About Linux

[Troll_King]

How do I want to set up the directories?

I have to make a root partition right?
root is symbolized as /

How big should I make it? Is 5 GB enought? Is root where most of my programs are going to be installed?

I also have to make a swap partition. How big? 1 GB?

Do I than have to make a /home partiton? Is this for use files?

What else do I have to make partitions for? I'm new to Linux.

[kwigibo]

A 5GB partition should be enough, the swap partition needs to be only 2-3 times the amount of memory you have. You don't need to setup the home directory it should automatically set it up for you.

Your "/home/username" is your home directory. Where your personal files are stored which can't be accessed by anyone else unless you give them permission.

Your executables are stored in either your /home/username/bin directory or in the /bin directory, when installing the programs it usually chooses, it is not often programs are installed in your home binary folder, normally only programs you create can be put in there.

Hope this helps

kwigibo
[edit] I just remembered something about your swap partition too, I have 56mb (8mb shared with board) and I only use a 70mb swap, due to limited hard drive size.

[Troll_King]

Okay a couple more questions, which GUI is better? KDE or GNOME? Or is having both a good choice?

And when I install by chance would you know how I should set up the duel boot. It tells me that I can use GRUB or LILO, than should I install either one on the MBR, or the 1st sector of the MBR. It gives the choice. Also should I make GRUB or LILO the default or Win2k Pro the default OS?

[kwigibo]

I prefer KDE to Gnome, it comes down to personal preference so I don't have Gnome installed. Try both out if you haven't used them before. I use a boot disk for linux. But now I use linux more than windows so I should really get lilo back up and running again. I haven't used grub, but I have used lilo. I would install lilo, because more people are familiar with it. And for your default, put it as the OS you will use most often.

[Troll_King]

Is Linux on an extended partition on your HD or is it on a primary.

Yeah, I'll have to figure this out tomorrow, but thanks. I will just make a root and a swap partition.

[kwigibo]

I installed windows first so I had to make an extended partition.

[Troll_King]

What version of Windows? It makes a difference, for example Windows 9X only allows for one primary and one extended partition but Win2k allows for three primaries and one extended.

[stautze]

>the swap partition needs to be only 2-3 times the amount of memory you have.

What?

If I have 4GB of mem on my server, I would need a swap of 12GB. No way...

In fact if you have more that 512MB then you probably don't even need a swap. The safest thing, if you don't know what you are you are doing, is to make the swap the same size as the amount of ram that you have. It is that simple. If you want to check out how your machine is using its memory, use the command "top" at your console, and you will be enlightened.

Also you are right about win98. It has to be on the primary partition. Don't install after linux, or you will write over your MBR.

LILO or GRUB is matter of choice, but most people think GRUB is superior.

[kwigibo]

I am using NT4 or was using for that matter.

If I have 4GB of mem on my server, I would need a swap of 12GB. No way... In fact if you have more that 512MB then you probably don't even need a swap. The safest thing, if you don't know what you are you are doing, is to make the swap the same size as the amount of ram that you have.

Your probably right about that, it is only a guide, in fact 3 times is way over doing it. Like I said in a post following it I use a 70mb swap.

[Barjor]

Here is a link that helped me set up mu dual boot
http://mcs.une.edu.au/~ashley/dual_boot/

[Troll_King]

I have it set up. Red Hat 7.3 recognized Win2k.

[Flikm]

memory = ram ... 32mb of ram, you need a 64mb swap partition. your ext2 partition should be primary. i also have a question. whenever i boot up my comp, lilo makes me choose between dos and linux. can i get rid of that and make it boot straight to linux? i have my ext2 partition bootable and my FAT16 just normal.

[kwigibo]

open the lilo.conf file, you can do this in KDE through the menu. And change the timeout to zero. that's probably the easiest way.

kwigibo

BTW you may have to be the super-user(administrator or root)

[onurak]

the root partion is where all your data is stored image it like c drive in windows and also you do not have to make another /home partion if you dont make it it will be placed under root not as another partion. i have a big HD and i gave 1 GB of swap space that big you can give smaller amounts