gravity
asked on
Repartitiong existing Linux installation for Windoze
Hey all,
I currently have SuSE 6.3 installed on the following partitions :
/dev/hda3 (root)
/dev/hda5 (not used by anything)
/dev/hda6 /home
/dev/hda7 /usr
Now, in this current configuration is it possible to install windows on /dev/hda5 by some clever stuff ?
I remember hearing a while back that Windows can only be installed on the first partition, in this case /dev/hda3 . If this is true, is there any way to swap it with /dev/hda5 (ie /dev/hda5 becomes /dev/hda3) ?
I currently have SuSE 6.3 installed on the following partitions :
/dev/hda3 (root)
/dev/hda5 (not used by anything)
/dev/hda6 /home
/dev/hda7 /usr
Now, in this current configuration is it possible to install windows on /dev/hda5 by some clever stuff ?
I remember hearing a while back that Windows can only be installed on the first partition, in this case /dev/hda3 . If this is true, is there any way to swap it with /dev/hda5 (ie /dev/hda5 becomes /dev/hda3) ?
Windows doesn't have to be on the first partition, but it has to be on a Primary partition. You should be able to use Linux's fdisk to make more than one of your partitions primary and turn /dev/hda5 into a Vfat partition. Then your windows install should see it.
ASKER
OK, I'm not too hot with fdisk... I can get it to basic stuff, but how would I go about telling fdisk to make /dev/hda5 the primary partition ?
you'll have to delete it and then recreate it as a primary. You can have 4 primaries on the disk. Use the t command to toggle the partition type to vfat - you can get a list of the number codes from fdisk. Then try your windows boot disk to format and install
ASKER
OK, I may be able to do virtually anything in Linux including getting the irda port to communicate with another Windoze box, but could you please explain precisly what I need to do with fdisk... there are a lot of points on offer, and as someone not to used to partitioning, I'm really not that keen to much around with them... 'just in case' :)
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
I do a list and get :
/dev/hda1 * 1 18 136048+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/hda2 19 678 4989600 5 Extended
/dev/hda3 679 839 1217160 83 Linux
/dev/hda5 19 154 1028128+ 6 FAT16
/dev/hda6 155 290 1028128 83 Linux
/dev/hda7 291 678 2933248 83 Linux
When I hit 'd' I get the option of 1-7... which one should I delete ?
/dev/hda1 * 1 18 136048+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/hda2 19 678 4989600 5 Extended
/dev/hda3 679 839 1217160 83 Linux
/dev/hda5 19 154 1028128+ 6 FAT16
/dev/hda6 155 290 1028128 83 Linux
/dev/hda7 291 678 2933248 83 Linux
When I hit 'd' I get the option of 1-7... which one should I delete ?
/dev/hda5 19 154 1028128+ 6 FAT16
use 4 if 4 doesn't work then 5.
either it's reading the partitions one by one or using the table as a basis.
use 4 if 4 doesn't work then 5.
either it's reading the partitions one by one or using the table as a basis.
ASKER
Fair enough... it's about to work for me ;)
/dev/hda5 19 154 1028128+ 6 FAT16
use 4 if 4 doesn't work then 5.
either it's reading the partitions one by one or using the table as a basis.
use 4 if 4 doesn't work then 5.
either it's reading the partitions one by one or using the table as a basis.
Oops damn repost :) sorry for the repeat.