Re: Installing Slackware 10.1 on a new Compaq Presario M2010

From: Stefan Patric (writeme_at_addressbelow.com)
Date: 05/03/05 

Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 19:39:09 -0700

On Monday 02 May 2005 15:27, Nicole wrote:

> it's been a while since I last installed Slackware 3.6
> along with other OS's on my old Extensa 390 (now defunct).
> I just got me a brand new Compaq Presario M2010 (no floppy
> drive) and I wonder what's the best way to go about
> partitioning the HD and installing the various OS's
> without a bootable floppy drive (I'm used to do it with
> a bootable floppy with DOS as OS, dos efdisk for getting
> three primary partitions, MS-DOS fdisk for getting
> extended partition and logical drives, then lastly using
> fdisk from the Linux CD for the Linux partitions).
> I was thinking of burning a bootable CD-ROM with the DOS
> stuff on it, but I'd like to hear from you if there are
> better choices available.
>
> Anyway, on a 40GB HD, I plan to have the following:
>
> P1: 100MB with DR-DOS and Win3.11

Why bother with such an old OS on a modern machine? If you need to run
some old favorite Windows apps, run them under Linux using wine
(www.winehq.com) or win4lin (www.win4lin.com) or CrossOver Office
(www.codeweavers.com).

> P2: 6GB WinXP

Leaves little "breathing room" for XP. I'd go at least 10GB.

> P3: 6GB FAT16 for data (readable/writable by all systems in the
> laptop)

If you don't install Windows 3.11, this can be FAT32. Although, I don't
think you need 6GB, unless you're going to be storing lots of music,
video and images there. Be aware, that long file names to this
partition will be converted to 8-plus-3 names by either XP or Linux.

> P4: 4GB Linux system 1 (Slackware 10.1)
> P5: 4GB Linux system 2 (for experimenting with various distributions)

Both of these sizes are okay, since you have a separate /home. Although
I like to have a /usr partition, too. I like to keep system,
applications and user data and files separate for safety. I even have
a separate /var partition for temporary files.

> p6: 20GB ext2 (/HOME to the two Linux systems for data)

Sharing /home between multiple Linuxes can cause problems. I suggest
that you use a different user for each distro, so there'll be no config
file conflicts.
 
> I don't think I'll need a swap partition, given that as soon as I get
> the 512MB sodimm I ordered I'll have 768MB of RAM in the laptop.

You should absolutely have a swap. For at safety at least. Just in case
you are working with a large file or large number crunching app or lots
of apps running simultaneously. It'll save you from a crash or a
corrupted hard drive. 512MB should be more than enough. I have 256MB
RAM on my system with 2 swaps on different hard drives. 512MB on the
main system drive and 256MB on the other. (This second drive is where
I test install other distros as well as backup important files before
burning them to CDs.) The system uses the 256MB swap first. Currently,
it's almost max'd. (I've got a lot of things running.)

> I would appreciate your tips for partitioning and installing without
> a floppy drive, and also some additional advice from those who have
> installed Slack 10.1 on the Presario M2010 (or please point me to the
> available sources of information).

Just boot up using the Slack install CD. Partitioning is part of the
install. You can do it your way or have the installer take care of it.
But install Linux last, so it can set up a multiple boot system.
Windows won't do that.
 
> By the way, the manual for the M2010 cryptically states that in order
> to put in more than 512MB of RAM in the PC and still have a functional
> hybernation/power management mode it is necessary to increase the
> small partition dedicated to the Compaq files... That's all it says,
> no specific instructions anywhere else, not even on their website...
> Any comments from Compaq laptop users?

If you're getting your laptop with XP and this dedicate Compaq partition
already on it, just use a partition resizing utility like
PartitionMagic (runs under Windows) or QTparted or ntfsresize that run
under Linux to make room for Linux. I think the Slackware install
includes such a partition resizer, but I'm not sure. But before you do
anything, backup your XP system. Be aware that the Linux partition
resizer, parted, can't resize Windows' NTFS partitions. 

-- 
Stefan Patric
NoLife Polymath Group
tootek2@yahoo.com

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