Linux on partition or new HD

[haggisinlondon]

Hi

I hope this is not a question that has been asked a thousand times. I currently run windows XP and have it running pretty well. I want to run mandrake Linux as well on the same machine. I have a spare 2GB hard drive lieing around. Would it be better for me to install Mandrake on the other HD or run it off a partition on my current HD with Xp installed on it?

If the answer is the seperate HD would I install the seperate HD, format it and then let Madrake pick it up and tell it to install itself there. Would the mandrake boot manager then run every time I start my machine and let me choose Windows XP or Mandrake Linux?

Thanks

[freezinbutt]

Hello haggisinlondon,

I run Linux both ways myself but I only install a distro on my spare HDD when I want to try it out. I like to try all kinds of software so that's what I use the spare drive for. If I like it, then I install it on the main drive.

My thought here is that your spare 2GB HDD is going to fill up fast with a Mandy install on the native partition and then the SWAP partition (depending on how big you make the SWAP). I think it is kinda up to you and what you feel comfortable with.

If you decide to put Linux on the main drive with XP, Mandy will do a fine job of using the unused space on that drive if that is what you choose but I would recommend that you create a separate partition for it. You will need Partition Magic or System Commander or some other partitioning tool to do this without loosing all your data.

I'm affraid I don't know how to answer the last part of your question because I have never installed Linux on two separate drives and then tried to boot from either drive. When I use my spare drive to play around, I just plug it in and unplug the other drive. I know this sounds kinda anal, but it eliminates the human error part. That way I don't screw up any data on my main drive. I'm sure there is a way to do that though.

Hope this helps,
freezinbutt

[MaXimum SMOKE]

I use a separate drive for my linux install. Generally I set up the partitions on it, 'hdb' as /boot (small linux native partition) , swap (linux swap about 250 meg or so) and the rest goes / (root for the balance space linux native) lilo or grub is installed on the Master Boot Record of the primary drive hda, and yes the bootloader runs first and allows you to select the os to boot. Generally there is a time-out if you do not choose the alternate os and the default OS will then boot. All the distros I have used, set Linux as the default. If you want the default to be Windows you have to configure it in the Boot Mgr setup for your linux distro. I have never used XP, personally. I don't know how XP and it's 'big brother' hardware monitoring treats changes to the MBR. By the way it is pretty easy to use up 2 gig with a common linux install, if you choose a lot of the options. They give you a lot of software. If you're just experimenting with the OS, there is a lot of things like 'Server' software, that you can do without installing. Just my 2 cents. Of course all the "Back Up Your Data", before messing with your MBR warnings apply here as usual.

[jglen490]

RedHat will install very well on its own harddrive, as MaXimum SMOKE said "hdb" (assuming it's the second IDE drive). You can use grub as the bootloader. Lilo has been around longer, and is quite capable, but I've had much better joy with grub :) .

It is also possible to use the NT bootloader that comes with XP, but for that I would refer you to the how-to docs at www.linuxdoc.org.

[haggisinlondon]

Thanks for all the advice.

I have swapped my brother for a 6.4gb hard drive and will use that for the Linux system. I will experiment with using the two OS at the same time or I may just unplug the Harddrive I am not using.

cheers
haggis