Dual Boot questions

Jet

Jet

VIP Member
I am going to install xp pro and linux on my computer. My main question is, since Xp requires NTFS and Linux requires FATS32, how can I partition it (not using any expensive programs).
Also, it is going to be installed on a SATA drive. I want to boot off of the SATA, but I also have a Maxtor 160GB IDE drive that I want for extra space. Any suggestions for how to do that?
 
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Install winXP first, linux uses a different file system, cant think of it right now though. What distribution of linux are you going to install. Most linux install cd's include a built in installer with options to partition hard drives.
 
you can always partition your hard drive and you can have linux make the partition and when you go to install windows (for what reason you would want to do that is beyond me) choose the free partition to install to. good luck
 
Well first off, linux has FAT32 read write support, but I highly recommend you use ext3 instead.

All linux CDs include partition editors, and of course they're free. You could do a few things. You could install windows on one hard drive, and linux on the other, or both bootable partitions and one, and storage on the other.

I have to leave right now, so I'll get back to you.
 
Can you have FAT32 (or ext3) and NTFS file system partitions on the same hard drive? If yes, is there a program to do this that I don't have to buy? If not, how much would it cost?

I'm installing Fedora Linux that my friend gave me on a DVD (came with a "for dummies book")
 
Yes.

Use FDisk in windows xp to partition the hard drive, and then you can format the partition, and change the file system to FAT32
 
Jiffyman said:
Or you could just use the linux partitioner and use the free space thats left on the drive.
Click to expand...

I couldn't use the linux partitioner because it has to have FAT32.

Syphr said:
Yes.

Use FDisk in windows xp to partition the hard drive, and then you can format the partition, and change the file system to FAT32
Click to expand...

So you're saying that I could:
1. Install Windows XP, and partition the hard drive to the right sizes
2. After installing windows, reformat the partition for Linux to FAT32
3. Install Linux

Then I could use the Linux boot loader to choose what I want to boot when starting the computer. Correct?
 
Jet said:
I couldn't use the linux partitioner because it has to have FAT32.



So you're saying that I could:
1. Install Windows XP, and partition the hard drive to the right sizes
2. After installing windows, reformat the partition for Linux to FAT32
3. Install Linux

Then I could use the Linux boot loader to choose what I want to boot when starting the computer. Correct?
Click to expand...

Yes, though you don't have to use FAT (FAT32 as seen by Win, vfat as seen by Linux). If you need to be able to move files back and forth between the OSes, then I recommentd setting up a small FAT scratchpad partition accessable by both.

The fdisk partitioner in Linux doesn't care what format the drive is in, when you partition it gets rid of all that anyway. You can partition and then set the filesystem type for each partition, then format them as needed. Fdisk can set NTFS partitions, which Win will recognize and offer to format when you install.
 
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