How Would I Go About Installing Mandriva 2007?

[Guest Bobo_Hobo]

As the topic description suggests, I'm a total newbie at this. I don't know anything about Linux so I'm asking you guys to help me out. I dont want to screw up my system so I want to get everything right on the first try. Here's what I need:

 

Dual Boot Mandriva 2007 and Windows XP (already running on my PC)

 

Here's a few questions:

 

1. Do I need to/should I create a new partition for the installation of Mandriva? I current have 1 hard drive with two partitions, C and D.

2. How much space would I need on the partition?

3. Which should I use..KDE or GNOME (or both?)?

 

That's all I can think of right now, but I know that's not all of my questions so I'll update with more questions later. Thanks in advance.

[willie]

1: Yes you need an new parition, Mandriva creats there "/, swap, home"

2. 20 gygabite is more then enough

3. Install both and find out which one you like

 

You can also take a look here on the wiki

Edited October 4, 2006 by willie

[neddie]

That slideshow doesn't work very well:

Warning: mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: Access denied for user 'mandrake_devries'@'localhost' (using password: YES) in /home/paul/www/devries/gallery2/lib/adodb/drivers/adodb-mysql.inc.php on line 348

 

To answer your question, yes Mandriva will need a separate partition, or partitions, on your hard drive, which means that your C and/or D will need to be shrunk to make room. The Mandriva installer will do that for you if you want.

 

PS/ You might not get quite everything right on the very first try, but don't worry! Almost all screwups will be undoable as long as you've backed up everything important before you start.

[jboy]

Do you have unpartitioned space available on your hard drive?

 

If not, there are two easy ways to get yourself familiar with Mandriva without having to install a new hard drive or re-size or delete a partition. You said you were new to Linux, so you might want to try this first to get a feel for Linux first.

 

1. Download the LiveCD, which you can run by booting from the CD without having to install to your hard drive. If you decide to install to hard disk later, you can do so from the Live CD.

 

2. Are you familiar with virtual machine technology? If so, you may want to download the freely available VMware Player for Windows from http://www.wmware.com, install, and then download the freely available Mandriva 2006 Virtual Machine from http://www.mandriva.com/en/isv/vmware/ You can run the Mandriva Linux Virtual Machine from within Windows this way.

 

If you want to go ahead and install to hard disk, you'll probably need at least 10 gb of unpartitioned space on the hard drive that you will partition and format during the install process. About 6 gb for the root partition, 1 gb for the swap partition, and if you want a separate /home partition, then the rest for that (otherwise increase the root partition size).

 

I recommend KDE to start. If you want Gnome too, you can install that later if you want.

 

Here's some installation references (they're for older versions, but the process is bascially the same):

 

http://doc.mandrivalinux.com/MandrakeLinux...n/Starter.html/

 

http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect_setup_mandriva_2006

 

http://www.mandrake.tips.4.free.fr/installmdv2006.html

[JonEberger]

first off, welcome to the board. i hope you get some great linux help here. a lot of us have gotten immeasurable amounts of help while making some acquaintances online.

 

i second neddie on the backup idea. back everything up that you think you could ever need. i'm not saying this because the install is quirky. in fact, the mandriva install is probably the best and most stable i've ever seen. it's less scary to me than the windows install. i'm saying this because many people (myself included) accidentally deleted the windows partition the first time i tried to install linux.

 

you mentioned that you had one hard disk with two partitions. decide how much space you want to dedicate for linux. for the first time install, willie is probably right and 20 GB is plenty. but if you've got 200 GB of hard disk space, you could def. use more. you'll have to decide which partition you're going to take the space from. if you've got two partitions, it is probably best to make the non-windows partition have linux. just because then you don't risk ditching the other OS which you may need. if you choose to use all of the non-windows partition, then you might not have to repartition depending on how you choose to install Mandriva. you can opt to partition more, but you may not need to do so. if you only use part of either existing partition, you'll need to create another partition.

 

KDE or GNOME? that has started quite a few discussions in the past. i prefer KDE over GNOME. but several users here prefer GNOME. willie was right again. just install both and find out which one you like the best.

[willie]

Be sure to run defrag from windows before you begin to install Mandriva

[Guest Bobo_Hobo]

Thanks for all replies and suggestions. They're all taken to heart. Here's my new question for you all:

 

1. I have a 300Gb hard drive, partitioned into 100Gb (C drive which is the partition that Windows XP is intalled on) and 200Gb (D drive which is my downloads/backup drive) respectively. Which means there's no free space for a brand new partition. My question is that can I create a new separate partition out of one of my current partitions? (say create E out of D). Thanks.

Edited October 4, 2006 by Bobo_Hobo

[tyme]

You would have to shrink the existing partition and create a new partition in the now free space. It will not be given a driver letter in Windows because Windows is not capable of reading Linux filesystems (by default, anyways).

[Guest Bobo_Hobo]

Then it seems like I'm going to shrink D to create the partition for Mandriva. Are there any side-effects/downsides to shrinking an existing partition?

Also regarding GNOME and KDE, can I install both at the same time? (and maybe alternate between the two desktop environments whenever I want without losing the other?)

Edited October 4, 2006 by Bobo_Hobo

[jboy]

Yes. See this for some info on the Mandriva diskdrake tool that can resize existing partitions:

 

http://doc.mandrivalinux.com/MandrakeLinux.../diskdrake.html

 

You can actually do this during installation. Choose the Custom Partitioning option when you get to the hard disk partitioning part of the install.

 

As willie advised, be sure to defrag your ntfs partition first, and back it up.

 

I've actually resized an ntfs partition using diskdrake. Just shrink it and use that new unpartitioned space for your the new partitions you'll need for your linux file systems. The fact that you would be doing this on your extra drive, not the Windows system drive, would make it a little safer for you. Would eliminate most of the risk of screwing up your existing Windows system partition.

 

 

Then it seems like I'm going to shrink D to create the partition for Mandriva. Are there any side-effects/downsides to shrinking an existing partition?

Also regarding GNOME and KDE, can I install both at the same time? (and maybe alternate between the two desktop environments whenever I want without losing the other?)

Yes and Yes. Just select both during the software selection part of the install.

 

See this:

 

http://doc.mandrivalinux.com/MandrakeLinux...sePackages.html

 

At the login prompt, there will be a window manager selection menu in the lower left corner of the screen where you can switch between KDE and GNOME (or other window managers you may install such as IceWM, XFCE, etc).

[willie]

Also regarding GNOME and KDE, can I install both at the same time? (and maybe alternate between the two desktop environments whenever I want without losing the other?)

When you boot with Linux you see a screen where you can login with your name and password. There can you choose also for KDE, Gnome or Icewm, if installed.

Before defrag, deactived the swapfile in windows and reboot. The swapfile is often at the end of the HD and not removable.

[coverup]

Here's a few questions:

 

1. Do I need to/should I create a new partition for the installation of Mandriva? I current have 1 hard drive with two partitions, C and D.

2. How much space would I need on the partition?

3. Which should I use..KDE or GNOME (or both?)?

 

That's all I can think of right now, but I know that's not all of my questions so I'll update with more questions later. Thanks in advance.

The first two questions has been answered already, but let me add on the 3rd one... Even though I use KDE, my rule of thumb is to install both DEs as much completely as space permits. You can use only KDE or GNOME but then there are Gnome tools which you may find more conveneient than those which are part of KDE, and vice versa. Install everything, then use what you like!

[emmanuel_uk]

once you have shrunk some space, no need to make the partitions

in that free space, mandriva will do it for you.

Do be sure to have a /home partition separate from the OS

which will live in /

Sizewise for / 6 to 10 Gb is enough

Swap about 2x memory size

 

you already have links to mandy doc

as a newbie if you google for rute+linux guide and

linux newbie admin guide, these are 2 good references

to help you in your learning curve

 

I do not know if you feel you had enough information

regarding dual boot with XP. I do not have xp, so no direct

experience

Saying that you can choose where the bootloader is going

(C and D becomes hda and hdb probably) that is at the

start of HD C or D

I assume Zinblows on C

then you could install grub (the all mighty bootloader) on hdb

and set the bios to boot from hdb (which in turn can boot hda)

this way no tempering with C

This is my preferred solution

 

have a read also

http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux/grub-w2k-HOWTO.html

 

Have a think or ask more on this