Re: Linux partition question
Quoting debian parisc <debianparisc@hotmail.com>:
> Hello,
>
> although I've been reading this list for a few months now I haven't
> actually installed in on a i386 pc (although I have installed it on a HP
> Unix server - well smooth). I'm now read to install on my home PC, to
> ensure that my wife doesn't divorce me I need to make sure that I get it
> right. I'm going to resize my windows98 partition to free up 10GB on which
> I will put 2 logical partition of 5GB each (i'll probably run stable on one
> and testing on the other or maybe woody and mandrake). I'm going to use
> Partition Magic 7 to resize it. Having looked at the instructions on
> Powerquest's site it says this
>
> "IMPORTANT! In most cases, the Windows partition and the Linux Ext2
> partition must start below the 8 GB boundary to be bootable. However, if
> your system supports INT13 extensions, then Windows XP/2000, Windows Me,
> and some Linux distributions can boot beyond the 8 GB boundary. Check your
> system documentation to determine if your machine supports INT13
> extensions."
>
> Does that mean that if my Linux partitions are first I can't boot
> windows98? or if I put Windows first (10GB) I won't be able to boot linux?
> and what is INT13?
Yes, this is essentially what this means, because you have Win98.
Your choices are:
1) Make sure that your system supports the BIOS INT13 extensions (able
to boot from cylinders beyond 1024) and upgrade to Windows XP/2000.
2) Split your disk into multiple partitions such that Win98's C: drive
and /boot partitions for the Linuxes all start below cylinder 1024.
The D: partition and the Linux root partitions ("/") can start above
this. This is a pain because you probably will need to re-install
several large apps in the D: partition.
3) Buy another disk and put the Linuxes on it. A boot manager in
installed in the MBR of the first HD. It allows you to select which
OS to boot. Boot floppies for each Linux allows you to leave Win98 on
the 1st HD undisturbed.
Given the price of HDs, the price of Partition Magic, and the hidden
cost of messing up, I'd go with option 3. Or go buy a new or used box
to play with and totally leave your wife's computer environment alone.
This is what we settled on.
There are probably other options besides these three (running VMware
comes to mind).
HTH,
Jeffrey
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