Partitioning with Partition Magic

Ok I got my Partition Magic and I can't figure it out. I don't think my hard drive is working. I want to create a Linux partition so anyway

1)Create New Partition
2)(It says if I would like to put on a new operatingsystem) yes
3)I check the box Ext2(linux only)
4)I hit the logical button

location of new partition
5)I highlight After C:\ (recommended)
6) I hit next
7) My space says 8071.7mb
8) Then it wants me to label it, What do I call it?
9) Then I hit next
10) I hit finish

Then I get a nice setup seeing my current partition with my new partition
So then I hit merge partitions and it gives me this message "There are no partitions on this drive to merge"


Could someone who has used Partition Magic to put Linux on there hard drive help me out. Give me a walkthough.

d00d.. dont worry about partition magic.. if u want to make a linux partition..

just use fdisk and create a logical partition for your linux
and pop in your linux CD and juz follow as prompt

Well see my problem is that the Linux won't let me do an Automatic Partition. And my windows says it needs all my hard drive space. So I downloaded Partition Magic and It still won't cut my hard drive.

Ok, there should be a couple partitioning tools available to you when you run through the install. One of them is fdisk, and the other is Disk Druid. I know it won't automatically partition your hard drive, but here is the recommended way to partition a Linux box (Red Hat, anyway).

/boot 16 meg
swap partition (no label) 64 meg
/ the rest of the space you set aside for Linux

Maybe this changes with different releases, but I don't believe it does. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not exactly a Linux expert. ;)

Your HDD is 8 GB, i take it from your first post?

If that is so, give Windows about 4 GB
Give linux the other 4, distributed as follows

Label Size
==== ===
/boot 10 - 20 MB
[swap] 100 - 200 MB
/ All remaining space

[swap partition is different to ext2 linux native, and doesn't require a label]

Use Microsoft's FDISK to set your windows drive 4 GB as primary DOS drive, leave the remaining space unpartitioned [dont make a logical DOS drive on the remaining space]

Then run Linux setup and partition the rest in that!

Rewandythal, from what I can see, your taking it as freeOn is installing them clean.. I assume this, as afaik, FDISK does not have any support for resizing partitions....

I take it that you already have Windows installed, and if are trying to install a linux distribution on your hard drive...

I've only used RedHat before, so this information could be wrong..
On one of the CD's there should be a directory called DOSUTILS...
inside this directory there should be a program called FIPS.. this will allow for you to resize your partitions, to create space to install your Linux distro...
There are docs on using the install in the same directory... If your distro does not include FIPS, PM me and I'll send them your way...

Yes, I was assuming that it was a clean install. Sorry.

Rewandythal: This isn't meant as a personal attack or anything, but do you really think that he needs 100 - 200 meg for swap space? I run mine on 64 meg of swap space, and 32 meg of physical RAM. It rarely taps into the swap partition. Maybe I'm missing something, but I do think that setting aside that much swap space is a bit excessive. If you need that much swap space, it's time to go out and buy another memory card.

Rewandythal, there is no need to apologise... If anything, I should have worded my response better... your information was still good, just slightly out of context...

Stflook:I'm not good at linux (far be it, I suck mega ass at linux), but whenever I install it, I use a minimum of 100MB for the swap space..
Basically, I follow the basic MS rule.. whatever the publishers say, at least double it... even on an 8gig HDD your not gonna miss 100meg...

Ok well do I delete the FAT32 partition, but If I do that then I only get the linux operating system. The FAT32 partition says it's holding 1946mb and when I try to add the swap, / , and the /boot it says not enough space available.

FreeOn... I think you need to create free space first, using somethign like FIPS....

thats what I had to do whenever I installed linux on my computer, and I always did it on computers with Windows using all the HDD...

FreeOn: Do you just have one partition on your hard drive right now, or do you have more? Also, are you using Disk Druid or Fdisk? Fdisk can't resize partitions. I'm pretty sure Disk Druid can.

Matty Cross: Remember, this is Linux, not Windows. It doesn't have all the ridiculous crap added to it to try to keep the common user in awe. It doesn't require 50,000 processes to run like Windows XP does. I have mine set up as a server, and I only use about 30 meg of RAM at eny given time. Using 100 meg of swap space for Linux in my opinion is a waste of good hard drive space.

stflook: Most of what I know about Linux I've learn from installing it.. and the information I was giving freeOn was mainly from the instructions I've read on just about every mag. that included Linux...

These were aimed at the general user, yet they told the user to use the FIPS utility... so I never used Disk Druid to attempt to resize a partition...

I was just trying to be helpful... *cowers in fear*
:D


Hehe, Windows does run a lot of crap... Anyone know why there are 5 instances of Outlook.exe in my task manager?

FreeOn: Do you just have one partition on your hard drive right now, or do you have more? Also, are you using Disk Druid or Fdisk? Fdisk can't resize partitions. I'm pretty sure Disk Druid can.

Yes I only have Windows on my Computer. I'm using Disk Druid. And I have partition magic. So what should I do, god I wish I could take a screen shot of it.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Matty Cross
stflook: Most of what I know about Linux I've learn from installing it.. and the information I was giving freeOn was mainly from the instructions I've read on just about every mag. that included Linux...

These were aimed at the general user, yet they told the user to use the FIPS utility... so I never used Disk Druid to attempt to resize a partition...

I was just trying to be helpful... *cowers in fear*
:D


Hehe, Windows does run a lot of crap... Anyone know why there are 5 instances of Outlook.exe in my task manager?

---

That's the exact same way I have obtained just about everything I know about Linux. I have a book on it, which recommends using 64 meg. It's really all a matter of personal preference, as long as you set aside enough. I have never used FIPS, only Disk Druid. I know there is a tool out there that allows you to resize partitions. Maybe it is FIPS. I'm far from a Linux expert, so I don't know. Obviously it's not Disk Druid, going by what FreeOn says.

Yes, I know why Outlook is doing that to you. It's a Microsoft product! :bigsmile:

What should I do to the FAT32, should I delete it and then re-build it.

freeOn.. you shouldn't have to do that...
You can resize your Fat32 partition.. if partition magic and disk druid won't do it, try FIPS.. I've included the entire FIPS directory off my linux cd with this post incase you wanna take a look at it... includes source.. :D

Is there anything you would miss if you did rebuild your entire system? If not, hell go for that.. for my experience, it will be quicker than resizing your partition.. *you've gotta defragment your hard drive before resizing*

OK well that's what I've been told to do by some other people so I should give that a shot. Hopefully it works if it doesn't then well I guess I should just leave it alone.lol. Thanks for the help guys