I have comments scattered thoughout, plus my suggested "partition plan"
at the bottom...
> I am a complete Linux and Unix newbie. I have not even received my CD
> yet to install it into my system. So until that time I have been
> reading these lists and as much information on the web that I can find.
> I have read Linux support and Novell support and I am still looking for
> an answer to this. I have the read the information and as far as I can
> tell when I install
> Linux onto a partition of my hard drive it can be a DOS formatted
> partition.
> Is this right?
I think so. But I wouldn't do it.
>
> I purchased an 8.4 gig Maxtor DiamondMax EIDE HD today, I want to
> install it and divide into 4 fairly equal pieces.
>
> Part 1 or C drive: will be my DOS/Win95 part. I will still keep this
> as it will take me a while to learn and understand Linux and my son also
> wants it so he can run his games. From what I have read Drive C has to
> be for Win95. And I am hoping this can be a Novell Client as well.
Puting win 95 on the first partition is probably a "Good Thing".
>
> Part 2 will be for Novell 5 server files, this part CANNOT be DOS
> partitioned or formatted, it must be left free by fdisk and allow the
> Novell install program to do all the partitioning and formatting. Please
> note this is Novell Netware 5, the newest version. It's protocols are
> now IP, and even though it can be backward compatible with IPX, I do not
> need to install this as I do not have an earlier version of Netware on
> my system.
>
> Part 3 will be for my Linux installation which I am hoping to install
> RedHat 5.2, but have not received the CD yet. I also want to put in an
> X-Windows Manager and make this a Novell Client.
>
> Part 4 will be for Windows applications and data files. And of course
> this can be fdisked and formated by DOS.
>
> So my question is: If I can partition part 3 under DOS (even though
> this will be for Linux), then I can go ahead and install my new HD and
> start getting all this set up.
Absolutely. But there are some problems. Here's what you do...
Format the partition using DOS/Win95 fdisk. As soon as your Linux disk
arrives, you can switch the partiton type using Linux's fdisk, and
install to that partition. But BEWARE!!! This will cause windows
to no longer look at that disk. So the drive letters of all Windows
partitons after that point (your 4th partition in this case) will
change. Windows programs which are fully or partly installed to the
drive that changed letters do not take kindly to this. See my suggestion
at the bottom.
>
> Otherwise I do not know how I will differentiate between the portion I
> need to leave unformatted for Novell Netware and the partition I want
> for Linux. I understand that Linux cannot be on the slave drive. I was
> going to do this originally and put the Linux on my other hard drive
> (the 2.1 gig one)
> but from what I am reading this will not be accessible on boot-up as
> this will be installed on the secondary IDE. My CD-Rom is an IDE drive
> and is my IDE slave.
>
Nope. Linux can sit anywhere. see my suggestion at the bottom...
> If I do have to fdisk and format it a little differently so Linux will
> recognize this is there a special utility for this? If so, I will need
> to find this utility as I do not have my Linux CD yet. Since I do not
> expect it until December, I do not want to wait that long to install
> this new HD.
>
> Can you help? Most of the information I have read is very good but
> assumes running Windows and Linux. I am also putting Novell in the
> equation and I am unsure if this will change anything. And I have
> another computer on my "Network" as well. It is my older computer with
> a much smaller HD and currently runs Windows 95.
>
> Or perhaps someone can direct me to a book or a site where I can get
> more information.
>
> Thanks
> Betty
> --
Here's some info that will surely make this an easier task.
Linux can reside on any disk/drive you wish.
You need to use LILO to do this. LILO is the LInux LOader.
Actually it's a mis-nomer (sp?). LILO can boot ANY OS, no matter
where (disk/partition) that OS may reside. You will want to Install
LILO to the MBR of the first hard disk. The Limit about not being on
slave drie is a LILO issue, not a Linux issue. LILO must be in a place
which can be booted from. The MBR of the first disk will do nicely.
Technically, You could put the Main Win95 partiton anywhere, and LILO
would do boot it up just fine. But Win95 may be happier (once it's
loaded) if it's on drive 1, partition 1.
Also, I'm not sure I understand why you need a 2.1G Win95-Main partition
If you are going to have a seperate 2.1G partition to install games and
apps on. It might make more sense for the 2.1G Main partition to
hold Win95, and it's apps. Leave the second 2.1G partion for you son's
games/downloads. In other words, Give him his own drive to trash,
leaving your Win-apps safe on the c: drive.
I would suggest the follwing:
Since you were originally going to put Linux on the second disk (the
2.1Gig), you can do that. Were it my system, I would do this:
8.4Gig: Partition/Size What's There
1 2.1 Win95 - c: Main/Apps
2 2.1 Win95 - d: Games
3 2.1 Win95 - e: Shared (*)
4 2.1 Novell 5 server files (Not really partitioned)
2.1Gig: Partition/Size What's There
1 1.9 Linux
2 0.1 Linux Swap Partition
3 0.1 Linux Swap Partition
Actually, read up on Swap space. It's the only thing i'm
shaky on. It might make more sense to combine those Swap
partitions.
(*) This will be partitioned/formatted as Win95 vfat.
Linux can see windows/dos partitions, if you want it
to. It doesn't make mush sense for Linux to see your
Windows apps or games, but you can use sound and image
files under both Linux and Win95. So I would set up
a special "Shared" disk to fill with that sort of stuff.
If it is formatted so that Windows can see it, and you
mount it in Linux, the data will be ther no matter which
system you happen to be using. I wouldn't bother mounting
the other Windows drives though.
Hope this helps,
Bryan Scaringe
