Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (1495 mails)
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Re: [opensuse] installing 3 distros into 3 existing partitions- by a newby
- From: Felix Miata <mrmazda@xxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:55:04 -0400
- Message-id: <49D38E58.5040104@xxxxxx>
On 2009/04/01 04:58 (GMT-0700) Steve Swezy composed:
How did those partitions get there?
What type are they (1-4 are primary, above 4 are logical)? Give us the output
of 'fdisk -l' while booted to Linux.
Any particular reason why those sizes were chosen?
Again, why, both OS choice, and size choice?
Why not Ubuntu 8.10? You think drivers are missing there too? Anyway, there
are good reasons to prefer openSUSE to Ubuntu anyway. ;-)
Again, why Fedora, which is a cutting edge distro (meaning not well suited to
newbies)?
In single disk systems with a reasonably small number of operating systems,
traditional partitions are simpler for non-experts.
You can do what you want, if you know what you want. In this case, it may
depend on the answer to my first questions above.
You probably just need to spend a little more time on multibooting background
in order to better understand some ramifications of what you seem to want,
and maybe better plan to accomplish understood objectives. Start with some
boot loader, partitioning & multiboot background:
http://en.opensuse.org/Bugs/grub#How_does_a_PC_boot_.2F_How_can_I_set_up_a_working_GRUB.3F
http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Prefered_bootloader_options
http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Partitioning_for_SuSE_Linux
http://fm.no-ip.com/partitioningindex.html
http://fm.no-ip.com/install-doz-after.html
Note there is a long tradition of making multiboot more difficult than
necessary. I have around 30 working systems, most of which are multiboot with
more than two OSes, several with more than 10 OSes each.
1-In a single HD system, installing Grub to the MBR is unnecessary, and
creates opportunity for trouble down the road that dependence on non-standard
MBR code brings with it.
2-NTLDR can chainload Grub, while Grub can chainload NTLDR. This means it
needn't matter which primary is active once you've accomplished enough
configuration steps to enable both starting the other. Of necessity for this
to work for you requires at least two primary native partitions, one for
Windoz to use for C:, and another where Grub can live, and be mounted as a
Linux /boot partition.
3-All partitioning tools are not created equal. Life can be much easier if
you choose one and only one to use to create all partitions, and use the
partitioning tools included with OS installation programs exclusively for
choosing how to use the partitions you've already created. The one I use is
non-free, but runs natively and equivalently no matter what I boot, including
Mac, DOS, Doze, Linux & OS/2.
4-At least one separate partition for Linux /home makes it easier for
installing, reinstalling, or testing additional Linux distros, and saving
your work while reformatting partitions which you've decided to redo.
At this point, I recommend doing more background reading, planning and
implementing your ultimate partitioning scheme by starting from scratch.
Adding and/or moving partitions after installing makes life complicated.
Once you have your plan firmed up, post back here for comments.
--
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely
as haste leads to poverty." Proverbs 21:5 NIV
Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409
Felix Miata *** http://fm.no-ip.com/
--
To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxx
For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@xxxxxxxxxxxx
I hope you can help a rookie to Linux.
I am trying to install openSUSE 11.1 and Fedora 10 on 2 separate already
existing partitions on a newly installed 120 GB HD.
How did those partitions get there?
What type are they (1-4 are primary, above 4 are logical)? Give us the output
of 'fdisk -l' while booted to Linux.
I actually created 3 partitions of about 10 GB each, using a LiveCD Ubuntu
8.04, and installed Ubuntu on the first one and Freespire 2.08 on the
second.
Any particular reason why those sizes were chosen?
I have a third empty partition of 10 GB and the last partition of about 90
GB on which I want to install Win XP Pro.
Again, why, both OS choice, and size choice?
Neither Ubuntu nor Freespire have drivers for my wireless card, but it seems
that openSUSE 11.1 and Fedora 10 do.
Why not Ubuntu 8.10? You think drivers are missing there too? Anyway, there
are good reasons to prefer openSUSE to Ubuntu anyway. ;-)
So I want to install openSUSE on the secong existing partition and Fedora on
the third existing partition.
Again, why Fedora, which is a cutting edge distro (meaning not well suited to
newbies)?
But I am totally confused by the installation DVD choices.
Do I do Partition Based or LVM based?
In single disk systems with a reasonably small number of operating systems,
traditional partitions are simpler for non-experts.
The installation DVD wants to format both the first two partitions.
Can't I leave the existing partition with Ubuntu already installed and just
format the 2nd one (that has Freespire on it) and install openSUSE on that
one?
You can do what you want, if you know what you want. In this case, it may
depend on the answer to my first questions above.
And then install Fedora 10 on the 3rd, leaving the 4th empty for Win XP?
I have looked at several LiveCDs of several distros and they all have
different procedures regarding the existing partitions, and I am lost.
openSUSE (installation DVD) does not seem to allow me to choose a particular
partition to format and install into.
Am I being too ambitious?
You probably just need to spend a little more time on multibooting background
in order to better understand some ramifications of what you seem to want,
and maybe better plan to accomplish understood objectives. Start with some
boot loader, partitioning & multiboot background:
http://en.opensuse.org/Bugs/grub#How_does_a_PC_boot_.2F_How_can_I_set_up_a_working_GRUB.3F
http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Prefered_bootloader_options
http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Partitioning_for_SuSE_Linux
http://fm.no-ip.com/partitioningindex.html
http://fm.no-ip.com/install-doz-after.html
Note there is a long tradition of making multiboot more difficult than
necessary. I have around 30 working systems, most of which are multiboot with
more than two OSes, several with more than 10 OSes each.
1-In a single HD system, installing Grub to the MBR is unnecessary, and
creates opportunity for trouble down the road that dependence on non-standard
MBR code brings with it.
2-NTLDR can chainload Grub, while Grub can chainload NTLDR. This means it
needn't matter which primary is active once you've accomplished enough
configuration steps to enable both starting the other. Of necessity for this
to work for you requires at least two primary native partitions, one for
Windoz to use for C:, and another where Grub can live, and be mounted as a
Linux /boot partition.
3-All partitioning tools are not created equal. Life can be much easier if
you choose one and only one to use to create all partitions, and use the
partitioning tools included with OS installation programs exclusively for
choosing how to use the partitions you've already created. The one I use is
non-free, but runs natively and equivalently no matter what I boot, including
Mac, DOS, Doze, Linux & OS/2.
4-At least one separate partition for Linux /home makes it easier for
installing, reinstalling, or testing additional Linux distros, and saving
your work while reformatting partitions which you've decided to redo.
At this point, I recommend doing more background reading, planning and
implementing your ultimate partitioning scheme by starting from scratch.
Adding and/or moving partitions after installing makes life complicated.
Once you have your plan firmed up, post back here for comments.
--
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely
as haste leads to poverty." Proverbs 21:5 NIV
Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409
Felix Miata *** http://fm.no-ip.com/
--
To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxx
For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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