I had (maybe still have) problems with WINxx and Linux on one harddisk.
WIN98 is wiping out the partition-table of the Extended partition. My
Extended partition was made with fdisk-linux.
Last week I used WIN98-DEFRAG and lost everything (except C: ) again.
Reason: I had made my Extended partition using fdisk-linux (I should
have used Fdisk-DOS).
To put WINxx and Linux on ONE harddisk:
Choice 1: Use Fdisk-DOS to make all partitions (max. 1 primary and an extended
partition).
Result: With ONE harddisk one ends up with everything (Linux as well) in the
Extended partition. Except for C:/WINxx.
Fdisk-DOS will not give you a second Primary partition. When you try,
Fdisk-DOS answers: Primary partition already exists.
Leaving one with no choice but an Extended partition. Or using fdisk-linux.
Choice 2: Use fdisk-linux to make the partitions.
This is a trap.
When using fdisk-linux for the EXTENDED PARTITION, WINxx is likely to wipe
out the partition-table (of the Extended partition). This deletes 'everything'
on the harddisk because 'everything' is inside the Extended partition. Except
WINxx/ C-drive.
Actually the data is still there. But with no means of restoring the
partition-table the data is no longer accessible.
MAN CFDISK says about this:
The bottom line is that if you use cfdisk or fdisk to
change the size of a DOS partition table entry, then you
must also use dd to zero the first 512 bytes of that par-
tition before using DOS FORMAT to format the partition.
Choice 3: Use fdisk-linux to make (max) 3 Primary partitions and an
Extended partition.
This might not eliminate the problem (I do not know) but it will minimize
it. I am using this setup now. Should I lose a partition I will manually
recover it by re-installing the partition from my written record.
Note: With 4 Primary partitions installed:
-WIN98 was unable to SCANDISK partition #2. The problem went away when I
deleted partition #4.
Note: With 3 Primary partitions + Extended partition installed.
-WIN98 refused to format partition #2. The problem went away when I removed
the Extended partition.
Note: fdisk-linux allows to 'delete' and 'restore' a partition without
loss of data. Provided you 'restore' using the same start-cylinder and
same filesystem (FAT16, FAT32 or Linux-native).
---Herman Aa <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>From a mountaintop on Cebu island, Philippines.
