attempting the dreaded laptop install...

E Frank Ball frankb at efball.com
Thu Mar 15 22:17:11 PST 2001


} WIN2000 pro on 12 gig HD partitioned: C: ->2.92 GB, D:->2.92 GB
} (I don't exactly have the OS on CD, if ya know what I mean...)
} I plan to devote the rest of the drive to Linux as I need to be able to
} dual-boot.
} 
} I also have questions about setting Linux partitions for install.  I would
} like to do a "whole-shebang" install, particularly with server capabilities
} and I have had trouble in the past with the install barking about not enough
} room on partitions.  I'm also not sure if I have to explicitly define /usr
} and /home or if this is taken care of by the install (this is my first 7.0
} install).

Always do a "custom" install (as opposed to a workstation or server
install) so you can set the partions yourself.  To give you some idea
how brain dead Redhat's workstation install is at the last install fest
it automatically used a zip drive for a swap partition.

It sounds like you have almost 6GB available for Linux.  Everybody has
their favorite partitioning methods.  I like to keep it simple.  I
suggest three partitions swap, / and /home

I make /home separate so I can wipe out my installation and most of my
cusomizations and local files are saved.  I make /usr/local a sym link
that points to /home/local.  I would not make a /usr or a /tmp or a /var
that just limits your flexibility.  If you bios recognizes the whole
drive there is no need for /boot either.

You don't say how much RAM you have, but be generous with swap, 200MB or
so, 100MB minimum.  If you think you will have a lot of files to store
split the rest in half between / and /home.  If you don't think you will
be storing a massive amount of stuff make / 3GB and make the rest /home.

Just my opinions.

   E Frank Ball                efball at efball.com



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