Dual Boots

[BOAC]

I am toying with having a dual boot W98/Linux sytem.
Can anyone tell me in simple, pilot language,

a) Is it worth it?
b) How do I do it?
c) Assumimg a) is yes and b) is simple, which Linux system should I use?

Email address available - and always grateful for help.

[matelot]

Biased opinion only!

Once tried Linux Mandrake with Win 98: eventually had some success in dual booting, but as it's a totally different OS, and the look and feel is different, it became an interesting exercise.

If you drop a b0llock, it's difficult to get back to Win 98 because Linux writes to the boot sector.

Also had difficulty getting a number of drivers for scanners/modems etc. (non written for Linux!)

If I had the time, I'd acquire an old machine - even an old 486 will do - and set up Linux as the sole OS, and have a play. Then take it from there. Might save a bit of angst! :)

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Me, sweat? I'm that cool, it's condensation.

[BOAC]

Hmmm..... thanks!

[Tinstaafl]

There are a few options:

1. Obtain a version of Linux that resides on the DOS/Windows partition & file system. Can't remember the name of one but www.linux.org (http://www.linux.org) will have links somewhere.

This will allow you to play around with Linux without interfering much with your Windows installation.

2. Install one of the more user friendly Linuxs (Linii?) into its own partition eg Mandrake, Redhat, Corel.

You will need to repartition your hard disk to to this. Partition Magic can do it without losing your data. Like any software it can still muck things up so make sure you back up your data!!!!

Linux Mandrake 7.2 has DiskDrake which can also do this easily. Not sure what tools Redhat have. Corel can also do this but the interface is awkward & difficult to use.

There are also free DOS based tools that can do the same eg Ranish Partition Manager. Ranish was a real lifesaver for me recently. Even Partition Magic refused to work - and it caused the problem! http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/frown.gif

Install Linux AFTER Windows. Unlike Windows, Linux has reasonable boot loaders that allow you to choose which OS to boot into.

To remove Linux remove the partitions & it's gone. To restore the DOS/Windows boot afterwards:

1. Boot to DOS from a floppy with a copy of DOS's 'Fdisk' on it.

If you don't have a bootable floppy, Win98 has a function to create an emergency boot disk that is very useful. Alternatively format a floppy with the '/s' switch to copy the system files & make the floppy bootable ie in a DOS window type

'format a: /s'.

Afterwards copy 'fdisk' to the floppy.

2. Boot from the floppy & type 'fdisk /mbr'. This will restore the Master Boot Record to point to Windows, allowing Windows to boot. Microsoggy in its inestimable wisdom chose not to document this switch...

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I've been toying with dual booting Linux/Win98 on my laptop for a month or three. So far I've tried Corel & Mandrake 7.2, all obtained from Linux magazine cover disks. Disks of various distributions can also be obtained from http://www.cheap-linux.co.uk .


In each case I had no trouble getting to a command line Linux environment but neither could get a windowing environment 'out of the box'. Managed to do so with some manual tweaking with Corel, but so far no luck with Mandrake.

Mandrake has a much better installation routine though.

First thing to do is get copies of the various 'HOWTO' documents.

www.linux.org (http://www.linux.org)
www.linuxdoc.org (http://www.linuxdoc.org)
www.linuxnewbie.org (http://www.linuxnewbie.org)

all have lots of information & useful links.

Hope this helps.

[BOAC]

Thanks all. Tinstaafi - any links to the 'Ranish'?

[Tinstaafl]

Any of the software sites such as CNet or Tucows tend to have it.

google.com comes up with a stack of links to sources including the programmer's own site if you enter 'ranish'.

The program is free & is called 'ranish partition manager'.

If I can find what bloody disk I put my copy of it on I'll email it to you. It's DOS based & is a quite small file size.

[astrocyte]

Tin
When you say to remove linux remove the partition and its gone what prog are you using to remove the partition?

Thanks

[Tinstaafl]

Any of these have worked for me:

Linux's 'fdisk' (DOS 'fdisk' should also work since it can remove but not reinstall my save-to-disk partition.

Partition Magic

Ranish 'Partition Manager'

Linux Mandrake's 'DiskDrak'

[FE Hoppy]

Tried duel boot with mandrake a years or so ago.
Spent 6 months cleening up the mess afterwards. My bro is a network engineer and uses red hat a lot but even he was shocked at the mess it made.
I lost part of my hard drive (2.4megs) and to this day have been unable to recover it.
buy an old 486 and put it on their to save a lot of heart ache.