Question About 1 single Hard drive 2 partition

[jashoy]

I just want to check a few things before installing Fedora on the D: I've used DOS's fdisk years ago to partition harddrives. But I have never even thought of using Windows and Linux for partitioning. If I have a C: and D: partitioned by Windows Vista and want to install Fedora on the D:.
Do I run the risk of overwriting the full drive or will the Fedora install respect the logical drive and only overwrite the D

Next Question does the Fedora 7 install disk, install Grub to the MBR,
Or do I have to download Grub and install before installing Fedora 7 and if so does grub install itself to teh MBR if not how do you do that?


Does anyone know where I can get a GOOD program to catalog my hardware?
(I've looked for a few and found nothing that will output accurate information my hardware alas did not come with a manual thank you acer)

Last but not least does anyone know of a good walk through for a dual boot system for Fedora and Vista?
I have looked and looked all I have located is several for Vista and Unbuntu none for Vista and Fedora is there much diffrence between the two Distros in a Dual boot system and if so what are the diffrences?

I'm not new to computers just don't trust windows at all and have never used Linux in my life.

[Kieren]

Does anyone know where I can get a GOOD program to catalog my hardware?
(I've looked for a few and found nothing that will output accurate information my hardware alas did not come with a manual thank you acer)

Not sure about Vista, but in XP going to Start->Run and typing dxdiag will list most of your hardware

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

I just want to check a few things before installing Fedora on the D: I've used DOS's fdisk years ago to partition harddrives. But I have never even thought of using Windows and Linux for partitioning. If I have a C: and D: partitioned by Windows Vista and want to install Fedora on the D:.
Do I run the risk of overwriting the full drive or will the Fedora install respect the logical drive and only overwrite the D

Open Vista's Partitioning Utility and shrink/delete D: Drive. Create two partitions, allocate 512MB space to first partition and rest of space to second. You will have three partitions. C: Drive having Windows and two empty partition.
Start Fedora Installation and choose Manual Partitioning. Select 512 MB partition and assign it SWAP mount point. Select other partition and assign it / mount point. Continue Installation.

Next Question does the Fedora 7 install disk, install Grub to the MBR,
Or do I have to download Grub and install before installing Fedora 7 and if so does grub install itself to teh MBR if not how do you do that?
Last but not least does anyone know of a good walk through for a dual boot system for Fedora and Vista?
I have looked and looked all I have located is several for Vista and Unbuntu none for Vista and Fedora is there much diffrence between the two Distros in a Dual boot system and if so what are the diffrences?

Dual boot is default in all Linux Distros. Installer installs GRUB in MBR by default. Don't change anything in Boot Loader section. Installer will setup dual boot automatically.

Good Luck !

[abhishek456]

windows in built tools does not provide you detailed view of your hardware

if you want to have a detailed view of your hardware just google for it ,you got many freeware utilities for this purpose

have a look at

Test my hardware

Computer Profiler

Fresh Diagnose

[jashoy]

windows in built tools does not provide you detailed view of your hardware

if you want to have a detailed view of your hardware just google for it ,you got many freeware utilities for this purpose

have a look at Test my hardware

Thanks I had found that but I wasn't sure about how accurate it was it shows me with a video card with 256MB RAM which confused me as it is an intergrated video card with the motherboard I assumed it would not have it's own RAM or am I jsut reading that wrong.

[jashoy]

Open Vista's Partitioning Utility and shrink/delete D: Drive. Create two partitions, allocate 512MB space to first partition and rest of space to second. You will have three partitions. C: Drive having Windows and two empty partition.
Start Fedora Installation and choose Manual Partitioning. Select 512 MB partition and assign it SWAP mount point. Select other partition and assign it / mount point. Continue Installation.

Okay so I am giving the Linux 512 MB swap and the rest of the D: will be the for Linux install right I have 160 GB for Vista on the C: and I would like to give the Linux the same space. D: is also a 160GB or there abouts. I think it's more like 144 GB

Dual boot is default in all Linux Distros. Installer installs GRUB in MBR by default. Don't change anything in Boot Loader section. Installer will setup dual boot automatically.

Good Luck !

Thanks that really helps! I have read a lot of material and ther seems to be as many ways to install as there are stars in the sky.

[devils casper]

Okay so I am giving the Linux 512 MB swap and the rest of the D: will be the for Linux install right I have 160 GB for Vista on the C: and I would like to give the Linux the same space. D: is also a 160GB or there abouts. I think it's more like 144 GB

15GB disk space is more than enough for Ubuntu. I would suggest you create a few NTFS partitions for Data sharing between Vista and Ubuntu. Keep Vista Partition intact and store all Docs, music, fun stuff in new NTFS partitions. Ubuntu doesn't support NTFS write support out of box but its very easy to enable NTFS write access. You have to install ntfs-3g package only.

I have read a lot of material and ther seems to be as many ways to install as there are stars in the sky.

Thats true. Dual boot is default in all Linux distros and one should go with default options only.
I am glad to help you. Do post back if you have any query.

[abhishek456]

I had found that but I wasn't sure about how accurate it was it shows me with a video card with 256MB RAM which confused me as it is an intergrated video card with the motherboard I assumed it would not have it's own RAM or am I jsut reading that wrong

if i am understaning your query correctly you are asking about internal Graphic card having it's own RAM

a graphic card wheter it is internal or external in simple sense is a primary memory device just like your RAM.

[jashoy]

if i am understaning your query correctly you are asking about internal Graphic card having it's own RAM

a graphic card wheter it is internal or external in simple sense is a primary memory device just like your RAM.

Thank you! My last exprience with graphics cards was 14 years ago and mainly I just took em out put em in and loaded the drivers. Made sure they worked and didn't think about HOW they worked.

[jashoy]

15GB disk space is more than enough for Ubuntu. I would suggest you creat8e a few NTFS partitions for Data sharing between Vista and Ubuntu. Keep Vista Partition intact and store all Docs, music, fun stuff in new NTFS partitions. Ubuntu doesn't support NTFS write support out of box but its very easy to enable NTFS write access. You have to install ntfs-3g package only.

I may have not made this one clear my plan is to put Fedora 7 in a dual boot configuraion with Vista not Ubuntu does that change anything?

if so how much space shold I put aside for Fedora?
If I am reading it right then D: would look like this when it's done

512 MB swap

16 GB Fedora Installed

One for Linux only software 50 Gigs or so (compliers, internet programs etc...)

Rest as a NTFS format to allow Document swaps I have several computers laying around the house this is primarly a school computer hence the install of Fedora rather then Ubuntu?
(my school's teaching platform is Fedora)

My software and files are all on the C: drive D: is free I did not and will not be putting anything on the D: till I get the Fedora install in and working.

Do post back if you have any query.

You may begin to regret that offer I love FAQ's but I find the information is often conflicting between FAQ's and I don't always trust WIKI resources.