Thinking of installing Linux as second OS

[scsa20]

okey, here's another question, I got Mandrake installed and all that, and I re-booted to get back into Windows... here's my question... how can I see the other drives?? what kind of files are "legal" for me to copy over??

oh, and how do I change the boot thing so it well say "Windows XP" instead of "NT"??

 

[NetRyder]

Windows CANNOT read linux (ext2) partitions/drives.
Linux can read an NTFS partition, and can read AND write to a FAT32 partition.

And is your boot-loader the Windows one or is it LILO?

 

[JJB6486]

I have Lycoris running on one of my other boxes. It tries to mirror XP as close as it can to make it easier for newbies. You can buy it from http://www.lycoris.com for $30 or download it free from http://www.linuxiso.org/

I would recomend buying it, because there are some things, such as automatic updates and their large database of software packages can only be accessed by paying users. (Though all of the software is avalible elsewhere, you pay for the user-friendly interface to it, and central Lycoris-based update servers)

JJB

 

[scsa20]

Originally posted by NetRyder
Windows CANNOT read linux (ext2) partitions/drives.
Linux can read an NTFS partition, and can read AND write to a FAT32 partition.

And is your boot-loader the Windows one or is it LILO?

I alreadly know that weindows can't read linux partation, I'm talking about seeing my hard drive thru. linux and I'm using gugle (or whatever) bootloader

 

[Zedric]

Originally posted by scsa20
I alreadly know that weindows can't read linux partation, I'm talking about seeing my hard drive thru. linux and I'm using gugle (or whatever) bootloader

I think you mean GRUB.

 

[SPeedY_B]

Your hd is ntfs right?
i havent mounted an NTFS drive in linux for quite some time now, so this may be wrong (someone please correct me if it is)
in a terminal window type the following:

mkdir /mnt/c
mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/c
cd /mnt/c
ls -pla

and there should be the contents of what you would normally call C:\

 

[PseudoKiller]

ok now I have a question for you... I have Mandrake Linux 9 running and Window XP. WinXP is on c:\ and Linux is on d:\ I have Lilo for the boot and I can edit that no problem. What I want to do is use Windows boot.ini to do the booting.
How can I achieve this and remove Lilo. BTW I know about fdisk /mbr but will the boot.ini take over if I remove the the Lilo??

 

[SPeedY_B]

if you fdisk your mbr then you wont be able to get into linux as your box will boot windows straight off, you'll need to create a boot block for boot.ini to refer to.
as ive only just got out the shower i'll go get dressed then explain a bit more...

 

[SPeedY_B]

Right....

Right there is a linux command you can execute to create a bootblock (basically a 512k file that tells the system where to boot from) but because im inept, i can't remember it right now, i'll check up on it later, for now i'd recommend this app http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm
its all documented, and will basically create the file for you from within windows, enabling you to add the required line to your boot.ini from within windows.

Of course once done this will give you a choice of "Windows XP" or "Linux" upon boot (names can be different of course) if you choose Windows it will boot as it normally would, due to it still being the boot loader, and if you choose linux you should boot into linux as if you'd chosen it from lilo/grub.

I'd recommend creating a block named linux.bb place it in c:\ and add c:\linux.bb="Linux" to boot.ini, but don't get rid of lilo just yet.
Once you reboot choose windows from lilo, then linux from the NT Boot menu, if it all works, then get rid of lilo (this way you have lilo as a fall back)

 

[scsa20]

okey, but how do I edit the boot menu of GRUB so that I could change the word "NT" to "Windows XP" (reason why I'm asking is because I see 2 "NTs" and I know one goes to windows while the other goes to my D)

oh, and thanks for the command, need to try that out when I get back into Mandrake

 

[SPeedY_B]

you should need to edit /boot/boot/grub/menu.lst

 

[scsa20]

oh, I found the control center and I found the mounting thing and it says it's alreadly mounted

 

[SPeedY_B]

its possibly is, i read that mandrake 9.0 would include NTFS support "out the box"

try looking in /mnt/ there will possibly be a folder called "c" or "windows" or "win" something related anyway...

 

[scsa20]

cool, thanks

 

[scsa20]

Originally posted by SPeedY_B
you should need to edit /boot/boot/grub/menu.lst

problem, I keep getting that that menu. I keep getting "No such file or directory"

 

[SPeedY_B]

try "locate menu.lst" it should tell you the directory where the file is, then all you need to do is edit that