Mail Archives: opendos/2000/10/27/10:41:03
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Tucker" <tuckerm AT tucker DOT net>
To: <opendos AT delorie DOT com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2000 8:32 PM
Subject: Re: DRDOS FDISK
> Ok, here's my 2c on how to multi-boot with multiple primaries. I create
> the first primary parition using a linux boot disk (OS/2 or DRDOS will
> work just as well). I leave sufficient space on the disk to add
> additional partitions later. I then install any M$ operating system I'm
> going to have on the system into this partition before installing
> anyhthing else. Windows installs have a tendency to trash any other
> OS installation on the disk so I do them before there's anything on the
> disk to lose[1].
You can avoid this problem as well. DO NOT INSTALL LILO in the MBR. Install
it in the Linux partition. I make a small Linux partition for the root
directory which includes several subdirectories, such as /boot /etc, etc. I
use other partitions for /temp /usr etc. I can actually get by easily with a
32MB primary partition for Linux root. However, if you want to keep the
/temp and some other directories on the root drive them make it larger.
genrally 90MB to 100MB will work fine. the put the /usr and all of it's
subdirectories or other partitions.
As long as LILO is not in the MBR, WINDOZE and other MS crap can do whatever
it wants and not mess with the LILO boot manager. However, there is a
problem with some versions of DOS FDISK. If you FDISK with Linux fdsisk,
cfdisk, etc. and later run DOS FDISK it may play musical chairs with the
partition table entries and switch the Linux drive designations around.
Before DRDOS 7.03 FDISK was available, I just kept a Linux boot diskette
available for changing anything in the partition table such as adding
partitions or changing the active drive. Now with DRDOS 7.03 FDISK, I do not
have to worry about it. DRDOS 7.03 FDISK will work MSDOS as well. I have
helped many people out with FDISK problems they have had with MSDOS FDISK
and sent them DRDOS FDISK and they fixed their problems.
This is another reason why I do not understand the supposed problems people
have with DRDOS FDISK. I even recommended DRDOS FDISK 7.01 and 7.02 and
Novell DOS 7.0 to many people in the past. These always fixed the problems
they were having with MS FDISK.
With DRDOS 7.03 FDISK you can make just about any filesystem type of
partition you want. Use FDISK /X for the extended options. You can make FAT
32, ext2, Linux swap, Xenix, various other UNIX/Linux, Solaris, Novell
NetWare, OS/2 HPFS, NT NTFS. You can also make more than one DOS FAT 16
primary partitions with it.
I think that LILO is probably the best boot manager, as you can install it
in whatever primary partition you choose and not have it installed in the
MBR or an MS boot sector. Or install it in an MS boot sector AFTER the MS
crap has been installed. (Although some MS crap utilities may complain about
it being there.)
I have not checked out any recent FrreDOS FDISK programs. All of my FreeDOS
stuff is old and just never got around to getting a newer version. A couple
of years ago, the FreeDOS was domant for quite some time. I just never got
around to checking out the newer stuff for it.
I have not checked out GAG. I may check it out and see what it is like.
However, if it will only put itself in the MBR, I don't want it.
Anyone can download a Linux boot diskette image and use LILO. I suggest
getting Slackware boot and root diskettes. I would not bother to get a
particular CDROM boot. I would just get the SCSI version and that will cover
just about everything you need. I has SCSI and IDE drivers installed and
should work on all drive types such as: ZIP, JAZZ, Syquest, LS-120, etc.
Pat
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com
- Raw text -