Turning a partition AFTER SuSE into a DOS partition?
When I embarked on my project to install 8.2 entirely from FTP, I set up my partitions as follows, adjusted from their prior arrangement: HDA1 -- a 2-gig Windows partition for my brother. HDA5 -- my 256-meg swap partition. HDA6 -- a 3-gig SuSE 8.1 partition, from which I was WGetting 8.2. HDA7 -- the 7-gig partition I was downloading into. Now that the system's all installed and I've switched my installation source over to FTP, I've gone ahead and gotten rid of the contents of HDA7 so I can store downloads in it. However, it occured to me that it'd be handy to make it a DOS partition so my brother can use it too. Unfortunately, if I partition it as a DOS partition, Windows can see HDA6 too and tries to Scandisk it, which I imagine would be a bad thing if I let it. So, I guess my question is: is it possible for me to make this partition a DOS partition without Windows doing bad things to SuSE? If not, is it possible to set it up in some other way so that both OSes can access it as storage space?
Fred M. Sloniker wrote, On 07/27/2003 09:53 AM:
When I embarked on my project to install 8.2 entirely from FTP, I set up my partitions as follows, adjusted from their prior arrangement:
HDA1 -- a 2-gig Windows partition for my brother. HDA5 -- my 256-meg swap partition. HDA6 -- a 3-gig SuSE 8.1 partition, from which I was WGetting 8.2. HDA7 -- the 7-gig partition I was downloading into.
Now that the system's all installed and I've switched my installation source over to FTP, I've gone ahead and gotten rid of the contents of HDA7 so I can store downloads in it. However, it occured to me that it'd be handy to make it a DOS partition so my brother can use it too. Unfortunately, if I partition it as a DOS partition, Windows can see HDA6 too and tries to Scandisk it, which I imagine would be a bad thing if I let it.
Unless you made hda6 a filesystem Windows can read (not anything that would be normal to Linux, i.e. ext2, ext3, reiserfs, xfs, etc.), which Windows cannot see., and will not even show up to scandisk. -- Joe Morris New Tribes Mission Email Address: Joe_Morris@ntm.org Web Address: http://www.mydestiny.net/~joe_morris Registered Linux user 231871 God said, I AM that I AM. I say, by the grace of God, I am what I am.
Fred M. Sloniker:
I've gone ahead and gotten rid of the contents of HDA7 so I can store downloads in it. However, it occured to me that it'd be handy to make it a DOS partition so my brother can use it too. Unfortunately, if I partition it as a DOS partition, Windows can see HDA6 too and tries to Scandisk it, which I imagine would be a bad thing if I let it.
I'd guess that your brother is using Windows >=95, rather than <=3.11. If so, "long" (Windows-style) filenames won't be a problem. Of course, not all Linux filenames conform to Microsoft's newer conventions, but wouldn't all downloads do so? (And if not, couldn't you, using Linux, rename the few rogues?) If you use 'doze-proof filenames, and a Microsoft-approved filesystem (FAT32 or whatever), then what's the problem (aside from a certain delay) in Windows running Scandisk on the drive? Also, in the Windows set-ups that I've encountered, Windows only suggests running Scandisk after an improper close-down. Moreover, I'd guess that there's some method of dissuading Windows from running Scandisk on this or that logical disc even on such an occasion. -- Peter "who needs signatures?" Evans, SuSEgnuLinux ignoramus
Based on the responses I got to my question, I've become aware I need to clarify the problem. Windows and Linux have no problem at all seeing the new 7-gig DOS partition and accessing it (in Windows's case, as drive E). The problem is, Windows now ALSO sees a 3-gig drive D, which I'm guessing is the Linux drive as double-clicking it in Windows gives the 'this device isn't ready' error and the size is about right. It then tries to Scandisk it on startup, which I want to not have happen for obvious reasons. Did I mess something up in the change of partitioning, or is there some other problem here?
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 13:54:54 -0700
"Fred M. Sloniker"
Based on the responses I got to my question, I've become aware I need to clarify the problem. Windows and Linux have no problem at all seeing the new 7-gig DOS partition and accessing it (in Windows's case, as drive E). The problem is, Windows now ALSO sees a 3-gig drive D, which I'm guessing is the Linux drive as double-clicking it in Windows gives the 'this device isn't ready' error and the size is about right. It then tries to Scandisk it on startup, which I want to not have happen for obvious reasons.
Did I mess something up in the change of partitioning, or is there some other problem here? Some vendors, such as Compaq and Dell create a second partition for Windows backups and restores. It's kind of a hidden drive. You should be able to see it using fdisk and list partitions.
--
Jerry Feldman
Fred M. Sloniker wrote, On 07/28/2003 04:54 AM:
Based on the responses I got to my question, I've become aware I need to clarify the problem. Windows and Linux have no problem at all seeing the new 7-gig DOS partition and accessing it (in Windows's case, as drive E). The problem is, Windows now ALSO sees a 3-gig drive D, which I'm guessing is the Linux drive as double-clicking it in Windows gives the 'this device isn't ready' error and the size is about right. It then tries to Scandisk it on startup, which I want to not have happen for obvious reasons.
What version of Windows?
Did I mess something up in the change of partitioning, or is there some other problem here?
What does the Dos fdisk show you, or is this Windows XP. Whichever, I have never seen a Windows machine assign a drive letter to a partition formatted with a file system it cannot read (but then again Micro$oft is not so consistent :). What exactly IS your Linux file system? Sorry, no real answers, just more questions. -- Joe Morris New Tribes Mission Email Address: Joe_Morris@ntm.org Web Address: http://www.mydestiny.net/~joe_morris Registered Linux user 231871 God said, I AM that I AM. I say, by the grace of God, I am what I am.
(Sorry for the delay; I've been busy with schoolwork and haven't had the time to dink with my computer.) On Sunday 27 July 2003 17:19, Joe Morris (NTM) wrote:
What version of Windows?
Windows 98.
What does the Dos fdisk show you, or is this Windows XP.
Okay, I've gone ahead and remade the HDA7 partition the way I want it (I'd changed it back to a Linux partition to avoid trouble while I worked on homework). I used YaST's partitioning tool to do so, just FYI. It works just fine from Linux, but I haven't tried booting in Windows yet. This is the Linux fdisk output: --- Disk /dev/hda: 14.4 GB, 14453268480 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1757 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 1 395 3172806 b Win95 FAT32 /dev/hda2 * 396 1757 10940265 5 Extended /dev/hda5 396 428 265041 82 Linux swap /dev/hda6 429 880 3630658+ 83 Linux /dev/hda7 881 1757 7044471 c Win95 FAT32 (LBA) --- However, Windows's fdisk (I booted into command-prompt-only mode) told me that there was only one logical partition on drive D, named with a bizarre series of symbols and 10 gigs in size. I was careful not to touch anything there, not wanting to screw things up, but it looks like Windows isn't reading the partition table correctly or something... So, what's my next step?
The 03.08.01 at 13:34, Fred M. Sloniker wrote:
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 1 395 3172806 b Win95 FAT32 /dev/hda2 * 396 1757 10940265 5 Extended
I think windows might complaint here: partition 1 should be marked as bootable, not 2 - unless grub changes it when you boot into windows, because it can do it.
However, Windows's fdisk (I booted into command-prompt-only mode) told me that there was only one logical partition on drive D, named with a bizarre series of symbols and 10 gigs in size. I was careful not to touch anything there,
That might be because windows would like partition number two to be of type 'f', Win95 Ext'd (LBA). Just and idea.
not wanting to screw things up, but it looks like Windows isn't reading the partition table correctly or something...
If I could do it from scratch, I would partition from windows, using it's own fdisk, to make it happy. Later, I would make the needed linux partitions, adding the extra dos/windows partition. Otherwise... I'm not so sure. An idea... Is the 'dos compatibility flag' set or unset (linux's fdisk)? -- Cheers, Carlos Robinson
Fred M. Sloniker wrote, On 08/02/2003 04:34 AM:
This is the Linux fdisk output:
Disk /dev/hda: 14.4 GB, 14453268480 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1757 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 1 395 3172806 b Win95 FAT32 /dev/hda2 * 396 1757 10940265 5 Extended /dev/hda5 396 428 265041 82 Linux swap /dev/hda6 429 880 3630658+ 83 Linux /dev/hda7 881 1757 7044471 c Win95 FAT32 (LBA)
However, Windows's fdisk (I booted into command-prompt-only mode) told me that there was only one logical partition on drive D,
Drive D should have been the logical partition on the only extended partition. Are you sure you aren't mixing terminology? You should see in Windows one primary partition, one extended (which would be ~10G), which would have 3 logical partitions, the first2 probably saying non-DOS, the third saying FAT32. If I asume you mistook the extended partition for a logical partition, of which there IS only one, I think the above looks fine, and Windows 98 will only see D (/dev/hda7), not touching the 2 Linux partitions.
So, what's my next step?
Check again in Windows to verify it sees only one logical partition in the one extended partition, or if it in fact sees 3. If it sees one extended, 3 logical, then you are ready to go. -- Joe Morris New Tribes Mission Email Address: Joe_Morris@ntm.org Web Address: http://www.mydestiny.net/~joe_morris Registered Linux user 231871 God said, I AM that I AM. I say, by the grace of God, I am what I am.
On Friday 01 August 2003 17:56, Joe Morris (NTM) wrote:
Drive D should have been the logical partition on the only extended partition. Are you sure you aren't mixing terminology?
Actually, I'm pretty sure I am. I know just enough to be dangerous. n_n' I'll try to be more careful, though.
You should see in Windows one primary partition, one extended (which would be ~10G), which would have 3 logical partitions, the first2 probably saying non-DOS, the third saying FAT32. If I asume you mistook the extended partition for a logical partition, of which there IS only one, I think the above looks fine, and Windows 98 will only see D (/dev/hda7), not touching the 2 Linux partitions.
Hm. Well, I tried fixing it myself a bit more, deleting the 7-gig partition entirely (this time using cfdisk), then rebooting into Windows's command-prompt-only mode to have another look. Here's my current Linux 'fdisk -l' output: --- Disk /dev/hda: 14.4 GB, 14453268480 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1757 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 * 1 395 3172806 b Win95 FAT32 /dev/hda2 * 396 880 3895762+ 5 Extended /dev/hda5 396 428 265041 82 Linux swap /dev/hda6 429 880 3630658+ 83 Linux --- And here's the Windows 'fdisk' info: --- Display Partition Information Current fixed disk drive: 1 Partition Status Type Volume Label Mbytes System Usage C: 1 A PRI DOS DOS 3098 FAT32 22% 2 A EXT DOS 3804 28% Total disk space is 13782 Mbytes (1 Mbyte = 1048576 bytes) The Extended DOS Partition contains Logical DOS Drives. Do you want to display the logical drive information (Y/N)......?[Y] --- When I choose to do so, I'm told: --- No logical drives defined Total Extended DOS Partition size is 3804 Mbytes (1 Mbyte = 1048576 bytes) ---
Check again in Windows to verify it sees only one logical partition in the one extended partition, or if it in fact sees 3. If it sees one extended, 3 logical, then you are ready to go.
Before it only saw one logical partition in the extended partition. Now it doesn't see any at all, and when I asked Windows fdisk to create a new logical partition, it thought it had all 10 gigs (instead of the 7 it should) to play with, so I aborted. So, um, what do I do now?
Fred M. Sloniker wrote, On 08/02/2003 10:43 AM:
Here's my current Linux 'fdisk -l' output:
Disk /dev/hda: 14.4 GB, 14453268480 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1757 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 * 1 395 3172806 b Win95 FAT32 /dev/hda2 * 396 880 3895762+ 5 Extended /dev/hda5 396 428 265041 82 Linux swap /dev/hda6 429 880 3630658+ 83 Linux
I just checked mine. this is mine. Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 1 973 7815591 b Win95 FAT32 /dev/hda2 * 974 4865 31262490 f Win95 Ext'd (LBA) /dev/hda5 974 1104 1052226 82 Linux swap /dev/hda6 1105 2932 14683378+ 83 Linux /dev/hda7 2933 4865 15526791 83 Linux As you can see the id of my extended partition is f, while yours says 5. It may be as 'easy' as changing the id number, but I'm not sure if that would affect your Linux partitions. I just tried the Yast Partitioner, and when I clicked on my extended partition, then on edit, it warned me about all data being lost. I am afraid to try to much on my system, it has come a long way since installation.
So, um, what do I do now?
It appears like you would lose your data if you messed with the extended partition at this point. Maybe those more knowledgeable than I can help further, but I think the only thing you could do is back up Linux, redo your partitioning on re-install to make it type Win95 Ext'd (LBA) [f], then continue as you had. I would think it might be possible to change that id marker without wiping out your partition, but I really don't know, and wouldn't want to recommend something destructive. Sorry for what may be bad news. -- Joe Morris New Tribes Mission Email Address: Joe_Morris@ntm.org Web Address: http://www.mydestiny.net/~joe_morris Registered Linux user 231871 God said, I AM that I AM. I say, by the grace of God, I am what I am.
On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 18:53:58 -0700
"Fred M. Sloniker"
When I embarked on my project to install 8.2 entirely from FTP, I set up my partitions as follows, adjusted from their prior arrangement:
HDA1 -- a 2-gig Windows partition for my brother. HDA5 -- my 256-meg swap partition. HDA6 -- a 3-gig SuSE 8.1 partition, from which I was WGetting 8.2. HDA7 -- the 7-gig partition I was downloading into.
Now that the system's all installed and I've switched my installation source over to FTP, I've gone ahead and gotten rid of the contents of HDA7 so I can store downloads in it. However, it occured to me that it'd be handy to make it a DOS partition so my brother can use it too. Unfortunately, if I partition it as a DOS partition, Windows can see HDA6 too and tries to
Scandisk it, which I imagine would be a bad thing if I let it.
So, I guess my question is: is it possible for me to make this partition a DOS partition without Windows doing bad things to SuSE? If not, is it possible to set it up in some other way so that both OSes can access it as storage space? As said before, Windows cannot read native Linux partition types. Why not split HDA7 into 2 partitions. One for Linux exclusive use and one for Windows. That partion could be easily shared. (I would set it up as a Windows FAT32). Another solution is to get rid of WIndows altogether and force your brother to use Linux :-)
--
Jerry Feldman
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003, Jerry Feldman wrote:
When I embarked on my project to install 8.2 entirely from FTP, I set up my partitions as follows, adjusted from their prior arrangement:
HDA1 -- a 2-gig Windows partition for my brother. HDA5 -- my 256-meg swap partition. HDA6 -- a 3-gig SuSE 8.1 partition, from which I was WGetting 8.2. HDA7 -- the 7-gig partition I was downloading into.
Now that the system's all installed and I've switched my installation source over to FTP, I've gone ahead and gotten rid of the contents of HDA7 so I can store downloads in it. However, it occured to me that it'd be handy to make it a DOS partition so my brother can use it too. Unfortunately, if I partition it as a DOS partition, Windows can see HDA6 too and tries to
Scandisk it, which I imagine would be a bad thing if I let it.
So, I guess my question is: is it possible for me to make this partition a DOS partition without Windows doing bad things to SuSE? If not, is it possible to set it up in some other way so that both OSes can access it as storage space? As said before, Windows cannot read native Linux partition types. Why not split HDA7 into 2 partitions. One for Linux exclusive use and one for Windows. That partion could be easily shared. (I would set it up as a Windows FAT32). Another solution is to get rid of WIndows altogether and force your brother to use Linux :-)
1. Careful - FAT32 will not work with Windows 3.1, NT (3.5 or 4.0) or with some versions of Windows 95. Windows 98 and 2000 and later will be fine. Configure hda7 as a VFAT in Linux. Use FAT16 (also as a VFAT) if you need to be compatible with ancient Windows and DOS. 2. I think Fred still does not know why Windows sees HDA6 and wants to scandisk it. I agree that scandisk of hda6 might be a bad thing. Fred - if you post the output from fdisk -l it may help us. Also if you can quote what Scandisk sees (though I am no scandisk expert.) David
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003, Jerry Feldman wrote:
As said before, Windows cannot read native Linux partition types.
Not quite true. I think that FAT16 and FAT32 partitions are the better (at least most common) solution. But there are some ext2 drivers available for some versions of Windows. One such project can be found in the dosutils/ext2tool directory of the SuSE CD. I have never tried them. Best regards.
participants (6)
-
Carlos E. R.
-
David
-
Fred M. Sloniker
-
Jerry Feldman
-
Joe Morris (NTM)
-
Peter Evans