Mutli os and disk partition

S

SWINEFLU

New Member
Hi, new to the forum and looking for some advice.

I have decide I want to put linux ubuntu and Xp on my netbook, I know how to do a disk partiton but how do access my file on both oses?

do I need to make three disk partitions? one xp one linux and another for my work?

SWINEFLU
 
For a start XP does not contain partitioning software so you'd have to obtain that, E A S E U S is the best to my mind.

You're looking at a dual boot scenario so you have to decide which on which operating system you wish to keep your work stuff, Ubuntu or XP?

Do you have an external optical drive and have you had experience of Linux before?
 
I will want to keep my work on xp. will i still be able to access it on ubuntu and make changes and if I make a new file on ubuntu were will it be saved?

never touch linux before.
 
No mate.

You can't access files across 2 operating systems in the scenario that you want.

If you've never had experience of Linux then stay away from it on a machine that contains your most precious stuff as the Linux Grub (boot aspect) can seriously wreck a windows machine if not configured correctly.
 
1. I use gparted as a live disc to do all my partitioning. However, if your just dual booting with ubuntu, it has a built in utility that will take care of everything
2.I personally have a separate partition formatted NTFS to keep all my work in, for easy access.
3.You can access your files in XP from linux, you merely just have to mount the partition. You can't access your files in linux from XP. Windows doesn't have support for EXT (in your case EXT4) file systems.
4.As far as the mention about GRUB, it's really not that complicated, and wont get near your files. If it does go haywire beyond your ability to fix it, boot a linux LiveCD, mount either/both partitions, backup your files and go from there. A easier fix is Super Grub Disk though, that's saved me plenty.

So, you can keep your files on windows if you want. If you open them in linux, you can overwrite them on your windows partition. However, keeping a separate storage partition is usually the best way to go.
 
NyxCharon said:
1. I use gparted as a live disc to do all my partitioning. However, if your just dual booting with ubuntu, it has a built in utility that will take care of everything
2.I personally have a separate partition formatted NTFS to keep all my work in, for easy access.
3.You can access your files in XP from linux, you merely just have to mount the partition. You can't access your files in linux from XP. Windows doesn't have support for EXT (in your case EXT4) file systems.
4.As far as the mention about GRUB, it's really not that complicated, and wont get near your files. If it does go haywire beyond your ability to fix it, boot a linux LiveCD, mount either/both partitions, backup your files and go from there. A easier fix is Super Grub Disk though, that's saved me plenty.

So, you can keep your files on windows if you want. If you open them in linux, you can overwrite them on your windows partition. However, keeping a separate storage partition is usually the best way to go.
Click to expand...

so put a copy of my files on both partions. ?

its only my netebook all my work is on my desktop, i will just put the stuff i need access too on my netbook
 
I don't know how to answer that, as you never specified what setup you were going for, 2 partitions or 3.
If you use 3, you can just leave one copy of the work on your storage partition, and access it from both OS.
If you use 2, you can just leave one copy on XP, and access it from both OS. Though manually navigating to the file each time is a bit of a pain.
 
ok, lets say 3 partitions,

1. ubuntu
2. xp
3. work,

so if i am in say ubuntu and open a document from the work drive and the save the changes will they only be saved on ubuntu, and then i WONT be able to acsses the changed file trough xp?
 
If you want to follow this route which is quite mad to my mind you would have to create 4 partitions.

Two on the XP partition, one for XP and the other for your work stuff, the same applies on the Linux Partition.
 
Where would the third partition be?

Like I said earlier on the XP aspect or the Linux partition?

You can only boot one or the other operating systems on a singular hard drive mate.

If you want to do this on physically separate hard drives then you would need a boot manager.
 
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Wolfeymole said:
If you want to follow this route which is quite mad to my mind you would have to create 4 partitions.

Two on the XP partition, one for XP and the other for your work stuff, the same applies on the Linux Partition.
Click to expand...

What?
His partitions would be as follows:
WinXP-NTFS
Storage-NTFS
Linux-EXT4
Swap-SWAP

He wouldn't need 2 partitions for each OS, he would need 3, swap is needed regardless for linux.


Edit:
Wolfeymole said:
You can only boot one or the other operating systems on a singular hard drive mate.
Click to expand...

Grub2 lets you choose what OS you boot into at startup. I currently boot 3 OS all on the same harddrive.
 
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I operate a multi-boot laptop with Vista, Ubuntu 10.04 and Ubuntu 11.04.

I have partitioned my drive as follows:

512MB ext2 /boot <-- this is where grub2 resides
85GB NTFS Vista <-- Vista main partition
40GB NTFS Data <-- data partition usable by both Vista and Ubuntu
20GB ext4 10.04 / <-- Ubuntu 10.04 root partition
30GB ext4 10.04 /home <-- Ubuntu 10.04 home partition
20GB ext4 11.04 / <-- Ubuntu 11.04 root partition
30GB ext4 11.04 /home <-- Ubuntu 11.04 home partition
8GB swap <-- Linux Swap partition


Note I have separated my home partitions. This helps when have to reinstall Ubuntu, because I will retain my data and most of my settings.
 
Yes, it will create a swap partition on its own.

My OCD requires me to create the partition manually, as I like it to be a certain size and at the end of the disk drive.
 
ok lets say i creat it my self, how does ubuntu know its there?

so let go with

WinXP-NTFS
Storage-NTFS
Linux-EXT4
Swap-SWAP

i have 149 gb to play with,

how much where?

say 4gb for swap, as 2gb ram

how much for the others?
 
When you perform your installation, tell Ubuntu you want to manually set the partitions.

Then you can specify which partitions you want for what, whether you want to format them, etc.

If you are starting from scratch, I would boot the Ubuntu disc, tell it that you want to try it without installing, then when you get into the OS, select System, Administration, and run the partition editor GPartEd. Create the partitions for your Windows and Data at least.

Use GPartEd to partition your drive the way you want it, then shut off the computer. Install Windows first, then install Ubuntu. For your purposes, I'd just let Ubuntu install in the free space behind Windows and let Ubuntu create the swap space on its own.

I would recommend you not use Ubuntu 11.04-- too many problems with the Unity interface and whatnot. 10.10 works good, and 10.04 is most recent long-term supported OS.

Win XP needs at least 20GB, 40GB is better. If you plan on installing a lot of programs, then go bigger. Ubuntu will work just fine with 40GB. That would leave you with about 65GB for your data partition.
 
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