Which LINUX should I use ?

[Satissh S]

If you want to use reiserfs however append the following when boot menu apperars,
linux selinux=0 reiserfs [ENTER]

@ karthik (kato) : Do the above at the FC4 installer prompt, and you shud have reiserfs support enabled.

 

[kato]

by prompt do you mean where it tells us to press to enter to start setup and stuff.
I dont know much about it thats why.

And about DVD i thought i should use my great broadband for ssome use atleast

 

[ashu888ashu888]

Naveen @Satissh S Thanx alot lot for ur replies guys... U guys really ROCK man.... I will keep my Linux partition to about 20 GB and the rest as i want.

But Naveen, if i make partition thru the diskmgmt.msc, how am i goin to specify the Linux partition (wich will be a 20GB drive) into an ext3 file system?? will i be getting any options (other than partitioning the NEW drive in NTFS and FAT32) ?? or shud i be making a RAW drive (from the diskmgmt.msc command) for Linux (without any file system) and then convert it into ext3 wen i boot from the FC4 CD?? A detailed reply will be really helpful and enlighten me

As far as other partitions of FAT32 are concerned, i will do it by the diskmgmt.msc as suggested by you but i hv a doubt of making the Linux partition into an ext3 file system type (correct me if im wrong) as im Using WIN XP PRO+SP2.

...Please reply im confused.....


Cheers n e-peace......

 

[desertwind]

@ashu: don't specify anything for the linux partition. ie, dont make the partition at at all. leave the 20 GB unpartitioned. And use this unpartitioned space while installing gnu/linux.

@ Sathish: Yes, swap is very important. It is recommended that you make a swap partiton atleast equal to your RAM size, even if you have 2 GB of RAM, unless you're dangerously out of space. But, these days everyone have loads and loads of space, so sparing a few MBs wont be a big problem.

 

[Satissh S]

@karthik: Yes.
@ashu:
1. I hope you have backed up your data from G:\ to D:\ or C:\. So do it b4 anything. Ah.. you shud have done that already. Isn't?
2. Goto Disk Management, from Computer Management
and delete the G:\ partition. Then create your New Fat32 Partition. Make sure you leave something for linux.
3. If you wan't copy your backed up data back to G:\
---------------Linux Begins--------------
Reboot the system with cd1 in the drive. Copy the following in a piece of paper.
At the boot prompt, type,
linux selinux=0 reiserfs resolution=1024x768
press Enter.
You should boot into Anaconda graphical installer front end. Answer to most of the questions by reading the instructions from the left.
Select [Install Type] as custom. DONOT select as Server if you wan't your windows to be untouched. Select Grub as Default boot loader. And give your networking stuff in the next screen if dhcp it shud atomatically be up.
Select manual partitioning, and click next,
When you come to the partition selection screen,
TIP: Read the help in the left side and never touch anything in your windows partitions.
The tick mark indicates that the slice is gonna b formatted. Create a new extended partition in the remaining 20 GB of freespace left.
I'am not encouraging you to create a /boot despite the warning as most new comps don't need this.
create a / partition of say 7gb of reiserfs
create a /usr partition of 12 GB of Ext3
create 1 gb of [SWAP] partition.
Cross check the below list and assign mount points as given. Now you shud have,

/dev/hda1 Windows C: /mnt/win_c
/dev/hda2 Windows D: /mnt/win_d
/dev/hda3 Windows G: /mnt/win_g
/dev/hda4 Linux Extended
|__ /dev/hda5 Linux ReiserFS /
|__ /dev/hda6 Linux Ext3 /usr
|__ /dev/hda7 [SWAP] NOT AVAILABLE

Your cdrom drive (ie F: in Windows) would be /dev/hdc in linux. In partitioning screen select [Everything] to install a lot of softies and give you a lot to play with. Wait for install to complete and reboot.
After rebooting press any key to get boot selection menu and move your arrow keys to get to a highlited entry and boot it. FYI "Other" is Windows
Good Luck.

 

[kato]

I'am not encouraging you to create a /boot despite the warning as most new comps don't need this.
create a / partition of say 7gb of reiserfs
create a /usr partition of 12 GB of Ext3

I did not understand this i thought we only needed to create a / partition in which the Distro will be installed. You are talking about 3 partitions????

 

[desertwind]

There's only one partition that's compulsory. /. Seperate partitions are not compulsory, but are encouraged

/usr - if you gonna install a lot of programs, this partition helps you to ensure there is enough space, and you'll get much control over the space taken by installed programs
/home - to ensure that your (and other user's) personal files won't block space for other programs
/var - if you gonna install lot of servers and all.
/boot - to ensure that the boot files remain within the first 4 GB of the disk. this is not necessary.
/opt - for 3rd party softwares
swap - no explanation needed.

What I do is that i dont keep any of my personal files on my home. I've 5 separate partitions (145 GB) for my personal files, 1.5 GB swap, 20 GB for / and a 20 GB for /opt.

 

[kato]

So if i am right(correct me if wrong)
I should have / for my OS and Programs(not gonna install many programs) and one /home for all my files i work on right. and yeah a swap partition too.

(off topic: Hurray I am posting this also from Ubuntu Live thanks to DW)

 

[desertwind]

Ya, that will be fine.

 

[mehulved]

Kato
/ and swap are the two compulsory partitions that are needed by linux. Besides people like to mount other important directories on different partitions, for many reasons.
Besides the above two partitions, it is recomended to make /boot, /home, /usr, /opt on separate partitions. But, these partitions aren't necesary.

 

[ashu888ashu888]

Thanx a lot Satissh S, Desertwind and Naveen U guys rock man, i hv noted down all the steps given by Satissh S and Desertwind and will now perform an installation of LINUX....SO off i go and will keep posting my Linux related querries in front of u Experts..

Thanx once again guys.....


Cheers n e-peace......

 

[ashu888ashu888]

@Naveen @Satissh @desertwind----> .....Problem Problem Problem.......

Hey guys,

1.) I cant Boot from the FC 4 (CD 1) . I hv selected my CD ROM Drive as the 1st Boot Priority but still my WIN XP PRO is loaded and i get the WIN XP desktop screen. I made the FC4 CD in the following way: The FC4 package was given by Digit in its Aug 2K5 DVD, so i extracted the RAR files (wich was in 4 folders onto the DVD as CD 1, CD 2, CD 3 and CD 4) into a separate folder of the Name FC 4 (on my HDD). Then wen all the 4 CDs were extracted, i converted the 4 CDs into 4 Separate ISO images and burnt them onto blank CDs. I guess i hv not done a mistake?? Coz an article was also given in the FC4 (CD1) from Digit DVD named: How to use ISO files. and at the bottom of that html file was written: Click on the Name of the ISO image you wish to burn. but i didnt follow this procedure and did as i hv explained above.


2.) Also, after deleting my G: (wich was previously 50GB and FAT32) i have broken down into this format: 50GB (FAT32) G: = 10 GB (FAT 32) X: drive + 20GB (FAT 32) Y: drive + Remaining 20GB for Linux (Unpartitioned space). Now wen i restarted my System, then the FONT was BOLD like this Including the desktop, All Programs and everything. I tried the Accessibility Options and set the display to Windows Standard but still the Bold Font is present like this. Wat to do ?? Here is an example of how my font is lookin

*server1.pictiger.com/img/98602/picture-hosting/msconfig-bold-font.jpg

Please help me on this 2 issues......


Cheers n e-peace.......

 

[mehulved]

During burning the cd's did you birn them as data discs?
Here's a tutorial if you're using nero Burning ISO file.
If you are using any other cd burning software search google for how to burn iso images to cd.

I don't think the second problem has got anything to do with the partitioning part.

 

[ashu888ashu888]

@tech, thanx for ur reply

I burnt the Iso file as a CD-ROM (ISO). Shud i hv used the CD-ROM (Boot) Option instead?? Or shud i hv made use of the ISO image burning link given in the FC4 Digit DVD? (i guess the Digit link to burn the ISO images of FC4 was much more appropriate)
Im having the Nero 6 edition and i hv burnt the ISO as a data disk i guess....

Please suggest me on the 1.) and 2.) issues correctly....Awating ur replies


Cheers n e-peace.....

 

[naveenchandran]

@ashu888ashu888

I think digit gave the ISO's of the FC4 on the DVD's
Since you have installed winrar the icon's of ISO's would have changed.....but note they are ISO's..

Don't Extract it...
I believe you are using Nero.. Open Nero Express..
select "Disk Image or Saved Project" you will get the open dialog select "Files of Type" as Image Files [*.nrg, *.iso, *.cue] and open that particular FC4 Disk1 ISO and then burn on to the disk... then it should boot....

All Disks including 2 3 and 4 should have been done this way.....


For the second problem...
Right Click on Desktop... Properties..
In Display Properties in Themes Tab..
you might see Theme: Modified Theme in drop down list box.. change it to windows xp... it should be fine then....

**--NC--**

 

[desertwind]

Ye, don't extract the iso files. Just burn it to the Cd using "Burn Image file" option of your burning software. That'll be fine.

 

[ashu888ashu888]

@ Naveen @desertwind

Yup, i did a mistake of extracting the winRARed archive. As Naveen said tat the icons must hv been gotten changed but it is an ISO file (with a .iso extension) so now i again burnt the image by opening NERO Express and selecting Disk image/Saved project. I hope i hv not screwed it up all again....Wat u say naveen ???

For the BOLD font problem, i tried to do wat u said by changing the theme from the properties but still no solution, i still hv that BOLD font, So any solutions for this as due to this annoying BOLD font, all my folders hv been lookin aweful... Please help guys....


I will keep posting my results for Linux and keep askin all u experts here..

Cheers n e-peace....

 

[naveenchandran]

@ Naveen @desertwind

Yup, i did a mistake of extracting the winRARed archive. As Naveen said tat the icons must hv been gotten changed but it is an ISO file (with a .iso extension) so now i again burnt the image by opening NERO Express and selecting Disk image/Saved project. I hope i hv not screwed it up all again....Wat u say naveen ???

Yes... That should work

 

[desertwind]

And for the that bold thingy, It's better to ask in the QnA section. You won't find much windows techies here.

But I'm damn sure it has nothing to do with the linux partition.

 

[ashu888ashu888]

desertwind wrote:

And for the that bold thingy, It's better to ask in the QnA section. You won't find much windows techies here.
But I'm damn sure it has nothing to do with the linux partition.

Yaa i will post it in the QnA section, thanx for the suggestion Wind I will post it and see wat reply i get to my problem..

Cheers n e-peace......