Chris Reeves wrote:
How is one to get more than four partitions on the HD? I have a HD with an extended partition and logical partitions on it. It's formatted NTFS, and Linux can't see it. As far as I know you can't create more than four primary partitions on a HD with your typical intel based system. I do this with sparc systems all the time, but I have always stopped at four with intel systems. Sure you can use extended partitions, but that gets messy, and I start to wonder to what end you would do such a thing.
The above does use an extended partition - /dev/hda5 onwards are logical partitions inside the extended partition. The four partition limit comes about due to the fact that the partition table on Intel type boxes is only big enough to hold four partitions. The purpose of the extended partition was to get around this limit by using one of the primary partitions to point to another 'partition table' at the start of the extended partition, which can hold many more partitions itself.
I can't really see why you call this messy, as it enables people like myself to run multiple operating systems, and to split their Linux directory structure into many partitions, making the system more robust.
I agree, I like to have my system partitioned in much the same way you have suggested. I'm not sure exactly what is bothering me about using extended partitions. I have to think about this a bit. The one thing I do remember is that I was unable to see my extended NTFS partitions with Linux. Perhaps it's just superstision that keeps me away from extended partitions. Perhaps it is something someone else said way back when I was first learning about intel systems. I'll look into it.
When creating your Linux directory structure, it is often a good idea to have separate partitions for /boot, /var, /usr, /home, /, and possibly also /opt and /tmp. The reasons are as follows: /boot at the start of the drive, to make sure you boot files are below cylinder 1024 /var keep separate so that log files can't fill up your root partition and bring you to a halt /usr no particular reason, but it's a large, frequently accessed, structure in itself, mainly performance reasons /home for ease of upgrading, so you don't lose your files by accident / ummm - obvious? {/opt this sometimes has a few huge, often commercial, programs} {/tmp stops temp files filling up the / partition}
Doing your Linux partitioning this way means that you *need* an extended partition, especially when you take into account the swap partition, and maybe a couple of partitions for other OSes.
Absolutely agree with your reasoning for partitioning. I wish Intel systems didn't have the four partiton limit.
For the benefit of Raghavendra R: LILO will boot all the operating systems you're looking at, including NT and '95. My only worry about the partition scheme mentioned above, looking at it a second time around, was that I'm not totally sure whether NT can cope with its main partition being a logical partition.
Perhaps I was thinking about booting from an NTFS partition. I have always done it this way. I don't have FAT anywhere on my network with the exception of one small partiton used before Linux supported NTFS. This was used to pass files between OSs. I don't believe LILO will boot on an NTFS partition, but times change. I do regret having muddied the waters for Raghav. Your solution seem like a good one. Thanks for clearing things up. I am always learning, and conversations such as this are always helpful. Steve -- To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/