Help needed to install Redhat Fedora 4 with dual boot option

[adai2020]

Hi all,

I am involved in an embedded systems project, and the project requires me to install a Linux distribution in my computer. My supervisor had urged us to install Redhat Fedora 4 as the tools we will be using in our embedded systems project (uCSimm-uCLinux) have been tested to work fine in Redhat Fedora 4.

Now i need to install Fedora 4 in my laptop. I have Thinkpad T60 laptop installed with Windows XP. I want to install Fedora 4 such that i can dual boot into either Windows XP or Fedora 4 on my laptop.

I would be glad if someone can help me or guide me to install Fedora 4 with a dual boot option in my laptop.

I had searched the internet for step by step guides for the Linux installation but the information is too dispersed and the more i read on the internet, the more i get more confused.

Thus far i have downloaded the files
FC4-i386-disc1.iso
FC4-i386-disc2.iso
FC4-i386-disc3.iso
FC4-i386-disc4.iso
from //ftp.heanet.ie/pub/fedora-archive/fedora/linux/core/4/i386/iso/

I know that i need to burn these four .iso files into bootable cds and use them to install Fedora 4 in my computer. However i am not very sure of the exact process as i have never installed any other operating system before.

I already have Easus Partition Manager ready to create the required additional partition for Fedora 4. There is approximately 16 GB of free space (in D drive currently) that i can allocate into a separate partition for Linux operating system.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Adai.

[meton_magis]

wow, fedora 4 is quite some time ago, 3.5 years. If you HAVE to use FC4, you should just need to burn those 4 discs, put the first one in, and reboot. Then when it is asking you how to partition the system's disk, select "use remaining free space." I've never done FC4 before (I only used 5 and beyond) so it MAY not be there, but it should be.

[coopstah13]

I would also be careful, don't confuse "free space" with unallocated disk space, they are different. If you only have one partition on your laptop, you will need to shrink it down to create room for a linux partition. You can do this with a gparted live cd. I would back up any important data first though. And whatever you do, once you start the partition resizing, don't stop it partway through, or you will really mess up your system! Even if it doesn't look like it is doing anything, it is.

[adai2020]

Thanks for your previous reply, i have a few more specific questions as follows:
(I have opted to just install Fedora Core 5 as my supervisor said either FC4 or FC5 will work fine)

1) When i reach the "Disk Partitioning" stage in the process of installing FC5, i will be given three options which are:
- "Remove all partitions on selected drives and create default layout"
- "Use free space on selected drives and create default layout"
- "Create custom layout"

I do not want my existing Windows XP operating system or my previously existing files to be disturbed or altered in any way. I would want all the existing files intact.

So i was thinking of only ticking the check box for my newly created "Linux" drive such that only this drive will be used for installation and choose the option "Use free space on selected drives and create default layout". Please refer to ://docs.fedoraproject.org/fedora-install-guide-en/fc5/ch-disk-partitioning.html for the exact "Disk Partitioning" process given in the installation of FC5.

Is this correct ? Is this what i am supposed to do ?

I should only choose the newly created Linux drive and choose the second option for installation of FC5 ?



2) If after the completion of my project i decide to uninstall FC5, will it be possible for me to delete the Linux drive and expand my D drive back to its original 30GB size ?

After removing FC5, will GRUB as my only existing bootloader still function correctly and as per normal to boot up my Windows XP OS every time i start up my computer ?

Or will i face any problems having GRUB to boot up Windows XP OS after Linux is removed ?



3) If at a later point in time i want to remove GRUB and FC5, what should i do as i do not have any other bootloaders in my MBR and Windows XP OS will probably not boot up ?

How can i go back to my current condition (before installation of Fedora Core 5 and GRUB; that of a new Windows XP loaded laptop) where Windows XP OS boots up normally ?

How can i get back my currently existing bootloader that was supplied with Windows XP OS ?



Thanks.

[coopstah13]

"Use free space on selected drives and create default layout"

this option should work well