Hi Charlie, hi folks,
please read my 1e-9 $ comments below:
--- "Charlie M." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
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>
> October 19, 2003 12:22 pm, pencuse wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I have such configuration on my PC from an OEM:
> > - Windows HP Home Edition with latest updates
> > - 40 GB HDD: (C: 20 GB/NTFS, D:20 GB/FAT32)
> >
> > My intention is to install Linux on partition D:
> > but I don't want to stop using Win XP on C:.
> > Please note that as a user I have never used D:
> > (no file, no application, just no user invention).
>
> If you don't have an actual Windows XP install disk
> you don't want to do that.
> "D:\" is your restore partition designed to work in
> conjunction with the
> restore disks you got from the Manufacturer in order
> to restore the machine
> to "Factory Fresh" configuration. Even if you do
> have an install disk other
> than the restore disks you will loose any vendor
> specific hardware drivers.
I have found some points thru which I would not
agree with you. In case of any mis-information,
please forgive me:
The OEM has configured the system as I want, ie.
I have asked them to partition my 40 GB drive to 2
partitions. The only bird I could not shot was
that they have not formatted 2nd partition as NTFS.
Fortunately, this seems to be good to play with the
HDD for Linux/Mandrake.
I have just made a quick-search on System Restore in
Windows XP and on my PC, here is what I have found:
Each partition has its own
- Recycler directory
- System Volume Information
hidden directories.
Recycler on each partition seems to be controllable
thru Recycle Bin options. Recycle Bin is parametric,
ie. it recycles each partition in that partition
with the hidden folder called "Recycler". Now, if
I disable Recycler on D:, Recycler folder can be
removed.
I have also found that System Restore can be turned
off on a partition basis, so "System Volume Info"
on D: can be removed as well.
Apart from these directories, there is not any
file, folder or any other ash. So these info above
makes me more hopefully to install Linux without
big problems.
> Bottom line, you don't want to alter D: unless there
> is an update from the
> manufacturer for your system.
>
> > I am continuously collecting info about Linux
> install
> > on existing partitions to be quite safe to install
> > Linux, but I still have some questions that I have
> > not been able to find their answers:
> >
> > 1. In D: (I think it will be named as "/hdb" in
> > Mandrake install program), I have found 2 hidden
> > directories:
> > - Recycled
> > - _restore{<some_code>}
>
> In GNU Linux that "drive" which is actually a
> partition would still be part of
> the hda numbering. hdb would be for a separate
> drive. That includes CD-Rom,
> CD-RW, DVD, hard drives, etc.
Ok, I understood.
> > In "_restore..." directory, there are directories
> > named as RPxxx (xxx: any number) and in these
> > hidden directories there are such files:
> > "*.log, *.ini, RestorePointSize". The directories
> > are created in arbitrary days (for some reason
> > I do not know).
>
> Part of the XP recovery system. Again, you don't
> want to change any of that
> stuff if you still want a functioning XP install.
I don't think that will create problem if I disable
System Restore on partition D:, because there is
nothing on it.
> > I have used System Restore just once (for USB
> drive)
> > and have never used any other Restore Point.
> >
> > Q: If I install Linux on D:, will the System
> Restore
> > integrity in Win XP be corrupted? I think System
> > Restore utility is not programmable to one
> > partition. I have thought to disable System
> Restore
> > from D: in order to install Linux here.
>
> Yes. Also when you next use the restore disks you'll
> lose Mandrake entirely or
> the file system will be so corrupted it will not be
> bootable.
After I have seen that System Restore can be
turned off/on on each partitioning basis, I think
there seems to be no problem to go on.
> > 2. According to the information above, do you
> > recommend me to create 2 partitions out of D: with
> > Mandrake install program, in order to prevent
> > damage to hidden files in D:?
>
> It would help to know what the machine actually is
> but it may not make a
> difference. Most of these "Restore Disk" specials
> from OEMs will always
> return the system to original factory condition and
> will claim the entire
> hard drive as it was originally partitioned. The one
> exception that I've
> managed to force was adding a larger hard drive with
> enough space to retain
> the old settings, still have room for Mandrake to
> live in, and use your
> choice of disk imaging utility to transfer
> everything from the original to
> the new after installing Mandrake and using the
> diskdrake tool to set the
> partitions to exactly the same size they were on the
> original disk. I didn't
> do it cheaply for the person I last set this up for
> either.
Maybe I have used the wrong abbrev for the company
I have bought the PC. The OEM is not like Dell or HP.
They just configure the hardware as I want, called
"noname PC". I reside in Turkey, maybe I confuse
the terms to describe some things, very sorry for
that.
Since I have noname PC, there is no restore disk
or something for me.
> Tell the list what the machine is, any details you
> can, and someone will likely be able to help you
> find a way to attain your goal.
Lovely. Here is my PC:
mainboard: MSI KT4V MS-6712 v1.0
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 1700+
RAM: 512 MB DDR 333 MHz
VGA: Leadtek Winfast A170-SE 64 MB
Ethernet: CNET PRO P200
Modem: HSFI Conexant chipset 3rd pary 56k
DVD: Toshiba DVD-ROM SD-M171
There seems to be no problem with mainboard, graphics
card and Ethernet, since I have found their relevant
Linux drivers on web.
I have not installed or played with Mandrake yet,
I'm just reading all-related info on web, after
I feel OK, I will "screw" my PC.
> Welcome to Open Source, and the Mandrake Community.
Very nice.
Best regards.
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