want to try knoppix floppy boot disk. Can anyone just please send me acopy for i could not find it anywhere. I dotn want to touch my other machine. This is my first tym to install LINUX.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by technogeekchris

Hi, if it does not support USB CD drive, is there any other way to detect it. I want to try knoppix floppy boot disk. Can anyone just please send me acopy for i could not find it anywhere. I dotn want to touch my other machine. This is my first tym to install LINUX.

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What Knoppix-version you have? You need to tell that first before anyone could send you the boot-disks.

I check the CD i downloaded and on th index. html it is showint KNOPPIX 5.0

I tried to go to KNOPPIX and run mkfloppy.bat unde knoppix folder on CD but there is no such batch file on the folder not on the whole CD.

Thanks,

Chris

Quote:

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Originally Posted by technogeekchris

I check the CD i downloaded and on th index. html it is showint KNOPPIX 5.0

I tried to go to KNOPPIX and run mkfloppy.bat unde knoppix folder on CD but there is no such batch file on the folder not on the whole CD.

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I just booted from Knoppix 5.0.1, and there wasn't any program to create the boot-floppies. It seems that this has been removed from the Knoppix.
So it's possible that you just can't use Knoppix on that computer.

Maybe you should try some other Linux Distribution?

While I was checking how to install Ubuntu, I found a program instlux from http://sourceforge.net/projects/instlux which claims to be able to install either Ubuntu 6.06 or OpenSuSE10.1 directly from WindowsXP.
So if you still want to install Linux, and you have fast enough internet-connection, you could get instluxNETUbuntu6_06english.exe and try that. (You need internet-connection while installing as it will download all needed packages while installing.)

(I don't have WindowsXP so I can't test that - so use at your own risk.)

I am using ADSL on internet connection but its too slow if it will download while installing. Could you please just send me a link to download the KNOPPIX Version on CD that allows FLOPPY BOOT... thanks...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by technogeekchris

I am using ADSL on internet connection but its too slow if it will download while installing. Could you please just send me a link to download the KNOPPIX Version on CD that allows FLOPPY BOOT... thanks...

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Knoppix 4.0.2 CD seems to allow floppy boot, but it most likely WILL NOT work properly after you install it because it's not meant to be installed but used as a LiveCD.
So I won't give a link for that because it would just give you too much problems.

You can allways use Google to try to find that if you insist on installing it. Just make sure that you have backup of all important files, and that you are able to reinstall Windows just in case that's needed.

Ok, I have a 1GB USB flash disk. If I copy the installer on the USB Flash drive, Can I run it thru SBM loader? Will I be able to run knopix 5 installer? Thanks...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by technogeekchris

Ok, I have a 1GB USB flash disk. If I copy the installer on the USB Flash drive, Can I run it thru SBM loader? Will I be able to run knopix 5 installer? Thanks...

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I don't really know. I don't have any USB drives.

btw, I just noticed that in your first message you said:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by technogeekchris

I want to install knoppix on D drive as singel parittion, dual boot with XP but i want to use my XP boot loader to select OS, SO if in case something happens, I can boot from XP and still my laptop is ok.

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I think that after installing Knoppix, you won't be using XP boot loader anymore but something else. So if something goes wrong it's quite possible that you won't be able to boot from XP anymore. (Still I havn't used Knoppix-installer so I don't know for sure.)

Tahnks for ALL the help... I tried my best but i guess I will just go back to XP... I dont need KNOPPIX now, I just wasted alot of time now... I wanted to try but its not just possible... THANKS for all the HELP anyways........ BYE