Idiots guide to formatting required

[Shagpile]

I want to install slax or epios to my harddrive.

There is nothing on the drive I want.
There is only one hard drive on my computer.
There is only one dvd drive on my computer (other ide slot)

How do I format it so that I can install operating systems?

I dont want any fancy swap partitions or anything like that.
Just pure and simple, how do I use cfdisk and then how do I format it ready to install?
(Step by step would be really cool. Also I dont want explaining what each but does, I just want to be told what to do.)

Thanks

[oz]

Hi... here's a good cfdisk howto that give examples of how to use cfdisk. Following this guide would be easier than anyone here trying to type out a step-by-step guide. Hope it helps you to accomplish your project:

http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/...TO/cfdisk.html

[Shagpile]

I like the way you call it a project.
All I am trying to do is install slax to my hard drive

[oz]

Ok, good luck installing Slax to your hard drive...

[ihayhurst]

I can't think of a linux distro that doesn't guide you through it these days
I usually do it myself first though,
Boot Linux distro or rescue disk,
for ide disks
fdisk device
where device is
primary master /dev/hda
primary slave /dev/hdb
secondary master /dev/hdc
secondary slave /dev/hdd

p (to print partitions there)
m for help
d to delete the old ones
(it asks you which number to delete... I start at the highest and work down... I cant remember exactly but if you start with 1 I think it renumbers... so if you delete 1 and you have 4 partitions you need to keep deleeting number 1 , 4 times)

then when the tables empty add partitions in , (it asks how big)
opinions vary but bootloaders arent so fussy where they start from now
so you will get away with one big root partition and a swap,
rule of thumb is swap at 2.5 to 3 times physical memory size... don't bother with more than a gig though, (you may add more memory so why not just make it a gig anyway) you can have 4 primary partitions on a disk so make them both primary when prompted, (makes the partition numbering easy) and set the type, 82 for Linux, 83 for Linux Swap
remember to use w to write the new table,
exit then build a filesystem on the new partitions...
Ext2 is easy (add the -j option to make it journaling.. ie ext3)
I prefer reiser (personal choice)
mke2fs -j /dev/hda1
mkswap /dev/hda2

That said, most distros willl do this all for you , or detect what you have done and build the fs of your choice,
Good Luck
Cheers Ian

[oz]

Oh... here's a tutorial created by another LinuxForums.org member that might be helpful, too:

http://www.linuxforums.org/tutorials...ial-29408.html

[dyn0myt3]

I want to install slax or epios to my harddrive.

There is nothing on the drive I want.
There is only one hard drive on my computer.
There is only one dvd drive on my computer (other ide slot)

How do I format it so that I can install operating systems?

I dont want any fancy swap partitions or anything like that.
Just pure and simple, how do I use cfdisk and then how do I format it ready to install?
(Step by step would be really cool. Also I dont want explaining what each but does, I just want to be told what to do.)

Thanks

YOU MUST HAVE at least root and swap
I recommend CFDISK over FDISK
At the ROOT prompt type CFDISK /dev/hdb (i use my primary slave)
if you are using your primary master /dev/hda
set your swap partition as a logical at the end of drive-
YOU MUST HAVE THIS READ: REQUIRED
the rest of your drive will be "root" and make it physical and start at the begginning of the drive.

you must set the "type" and "bootable" flags
your root will be bootable and should be type 83
swap is type 82 and NOT BOOTABLE
Make sure you "WRITE" after each change
reboot
return to the prompt and type setup. this will take you into the install.
This is a good link for newbs to check out.
http://www.slackersbible.org/

good luck and post back
dyn0myt3

[borromini]

# cfdisk /dev/hda

Then use the available commands to create partitions, select a partition type & file system type, save, and reboot. YOu do not need to format the partitions actually - that will be done by the installer of your future Linux OS. Be sure though to set all the file system types on the partitions. Especially for your swap partition.

I know you mentioned you didn't want a swap partition - but if you have less than 512 MB I would definitely consider it. You might need it at times.

[Shagpile]

I have 1024mb - 64mb of ram on this computer. Does that mean I dont need a swap drive?

[oz]

I have the same amount of RAM but still use a 512mb swap file.