First try at a multiboot, failed horribly.

I saved this for last resort, and i read and printed out everything on how to multi-boot a pc with vista and ubuntu linux. I was going to reformat anyways, so i didnt care about losing data "i had important stuff backed up" but i beileve i messed up somewhere in the partitioning. I installed ubuntu, then it wouldnt let me install my vista, so i had to put in my gparted live cd like a 100 times and geuss how it needed to be set up. Im really not sure if i have it set up correct right now for my vista with the sizes of the partitions. All im asking is someone to tell me how i need the partitions set up and about how much to put in each one. Here is how it is now.


Partition :Filesystem: Size : Used :Unused
/dev/sda1: fat16 : 54.88MIB :7.00MIB :47.88
/dev/sda2: ntfs : 230.06GIB : 7.52GIB :222.53 boot
/dev/sda3: extended : 2.72GIB : -------- : --------
/dev/sda5: ext3 : 2.72GIB :111.96 MIB:2.61 GIB

Your help will be very much appreciated.

Jeff

partition sizes OK--but that's a subtlety. The key
thing in dual boot setups w/ an MS operating system is,
*install*MS*first*

oh, one other thing: since SFAIK *nix can't write to ntfs,
you might prefer using fat32 for that second MS partition:
then you can mount it under *nix, read/write &c--very handy
for certain tasks.

What is in first FAT16 Partition? You should install Vista in First partition, i.e. sda1 only.
All Linux distros supports NTFS partition now. You have to install ntfs-3g package only. ntfs-3g is pre-installed in Fedora 7.

Do not use GParted or any other third party Partition Manager. Vista keeps two copies of Partition Table and if you use third party too, it will complain and wont work. Use Vista's Partitioning Tool to create/delete/resize partitions. Its pre-installed in Vista.

Im still very newbie at this, since my last post i tried once again and i added a partion called linux swap through grub on ubuntus live cd. I installed ubuntu to that partition and it f***ed up again. Ubuntu booted everytime i restarted! i saw two drives on my ubuntu desktop one said Dell and the other said Vista and i had no idea how to get to my vista partition i tried rebooting about 20 times before i reformated vista again for the third time tonite.

Im trying to follow these step by step directions, but it seems i may be missing something. How many partitions do i need to add for a OS? And what size and extensions should they be?

Should i reformat my fat16 to fat32 and why?

Thanks for your help.

There is no need to format first partition ( fat16 ). I didn't know that you have Dell Rescue Partition too. Keep that partition as it is.

Is Vista Booting up properly?

Yes, i had to go in and delete the linux swap folder and the ext3 folder, then remade the ext3 folder again and reinstalled vista. :(

Okk. Now create two partitions for Ubuntu. Do not use any third party Partitioning Tool. Partition Manager is pre-installed in Vista. Use Vista's Partitioning Tool only.
Create two partitions. FIrst, 10-15 GB and second 512 MB.

Boot up from Ubuntu Installation CD and Open GParted. Format 512MB partition in SWAP filesystem and other in ext3 filesystem. Do not shrink or re-create partitions.

Start Installation. Select ext3 partition in Partition Section and assign it / (root) mount point. Installer will detect SWAP partition automatically.

I just went ahead a tried what you said, with using vista's partitioner. Ive tried it before but cant find it. I press F12 at boot and go into utility partitioner, all i find here are memory tests and diagnostics, ive even triedn looking in my setup and i couldnt find a partitioner, so if you know where it might be il check for it. I bought this computer brand new from dell with vista preinstalled, so i dont see any reason why i wouldnt have it.

Quote:Start Installation. Select ext3 partition in Partition Section and assign it / (root) mount point. Installer will detect SWAP partition automatically.

When i start the instalation while ubuntu's live cd is in, i go to custom or advance partioning and choose the ext3 partition correct? Thats assigning it /root itself, because i dont think there is anything command base during insstall its all GUI on my CD

Jeff

I found the partitioner

So should i have 2 ext3 partitions? one for vista and one for linux?