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Subject: Re: [newbie] Dual Boot on ThinkPad T20 Date: Sunday 14 August 2005 09:54 am From: SOTL <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] On Sunday 14 August 2005 01:53 am, Erylon Hines wrote: > On Saturday 13 August 2005 01:57 pm, matt-nc wrote: > | I've got a ThinkPad T20 and have been thinking about putting a dual boot > | system on it with Mandriva 10 and Win98. > | > | Does anyone have any advice about doing that or know of links to a site > | with instructions? > | > | Thanks, > | Matt > > I've installed on a couple of T20's (both with mdk9.2, however). The modem > is a Linmodem, and the ltmodem driver worked. The Linmodem driver must > match the kernel-version, so check to see that one is available (Google for > the "ltmodem driver" before you install 10.x, if you need the modem. 9.2 > needed some tweaking of the vid card (it was a Savage, I think), and I had > to download the correct Xserver because the right one wasn't on the install > disks. I don't remember where I got it, but Google was how it was found. > 10.x may have the correct one, already. Everything else just worked. > > Install W98, then boot with the linux install disk and partition your free > space for linux and install. It is a good idea to defrag Windows before > booting to install Linux. > > A real good test for any install is to boot with a Knoppix disk (live CD) > first. Hi All I do not know about a T20 or even what the system is but judging from the fact that you are thinking of Win98 I would judge it to be rather old. As far as dual booting in general I would suggest the following. 1. If you have critical data on the HD transfer the data to a secure location. 2. If you do not have a set or restore disk [win 98] get a set, make a disk image of the existing set up or get a new HD. Preferable do all three. 3. As far as getting a new HD that is the easiest way to make sure you still have an operating computer in case of screw up. 4. I have gotten this far by assuming that the HD had a system installed on it. Windows MUST be installed before Linux if you are using a restore disk and is a good idea in ALL cases. Install Partation Magic on Windows and split the HD into two parts. You should have minimum of 5 GB for Windows XP so I assume you could use a tad less for Win 98 but how much is a good guess. The issue is if you are using more than 35% or so of a partation for install programs there is a good chance that the system will crash on insufficient disk space when you start usage due to temp files and other items that require disk space. So I would assume about 4 GB would be absolute minimum for a stable system. 5. Personally I would use Mandrake 10.1 as my system of choice. SuSE just seems to give me issues, not major ones, but issues with installation on a Thinkpad although it works well on my desktop. Red Hat or Fedora I have no experience with on a Thinkpad nor have I ever heard anything good [or bad] about them on the Thinkpad list. For information of Thinkpad refer to http://www.linux-thinkpad.org/ and sign up for their lisk. Ask questions there about hardware. You will be glad you did afterwards. 6. Next install Mandrake doing installation where you partation HD. DO not accept stand HD partation. Split HD along the following lines. hda1 Win98 4 to 5 GB Windows default hda2 Data all undefined available space fat32 hda3 extended hda4 / boot 100 MB ext3 hda5 / 5 to 10 GB * ext3 hda6 /var 5 GB ** ext3 hda7 /home 3 to 4 GB ext3 * & ** * For / 10 GB is preferable to 5 Never use over 35% of available diskspace when installing system. For example if you need 2 GB for system then you need 5 GB of diskspace. Why the extra? You will find out if you do not have the additional space and you attempt to update. ** If you ARE NOT running MYSQL or Progress as a database server [You need server if you attempt to run a stand alone DB but not for connecting to a DB which is not located in your computer] then you DO NOT NEED /var as a directory. If you ARE running a DB then it is a MUST. Why? Well if you recall /var is the old data storage directory so guess where your DB is stored? If you store DB in / ques what happens to your DB if you do an upgrade or something such such as a reinstall. This of course raises the issue of why the directory of hda2 Data. and not storing your Data in either Win 98 or /home. Simply stated you will fully understand after you have restored a system or two who you DO NOT put data in any directory created by normal installation. There is also another issue that is Windows can not see an ext3 file system so you have no issue with reconfiguring Linux accidentally from Windows. The same is not true of Linux and windows in that Linux CAN see the Windows side especially in Win 98 level Windows so one can reconfigure Windows from the Linux side. Did that once or twice on one box before I wised up and changed the setup so that now if I want to work on Windows using Linux I use Knope or sum such. Frank I forgot to add that there is a difference in Mandrake 10.1 as a download and Mandrake 10.1 as CD and DVD. It goes like this down load contains only GNU or open source programs. Purchased [from Mandrake] CD contains more programs and some critically needed commercial programs. DVD contains CD content plus additional programs. As far as Mandrake LE [and it is still call Mandrake on the download] is concerned if you add in the streaming video programs there is a very high probability that dependencies will be broken and enough other issues develop that if you are reading the above and not capable of writing this level of knowledge then you will be unable to install Mandrake LE on a Thinkpad.
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