Jens Baumann wrote:

> What is the right way to proceed?

Install Windows.
Shrink the partition
Create a FAT32 partition, which will hold the "My Documents" folder
Install Linux, making sure you don't tell it to clobber the Windows
partition.

In article <423016d0$0$29282$14726298@news.sunsite.dk>,
Jens Baumann wrote:
>Hi,
>some time ago I had problems installing Suse 9.0 and Win XP on my Thinkpad
>R40, resulting in an unusable rescue partition. Got the rescue CDs from
>IBM, reinstalled Windows (partitions created with fdisk before).
>I tried several things, installing first linux, then Windows or vice versa,
>but I couldn't get both working together. I don't remember all attempts.
>
>What is the right way to proceed? I would first install Linux with
>partitions like
>10 GB NTFS (Win XP)
>5 GB fat32 /
>5 GB fat32 /home
>6 GB fat32 /windows/d
>1 GB swap
>3 GB - (rescue, necessary?)
>
>and then install Win XP and hope it will install in the first (10GB)
>partition. But something seems to go wrong.
>
>Or is the right way, first to install Win XP, then shrink its partition?
>I don't have PartitionMagic, is there a freeware tool instead?
>
>Any hint is very much appreciated!
>Jens

The process I use:

0 - Set BIOS to allow blowing away the recovery partition (if
necessary)

1 - Boot Linux rescue disk, delete all partitions, create primary
partition for XP install (partition 1 of desired size).

2 - Run XP recovery from CD's

3 - When recovery fails (boots to blinking cursor), boot Linux
rescue disk and rewrite MBR with LILO.

4 - Finish XP recovery. Let XP "adjust" partitioning as required
(e.g., on my X31 with 7K60 HD, Linux fdisk defaulted to 255
heads, 63 sectors while XP insisted on 240 heads/63 sectors).

5 - Create all desired partitions using XP disk manager, including
partitions for Linux, swap, and hibernation. No need to format
any partitions other than those XP will access.

6 - Boot Linux rescue disk, change type of Linux partitions to the
appropriate values (Linux and Linux swap). To avoid warning
messages, go to expert mode and set the disk geometry to match
that used by XP first.

7 - Install Hibernation partition if you're using one (from floppy
boot). (I've found APM currently uses about 1/3 the power of
ACPI when suspended to RAM, although ACPI suspend to RAM finally
works).

8 - Install Linux.

9 - Have fun!

--
Vincent C Jones, Consultant Expert advice and a helping hand
Networking Unlimited, Inc. for those who want to manage and
Tenafly, NJ Phone: 201 568-7810 control their networking destiny
http://www.networkingunlimited.com

On 2005-03-10, James Knott wrote:

> Jens Baumann wrote:
>
>> What is the right way to proceed?
>
> Install Windows.
> Shrink the partition
> Create a FAT32 partition, which will hold the "My Documents" folder
> Install Linux, making sure you don't tell it to clobber the Windows
> partition.

I usually do this:

1) partition the drive -- one primary for Windows, and an empty extended
partition for linux.

2) install Windows into the primary partition

3) install linux into the extended partition, dividing it up however you
please.

It saves a lot of time not having to shrink an existing partition to make
room for linux.

--

John (john@os2.dhs.org)