Recommendations for Linux on PC

[theNerd247]

I was able to get Fedora 17 Live on a USB and it boots. There is one small problem however. After freeing some space in windows my hard drive looks like this:

Partitions.jpg

When I launch the Anaconda Fedora installer from the live boot and try to install to my hard drive using the free space method given I get:

" Could not allocate requested partitions: not enough free space on disks "

So then I try and manually create the partitions and I get the same error. This is what the partitions look like on the installer:

Device | Size (MB) | Type |
sda:
sda1 | 199 | ntfs
sda2 | 238513 | ntfs
Free | 220704 |
sda3 | 17419 | ntfs
sda4 | 103 | vfat
Free | 1 |

Help?

[yancek]

You already have four primary partitions on your system and that is all you are allowed. You would need to delete one, preferably one before/after the C:\, then shrink the C:\ and create an Extended partition and create Logical partition(s) within. I can't tell which partition is which? The System is probably your boot partition so you don't want to delete that. May the HP Tools would work. I'd suggest you boot Fedora and open a terminal and log in as root user and enter this command: df -h That should give some useful partition information.

I'd definitely backup anything important before trying to delete/create partitions

[MASONTX]

If only this thread had been posted yesterday. I spent a couple of hours wrestling with this same problem today. Finally deleted one of the partitions, created an extended partition on the freed space plus my free space, then used parted magic to create partitions on the extended partition and reinstalled the old os and the new one I was trying to add.

[theNerd247]

Glad this forum helped! OK so I won't be able to remove any partitions from my hard drive because the SYSTEM Contains boot stuff (I'm guessing) and HP_TOOLS contains BIOS stuff. So I have one more option: install on an 8gb flash drive and use the free space on my hard-drive for my /home folder and other personal data. This way I don't have to save anything to the flash drive and worry about losing data? Any suggestions?

[jayd512]

The Recovery Partition is the equivalent of an install disc. So I have 3 suggestions.
See if you can get an install disc from your computer manufacturer. If you have that, then the Recovery partition can be freed up.
Second suggestion seem less feasible, considering the size of it. You may be able to compress it and burn it to disc to create a bootable DVD.
Third... call HP and find out what the HPTOOLS actually is. You might not even need it.

Other than that, have you considered either an external USB drive or installing a secondary HDD?

[theNerd247]

The Recovery Partition is the equivalent of an install disc. So I have 3 suggestions.
See if you can get an install disc from your computer manufacturer. If you have that, then the Recovery partition can be freed up.
Second suggestion seem less feasible, considering the size of it. You may be able to compress it and burn it to disc to create a bootable DVD.
Third... call HP and find out what the HPTOOLS actually is. You might not even need it.

Other than that, have you considered either an external USB drive or installing a secondary HDD?

I love your plan! I am considering using a USB Flash drive as my external (I know they are not the same but I figured that since linux takes up a very small space on a hard-drive I should be able to install it on a thumb drive). The only issue I'm running into with the USB flash is that it wont boot (as in I select it from my boot menu when my laptop boots but after that all i get is a blinking cursor and a black screen).

I partitioned the flash as follows: /boot 512MB | / 6GB | | swap 2.5 GB using the Anaconda program from the Fedora Live installer....everything went well during the install but for some reason its not working. My second plan of action is to just wipe the flash, partition and format it by hand, dd the fedora 17 iso to the / partition and then install GRUB 2. (I might need some guidance on installing GRUB).

Thanks!

PS: I researched that HP_Tools partition deal and I found this!

"I just got done with HP Support who had me copy the files from the HP Tools partition to the Recovery partition then they had me right click on "Computer" and click on "Manage"; then click "Disk Management"! Find the HP TOOLS partition and right click and click "Delete"; Once you have deleted it, then go to the Recovery partition and right click then click "Expand" and follow the wizard to expand it to it's max size.

They told me that this partition was created when the new Bios were downloaded. " posted by dwalkerde in the forum given by this link: http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Noteboo...on/td-p/216428

So then I believe I can remove that partition and should be able to install Fedora! ...I'll get back with the results - stay tuned!

[jayd512]

A couple of popular choices for Linux on USB:
Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3 | USB Pen Drive Linux
UNetbootin - Homepage and Downloads

[theNerd247]

I have the Universal USB Installer... however I'm not looking at getting a live image installed. I'm looking at getting a fully working linux system that I can save data onto. The last time i used a live image from a USB i tried to configure the system gui and install some programs that i wanted and they all went *poof!* when I went to boot again.

[theNerd247]

Ok, So i have great news and not so great news. Great news is the problem was with the 4 primary partitions. I fixed that problem by deleting the HP_TOOLS partition that I had (after copying all those files to my RECOVERY partition). Then I shrunk my C:\ partition and then booted the Fedora 16 live cd I found lying around. Then from there I installed my / and /home partitions along with 4gb of swap space for kicks and giggles. GRUB2 works like a beauty and I have a SUCCESSFUL DUAL BOOT! .........small problem....I can't seem to figure out how to deal with gettting access to my wireless network. The only thing at the top that says anything about a network is a wired network (and the cable is unplugged). I know this is kinda unrelated to the title but help would be nice.

THANKS SO MUCH GUYS!

[jayd512]

For this, you may want to start a new thread over in the Wireless Section of the forum.
Whether you start a new one, or continue with this thread, make sure to check out this page. Post back with all requested information.