Hi antiX experts,
I am trying to install antiX on a computer that has MSDOS 6 on it and some partitions created some time ago (maybe 3 yrs ago) and have redhat on them -- /boot / and swap.
this is what it was:
/dev/sda1 fat16 /mnt/sda1
/dev/sda2 ext3 /mnt/sda2 /boot
/dev/sda3 ext3 /mnt/sda3 /
/dev/sda4 extended
/dev/sda5 linux-swap
unallocated (a lot wasted)
I changed it to
/dev/sda1 fat16 /mnt/sda1
/dev/sda2 ext3 /mnt/sda2 /boot
/dev/sda3 ext3 /mnt/sda3 /
/dev/sda4 linux-swap
- enlarged / to use formerly unallocated space
- changed linux swap so it is not logical partition
Then I went to save the changes. Just changed the two partitions / and swap. Didn't touch anything else.
Gparted said:
warning: This will erase all data on the entire disk /dev/sda
I don't care if it wipes all the redhat away. I am just concerned about msdos. I want it to remain untouched.
Please let me know if I can just go ahead with the
device->create partition table
and ignore gparted's warning. Otherwise what should I do to make sure the msdos is untouched?
I am a bit confused. I have another 'device' called /dev/sdb1 fat32. Maybe that's msdos. But what about /dev/sda1 fat16? That's the one on sda and I'm worried about something happening to it.
Thanks very much for any help!
Bill
gparted says it will wipe sda
5 posts
• Page 1 of 1
- Posts: 3 wsimpson
- Joined: 14 Nov 2008
-
anticapitalista
- Posts: 5,959
- Site Admin
- Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#2
Hi Bill.
You only need one (or possibly 2) partitions for antiX. In fact the installer will want to put everything (except /home if you tell it) onto a single partition, so no need for your sda2 /boot and /root.
The installer drop down menu should give you the option to install onto sda2 (use custom install) as long as it is big enough 1.3GB minimum.
Later you will be asked where to install grub. You can choose in MBR or antiX's root partition ( for example sda2). I'm not sure what you would choose here if you have msdos on sda1. Is it safe to install grub to the MBR in sda1?
Let us know how it goes.
You only need one (or possibly 2) partitions for antiX. In fact the installer will want to put everything (except /home if you tell it) onto a single partition, so no need for your sda2 /boot and /root.
The installer drop down menu should give you the option to install onto sda2 (use custom install) as long as it is big enough 1.3GB minimum.
Later you will be asked where to install grub. You can choose in MBR or antiX's root partition ( for example sda2). I'm not sure what you would choose here if you have msdos on sda1. Is it safe to install grub to the MBR in sda1?
Let us know how it goes.
- Posts: 1,520 eriefisher
- Joined: 07 Oct 2007
#3
Your partition numbers confuse me. With that many partitions you would need an extended then put as many as you need inside it. This would change the numbers scheme to something like
sda1
sda2
sda7
etc
As soon as you use an extended partition the device numbers jump but it allow you to create many more than 4 which is the limit otherwise.
sda1
sda2
sda7
etc
As soon as you use an extended partition the device numbers jump but it allow you to create many more than 4 which is the limit otherwise.
- Posts: 3 wsimpson
- Joined: 14 Nov 2008
#4
eriefisher:
There's only 4 partitions in the new scheme. That's why I got rid of the old scheme which created a 4th extended partition with swap as a logical partition inside it. No need for extended partition with only 4.
Why the original scheme? It was set up that way when installing redhat. As I recall, it was considered good practice to have separate partitions for /boot and / in case something got clobbered (disk trouble etc).
Cheers
Bill
There's only 4 partitions in the new scheme. That's why I got rid of the old scheme which created a 4th extended partition with swap as a logical partition inside it. No need for extended partition with only 4.
Why the original scheme? It was set up that way when installing redhat. As I recall, it was considered good practice to have separate partitions for /boot and / in case something got clobbered (disk trouble etc).
Cheers
Bill
- Posts: 3 wsimpson
- Joined: 14 Nov 2008
#5
Thanks anticapitalista (BTW that sounds Spanish -- since you're in Greece, shouldn't that be antikapitalistis [αντίκαπιταλιστής]?). I will continue and let you know how it goes.
I have some boot loader on the system already. I will check if it is grub. If so I can skip the grub installation stage and hand-edit the grub stuff (I have done before and made notes, don't remember the file I have to edit).
Bloody headache having dual-boot with MSDOS, but I need it.
Before I go: I read somewhere else on these pages that the antiX install will create swap and /home partitions. So I guess I should get rid of /boot and swap, leave /, let install create partitions at will in sda.
Thanks αντίκαπιταλιστής for your help and for making αντίχ!
Cheers
Bill
I have some boot loader on the system already. I will check if it is grub. If so I can skip the grub installation stage and hand-edit the grub stuff (I have done before and made notes, don't remember the file I have to edit).
Bloody headache having dual-boot with MSDOS, but I need it.
Before I go: I read somewhere else on these pages that the antiX install will create swap and /home partitions. So I guess I should get rid of /boot and swap, leave /, let install create partitions at will in sda.
Thanks αντίκαπιταλιστής for your help and for making αντίχ!
Cheers
Bill