-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 October 19, 2003 02:03 pm, pencuse wrote: <whack> Hi Charlie, hi folks, > > please read my 1e-9 $ comments below: > > > > > 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.
Nothin' to forgive. You were clarifying the information you previously provided and that's always a "Good Thing.©" (-: Yes, shared FAT32 or leaving that partition was a good plan for you. You could have done what you wanted even if the partition was NTFS but all data on it would have been lost and Windows would probably have complained bitterly. Not that anyone pays attention to those complaints as long as it still boots and runs. > 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. It really doesn't matter what's there as long as it isn't using a significant pertion of the space at present. Make things easier for yourself. I'm certain you'll see other recommendations but I'd shrink (there's a resize option in the diskdrake graphical installer that you can use) the D: drive to a much smaller size when you install Mandrake Linux, leaving some space for expansion and the aforementioned sharing between operating systems. Mandrake will be able to view the entire disk but as Windows is configured by default it can't see any space not formatted to a Windows file system type. Since you have 20 GB roughly to play with I'd probably give 15 of that to Mandrake for the install and leave the other 5 FAT32. But that's just me. I'm all about easy transitions for new "Mandrakians." > 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. That will all be OK once you resize the partition to install Mandrake. Windows isn't completely inflexible after all, my concern initially was that you'd have to fight with a proprietary restore disk and cause yourself endless grief. Since you won't because you have the actual Windows XP disk you should be fine. > 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. Yes but you won't need to probably. Just resize the partition and the first time you boot Windows after it will run a check on it's modified home(s). > 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. Should be OK. Barring "Acts of God and the cussedness of Man." > > 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. > > > 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. > You can still use system restore from a resized D: drive. As I posted above Windows will complain the first time but it should shut up after that. > 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. Doesn't matter if you do or not but it's been handy for the friends I have that still use Windows XP for some things. It just makes the OS a bit less "weak" to be able to restore it from a "Last known Good Configuration." Also a lot faster than a full re-install. > 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. Thanks for clearing it up. Your plan is reasonable and you should be able to do things that way with minimal fuss. > Since I have noname PC, there is no restore disk > or something for me. Good, as long as you have the install disk for Windows you're laughing. > 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. Why would you need to? Most of the stuff will at the least be completely usable by default on first boot. That NVidia based card will work fine, it just won't have 3D acceleration until you install the proprietary module. That's easy though, just install kernel source first. The modem of course, will give you trouble, but since I haven't touched a dial up configuration for a _long_ time I'll leave that to others. Just download the driver for that before you start (put it in D:) and you can follow the instructions on the site you get it from to make it work probably. Drop into www.linmodems.org first though. You'll be happy you did I'd imagine. Also the following link may help; http://start.at/modem > 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. > The winmodem may be the only stumbling block. A small one since almost all have been "hacked" into submission and often work better than they do in Windows. You should be OK but don't be shy to ask questions. There are some extremely helpful and proficient people that read the list and post replies. Just remember that detail is vital. One last thing; you may want to check out the "Community Wiki" for a look at some hard work directed at making information easy to find and readily accessible. There are a few people that have put enormous effort into that project (you know who you are!) and I think it's truly a treasure for people like yourself on the 'just getting started' path. It's here: http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org Enjoy! <g> Charlie - -- Edmonton,AB,Canada User 244963 at http://counter.li.org Cooker on kernel 2.4.22-10mdk 14:14:28 up 29 days, 3:37, 1 user, load average: 0.01, 0.27, 0.27 I'd just as soon kiss a Wookie. -- Princess Leia Organa -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQE/kvrdG11CaRuZZSIRAkpVAJ9TUOPSpWDbI+X4F/8AEl4ZREBNaACgkyl5 5wsHQjInsSlOhT7GFswpsFI= =52aP -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
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