Hovergo

Has anyone successfully installed and used FC8 on a Dell laptop 1520.
Dell install xp and will provide a second partition for Linux.

I'm a bit worried, can someone help please.
TIA
Hovergo

devils casper

There is no need to worry and installation is pretty easy. Download PartedMagic LiveCD and boot up from it. Create two partitions, one for root ( / ) and other for SWAP.

1 Partition : format in ext3 Filesystem -- Allocate as much space as you like, 8-10GB is enough.
2 Partition : format in SWAP -- 512MB is enough.

Boot up from Fedora installation CD/DVD and start installation. Select ext3 partition and assign it / mount point. Installer will detect SWAP partition itself. Dual boot is default. Installer will detect Windows OS and setup dual boot for you.
Do let me know how it goes. Good Luck !

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Hovergo

Thank you for your reply casper.
It's not so much the partitioning that concerned me, I will download PartedMagic straight away, thanks.
I was more concerned about the Dell bios. With my daughter's new Dell 1520 laptop we found yesterday, she cannot install some software types. Interesting because I 'can' install that software on my pc.
This gave the concern with the next laptop purchase for a friend that Dell may also prevent Linux from installing. The problem is also one of distance, once the laptop is delivered I cannot get to it to fix problems if any and the user is not familiar with linux.
This is going to be interesting, I think.
Thanks
Hovergo

devils casper

There shouldn't be any problem but to be sure, I will check Linux compatibility on Dell 1520. Dell also sells a few models having Linux re-installed and its first company to do that.

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Hovergo

Thanks.
Here in Australia Dell quoted $3500 AUD to install any other operating system than xp or vista.Thye sya and I quote" Linux is free you can install it yourself, we only have licenses to install xp and vista.
I have heard that Linux is installed in the UK and possibly Europe.
If compatibility ok I will go ahead, thanks again.
Hovergo

devils casper

Fedora 8 works perfectly on Dell 1520 but you might face Graphics problem during installation. If Graphics doesn't work, just select text mode installation. Its easy to fix Graphics Problem after installation.

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techieMoe

I've had no serious issues with Linux on my Inspiron 1520.

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Registered Linux user #270181
TechieMoe's Tech Rants

devils casper

My friend has Dell 1520 and he hadn't any problem during Ubuntu installation. But I tried Fedora LiveCD on it and Fedora didn't work properly coz of Graphics. Its a minor problem though.

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meereck

I have the same laptop with MS Vista 32bit installed, I have the following partitions:
http://temp.siluetapraha.com/PartitionResize.gif

I wanted to install Fedora 8 so I had to manipulate with partitions:

1) I created a free space for Linux - under Vista (the last cell in the picture)
2) I ran Parted Magic and created an extended partition. Within that partition, I also created 512MB Linux-SWAP at the end of the partition, and the rest space, I used for logical ext3 partition.
3) Parted Magic wrote is was done.

I restarted the PC and I get a blue screen few seconds after booting MS Vista. I am not able to read the blue screen message because it just blicks and then restarts.

I ran Parted Magic again and deleted entire extended partition, and MS Vista works again.
I am afraid of further manipulation with the disc since I have lots of data on it.

Would anyone have any hints?
Thanks in advance, regards Meereck

techieMoe

This is really the only step you needed to do. I believe the issues you're having stem from the fact that you tried to create the Linux partitions yourself. Most Linux installers will give you the option to simply "Use existing free space" if you leave the 9GB section of your harddrive blank and unpartitioned. The installer will do the rest for you.

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