RE: [SLUG] partitioning for Linux and XP

From: Ken Elliott (kelliott11@cfl.rr.com)
Date: Sat Apr 11 2009 - 20:00:11 EDT


Windows XP (if I recall) wants its boot files located within the first 1024
cylinders. This may have been a BIOS limitation they have eliminated with
service pack 2. I've usually created a tiny Linux Boot partition, then the
XP partition. After I install XP, I install Linux, creating the remaining
partitions. You can have XP make the small first partition (for Linux Boot)
if you want, then blow it away in the Linux install. The goal is to reserve
the space needed for Linux Boot before you install XP.

Ken Elliott
=====================

-----Original Message-----
From: slug@nks.net [mailto:slug@nks.net] On Behalf Of Eben King
Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2009 9:50 AM
To: SLUG Mailing List
Subject: [SLUG] partitioning for Linux and XP

I got a 312 GiB (marketed as "320 GB") SATA drive and a USB case. My aim is

to use it as a bootable backup for my 78 GiB / 80 GB internal drive, and
also to hold XP. To that end, I partitioned it as follows:

partition mount point size
1 / backup 15.5 GiB
2 swap 2.3 GiB
3 /usr backup 4.2 GiB
4 extended 276.9 GiB (eg the rest of the disk)
   5 /home backup way too big ... I'll deal with that
   6 XP 49.9 GiB
   (more unpartitioned space)

So the XP installer complains there's no XP-compatible partition available,
but it won't say what it wants. Good design, folks. Anyone know what it
wants? I tried making it "bootable" and also setting the same flag for
partition 6, no go. I deleted and recreated the partition using XP's own
utility, no dice. Does it need to be primary? The first, $DEITY forbid?
Can I make it like it wants it, then use gparted to move it to where I want
it?

And fdisk complains for partitions 1-4 that "Partition N does not end on
cylinder boundary.". I guess that for each of those, I need to note what
cylinder it ends on now, delete then remake it so it ends on a cylinder
boundary. Unless there's a way to clean it up non-destructively?

-- 
-eben   QebWenE01R@vTerYizUonI.nOetP   royalty.mine.nu:81

An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all. -Oscar Wilde ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is provided as an unmoderated internet service by Networked Knowledge Systems (NKS). Views and opinions expressed in messages posted are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NKS or any of its employees.

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