🚀 go-pugleaf

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It's 03 Jun 98  20:52:24,
We'll return to jeffarma@telusplanet.net and All's
discussion of Dual booting with Linux, NT Srv, WKST, and Win95

As a NT and Linux user, I might be able to help. :-)

 je> I have just bought myself a 4.3 GB hard drive and I am about to set up
 je> partitions and start installing my OSs.
 je> I was thinking to setup Win95 first and then NT, so NT sees '95 and
 je> offer's dual boot.  Then I was thinking to install Red Hat on its own
 je> partition. However, ther are several issues I'm not sure about:

Seems a good approach.  I'd do it in the same order myself.

 je> - Will Lilo automatically offer dual boot??

Depends on the distribution.  Red Hat does ask if you want to add
another OS besides Linux to the boot menu during installation, so it
should work fine.

 je> - Does Linux have to be on my boot partition?

No, Linux will boot from wherever the image= line in /etc/lilo.conf
points to.

 je> - Can I make my boot partition NTFS and still have Linux and Win95
 je> boot?

Linux, yes, as LILO will independently load the kernel, but Win 95 won't
work, as it can't read NTFS.  IMHO, you're better off doing something
like:

Install Win 95 on C:, and _don't_ use FAT32 (large disk support).
Install NT on D: (or another logical drive).  This will place NT's boot
files on C:, but the bulk of NT will be on D:, which can be NTFS.

Finally, install Linux on the rest of the disk (I generally use primary
partitions for Linux, but not essential, unless you want to keep LILO in
the boot sector, instead of the MBR).

 je> Below is an explanation of how I am planning to layout my HD:

 je> Partition 1 (Boot):
 je> - 1.2GB
 je> - NTFS
 je> - Stores NT Srv & WKST

 je> Partition 2:
 je> - 1.2GB
 je> - NTFS
 je> - Application storage

 je> Partition 3:
 je> - 1.1GB
 je> - Fat16
 je> - Stores Win95 and Dos 6.22

 je> Partition 4:
 je> - 800MB
 je> - LS OS
 je> - Stores Linux

 je> If anyone sees a problem with this layout please tell me.  Any help is
 je> greatly appreciated. Thank you.

The biggie is Win 95 won't work in this layout.  I'd probably go for
something like:

1:         FAT16 - Win 95 (NT boot loader lives here too)
2:         Linux primary
3:         (extended, contains the following logical partitions)
        D:         NTFS - Windows NT on D:
        /dev/hda6 Linux swap partition (32 MB)
        /dev/hda7 Linux home partition (if you want a separate /home,
                                        otherwise omit this one).

In this arrangement, I'd install LILO in the boot sector of partition 2
(/dev/hda2), as Windows NT will trash LILO if it lives in the MBR, the
first time you run Disk Administrator.  An alternative that may prove
simpler is to load Linux from a Win 95 DOS session by using Loadlin.

The order to proceed in the above would be to:

1.  Fdisk the disk under Win 95 and create the Win 95 partition.  Format
it and install Win 95.

2.  Run NT's install program.  Create partition 2, but don't use it yet.
Also, create the extended partition and the D: logical drive, where NT
will be installed, and have NT format D:  Continue installing NT.

3.  Run Linux installation.  Change the partition type of /dev/hda2 to
83 (Linux Native).  Create the swap and (if desired) home partitions.
Change type of swap partition to 82 (Linux swap).  Continue installing
Linux.  Finally, at the end, install LILO, and add the /dev/hda1 to the
boot menu.  Install LILO in the boot sector of /dev/hda2.

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|Fidonet:  Tony Langdon 3:632/367.2
|Internet: tlang@freeway.apana.org.au
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| Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.