The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 4 (of 5) - Safest way og installing linux

Safest way og installing linux

greetings,

i have only a C drive. I want to purchase another drive and install linux there. if i go for a USB hard drive, it should not give any problem right

linux looker
Sunday, April 18, 2004

I doubt you'll be able to boot off an external hard disk.

I'd recommend downloading Knoppix. (http://www.knoppix.org). Knoppix is a version of Linux which can run from CD without having to install it to a hard drive.

Also, rather than purchase a new hard drive, you might be better off installing linux onto a virtual machine using virtualpc or vmware.

Then if you've decided you want to install linux, you can decide on what hardware to buy...

Gordon Hartley
Sunday, April 18, 2004

As an alternative to vmware or virtualpc I'd recommend http://www.colinux.org - it's open source and pulls the linux kernel into the windows one using a driver so it requires even less virtualisation. It's not complete yet but still pretty usable.

r1ch
Monday, April 19, 2004

You could partition current drive, depending on how much space you have.

RedHat installer was always very good at detecting preinstalled OSes, and allowing you to install boot manager to facilitate dual boot.

If you then run out of space, you can always buy extra drive, run as slave, and you can still share said drive btwn both your windows and linux installations.

Tapiwa
Monday, April 19, 2004

I think coLinux is still not the appropriate way to try Linux at this stage - it has to mature.

Knoppix is probably the best way to go, as it runs completely from the CD without any changes to your hard disk required. It will run much slower than if you install it to a hard disk, but you'll get the feeling.

If you want to install to hard disk, Mandrake Linux is probably the easiest to install on an existing disk (it will repartition your disk if needed). Another option is Topologi-Linux [ http://topologi-linux.sourceforge.net/about.php ]. Never tried it myself, but I heard it's good.

Start with knoppix, and see if you want to go farther.

Ori Berger
Monday, April 19, 2004

Just get another Hard Drive and install Linux on that. if you don't want a boot loader get it to boot from floppy or USB pen disk.

I doubt you'll get it to boot of a USB disk, as they nornmally need to install a USB to IDE driver.

Stephen Jones
Monday, April 19, 2004