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Thread: What Size /boot Does Linux Take?

  1. #1
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    What Size /boot Does Linux Take?

    Forgive the thread subject, just a little attempt at a joke... sorry if it failed!

    I've got Linux Mandrake 7.1 on an 8.4 GB HDD, problem is, it has more than 1024 cylinders, so I have to boot from a floppy cos LILO dies every time from the MBR.

    All I need to know is how much space does the /boot partition need (cos I'm gonna repartition it so that theres a small /boot partition at the start of the drive than a larger / partition for the rest of the drive)

    I just need to know how much space linux needs in its /boot s!!
    One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them.
    One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
    (The Lord Of The Rings)
    http://www.bytekill.net

  2. #2
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    I think you'll find most hard disks have more than 1024 cylinders!

    Have a look here: http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/mini/Partition/

  3. #3
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    Yes, but a small partition at the start of a large hard drive gets round the problem... All i wanted to know was how much space the /boot directory needs!!!

    10 MB seems to work, though, and my Linux box now works fine, apart from that I made a mistake with the X-Setup part of the install and now have no graphical interface, but I can soon put that right!
    One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them.
    One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
    (The Lord Of The Rings)
    http://www.bytekill.net

  4. #4
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    Re: /boot size

    You got it. / and /boot don't really need much space at all.
    I think you will find that many Distro's that have a feature to automatically setup up your partitions will often give you a combined boot-root in the neighborhood of about 20-35 MB.
    /usr is the disk pig.

    GUI?

    You should be able to install XFree86 and all the dependencies plus a window manager with no problem.
    Know this..., you may not by thyself in pride claim the Mantle of Wizardry; that way lies only Bogosity without End.

    Rather must you Become, and Become, and Become, until Hackers respect thy Power, and other Wizards hail thee as a Brother or Sister in Wisdom, and you wake up and realize that the Mantle hath lain unknown upon thy Shoulders since you knew not when.


  5. #5
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    Cool

    Yeah, I can, it's just that my monitor only seems to work at a certain resolution and colour depth, but I keep forgetting what it is, so I have to try them all, but... the mouse seems to stop working after a couple of failed attempts, then the keyboard locks up after the 3rd or 4th, and i'm basically *****ed...

    It's not a problem, I know what I'm doing, It's just a case of finding the right setting again!
    One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them.
    One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
    (The Lord Of The Rings)
    http://www.bytekill.net

  6. #6
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    Problem solved... It needed 16-bit colour, not 24- or 32-, at a resolution of 1024x768 @ 70Hz !!!!!
    One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them.
    One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
    (The Lord Of The Rings)
    http://www.bytekill.net

  7. #7
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    Re: cool.

    Like your attitude! You a Slackware user by any chance?

    /* please, don't take offense to the Slackware user comment if you use another Distro. */
    Know this..., you may not by thyself in pride claim the Mantle of Wizardry; that way lies only Bogosity without End.

    Rather must you Become, and Become, and Become, until Hackers respect thy Power, and other Wizards hail thee as a Brother or Sister in Wisdom, and you wake up and realize that the Mantle hath lain unknown upon thy Shoulders since you knew not when.


  8. #8
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    Currently using Mandrake 7.1, have tried Slackware before, don't know much about it cos i tried it for a short while then the motherboard died, so when i reinstalled everything I put mandrake on.

    I've tried redhat as well, but i think I'll be sticking with mandrake for now (when i buy another comp. I might try a different distro on it as well, though)

    No offence taken by the slackware comment - from what i saw of it it looked good!
    One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them.
    One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
    (The Lord Of The Rings)
    http://www.bytekill.net

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