Creating space on linux partition for other OS

[vickey_20]

Hello
I recently installed red hat through automatic partioner i.e Disk Druid. Now i only have one OS on my system but my father wants to use XP , so guys i m in big trouble as i dont want to uninstall linux first and then install XP. Is there a way such that i can create space or partion from inside linux so as to have a dual boot with linux and xp.

[devils casper]

In a few machine, Windows OS doesn't work fine if you install it after Linux. Anyways, you can try to install Windows OS and it might work.

For partitioning, execute fdisk -l command in Terminal and post output here.

su -
fdisk -l

[vickey_20]

[root@localhost root]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/hda: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 13 104391 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 14 4776 38258797+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda3 4777 4865 714892+ 82 Linux swap



I want to allocate 20GB for windows and 20 for linux. Is it possible?

[devils casper]

Boot up from PartedMagic LiveCD, shrink /dev/hda2 and create free space at the end. Merge free space in /dev/hda3. Shrink /dev/hda3 to create free space again at the end of partition. Create new partition /dev/hda4 out of free space.

Its really easy to create/shrink/delete partitions using PartedMagic LiveCD. Its Graphical Interface is very user friendly.
You have to install Windows OS in 4th Primary Partition ( /dev/hda4 ) and as I have mentioned earlier, Windows OS doesn't work in a few machines if its installed in partition other than First Primary Partition.

It looks like you are using an old version of Linux distro. PartedMagic LiveCD will assign /dev/sdx device names instead of /dev/hdx. No need to worry about that. Just go ahead and resize/create partition(s).

[coopstah13]

not sure if red hat comes with it by default, but you can use gparted to shrink and move partitions, this will allow you to shrink your linux partition to 20gb, then you can create a partition for xp from the new free space

[vickey_20]

since i m a newbie i have this doubt . We are not doing anything to /dev/hda1 as it is the active partition and is neccesary for linux to run. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[devils casper]

First of all, /boot ( /dev/hda1) is a very small partition. We can't squeeze much space from it. /dev/hda1 is first Primary Partition and by default, its set as bootable/active. Linux doesn't care about boot flag though. Unlike Windows OS, you can install Linux in any partition, Logical or Primary and Linux will not complain.

[yancek]

You should just shrink the 'hda2' partition as it takes up almost your entire drive. No need to do anything with 'hda1', not really sure what that is, boot partition? very small partition. Create partition as instructed by Devils Casper and install xp on the newly created partition. You will need an entry in the Red Hat bootloader menu for xp. If you're not sure how to do that, post again after you install xp.

[vickey_20]

I have just downloaded the PartedMagic soft and will be burning it shotly. Thanks for your suppot guys
And is it really possible to install linux on a logical partition? If yes then how can I do that?

[devils casper]

And is it really possible to install linux on a logical partition? If yes then how can I do that?

You wont have to do anything special. Remove all partitions. Create new Primary for Windows OS. Create an Extended Partition and assign it rest of free space. Create Logical Partition(s) inside Extended partition. You can create 11 Logical Partitions inside Extended.

Install Windows OS in Primary and Linux in Logical. Linux installer will detect Windows OS and setup dual boot itself.