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Thread ID: 43394 2004-03-13 08:50:00 trying to install linux miknz (3731) Press F1
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222262 2004-03-13 08:50:00 hey,

Can anyone tell if it is possible to install linux redhat 7.3 onto a drive without completely reformating it first? And if it is possible how do we do it?
Got the disks been trying for the last hour to set up a partition and cant get it to work, using disk druid

cheers
miknz (3731)
222263 2004-03-13 09:13:00 Can you please detail a bit more of what the problem is. You cannot resize partitions with disk druid but you can delete partitions then make new ones. Once the new ones are created, Redhat will format them as part of the install process. JohnD (509)
222264 2004-03-13 09:15:00 The minimum number of partitions you will need are / (root) and swap. It is a good idea to create a separate /home partiton too. JohnD (509)
222265 2004-03-13 09:20:00 I have no partitions at the mo and am trying to install linux. I have win98se on a 40 gig drive, I dont want to reinstall windows, I want linux installed miknz (3731)
222266 2004-03-13 09:34:00 You have two options:
Install it on a loopback fs (It appears as a file on your Windows Drive), or re-partition and shrink the size of one of your current drives.

There will be a fairly noticable performance decrease using a Loopback FS. I'd recommend getting a copy of Knoppix and re-partitioning

John>
Redhat usually do a /boot as opposed to /home.


Chill.
Chilling_Silence (9)
222267 2004-03-13 09:41:00 So you have at least one partition do you not? One 40 Gig drive with Win98SE on it?

Do you want to dual boot Win98SE and a version of Linux? If so what version of Linux?

Think about getting extra Partitions on the hard drive or getting another hard drive or both.
Elephant (599)
222268 2004-03-13 09:45:00 I want to dual boot win98se
linux version is red hat 7.3
miknz (3731)
222269 2004-03-13 09:48:00 Chill - I quite often make a /boot but the main reason for it seems to have been in the days of the BIOS 1024 cylinder boot limitations. I think it is more important to have a /home to allow a complete reformat of the system partition (/) say for a clean upgrade while your data remains intact (like d: drive in windows!).

I must admit I like to manually partition to remain in complete control!
JohnD (509)
222270 2004-03-13 09:53:00 By the sound of it you have one partition filling the whole drive. The easiest way to deal with this is by using Partition Magic or similar. There was a free 2002 version of Paragon Partition Manager (or similar name) on a recent Australian PC Mag. JohnD (509)
222271 2004-03-13 09:54:00 I tried to manually partion but it wouldnt work. Is there any way I can do this without reformating drive, please reply in lay-mans terms.


cheers
miknz (3731)
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