2 hard disks - how to do it

[xbenchman]

Knoppix newbie here please be gentle and specific.

I really like the knoppix 3.3 and wish to install as a full os. I have an 8gb drive that is primary master and a 6.4gb that I want to install as primary slave. The second drive has not been installed yet but that is no problem.

What I want to know is how do I go about installing knoppix 3.3, as a debian test sytem (full and updates), on the second drive after I install it? I know the 6.4gb drive has some version of windows on it. How do I prep it for the knoppix install? Is there a special way to format it or should I just use the windows format utility to do it? Will knoppix partion the second drive and install all the software? Is it better to use lilo or grub in this situation?

Any other words of wisdom about the process would be helpful as well.

Sorry for all the questions, I searched and could not find an faq on installing to a second dedicated drive for knoppix. The only thing that was said was that this would be the ideal way to run 2 different os.

I would like it to work as a dual boot system if possible without using a floppy.

Thank you for knoppix and for helping a noob with this task.

Looking forward to the day I can bin windows.

[rickenbacherus]

What I want to know is how do I go about installing knoppix 3.3, as a debian test sytem (full and updates), on the second drive after I install it?

If you put the second hdd as primary slave it will be identified by Linux as /dev/hdb. I would recommend doing this:

Install your drive, boot Knoppix then enter this:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hdb

That will zero your drive and you can start from scratch.

I know the 6.4gb drive has some version of windows on it. How do I prep it for the knoppix install? Is there a special way to format it or should I just use the windows format utility to do it?

Make windows partitions and filesystems with windows tools and make Linux partitions and filesystems with Linux tools.

Will knoppix partion the second drive and install all the software?

The installer will allow you to launch qtparted in order to partition your drives. I would make one apporx. twice your system RAM as swap, 3G for /root and the remainder for your /home. You can make your partitions any size you want- those are only suggestions.

Is it better to use lilo or grub in this situation?

That's` debatable. You will have the opportunity to automatically install LILO tho.

Any other words of wisdom about the process would be helpful as well.

Use an ext3 file system, MAKE THE BOOT FLOPPY, back up any important data before you start.

There is a partitioning howto here. It is aimed more specifically toward cfdisk (another partitioning app) buy partitions are still partitions no matter what.

[xbenchman]

Thank you.

I am going to give it a go. Thanks for the link, I read that page several times but, the noob in me came out and I was doubting myself about understanding how to do it. I am hoping for an enjoyable experience.

Hopefully the next time I view this forum I will be "windows-less"

Thank you for the help, I am looking forward to experiencing Linux firsthand.

[Paradox]

This post is howI got WinXP and Knoppix dual-booting on 2 harddrives:

http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4174

[xbenchman]

Thanks Paradox

I don't have winxp, I am using win98se. Is there much changing that I have to do? Or is it the same thing for all msoft os?

I think I have been reading too much. There are so many ways to do the same thing.