Install FC6 and Mandrake on a hard disk

[omidkamangar]

Hi,
Recently I added a 160 GB IDE H.D.D to my computer. I had a 40 GB before and now I want to install FC6 and Mandrake on the 40 GB H.D.D and Windows on the 160 GB. Dows anyone know how should I install FC6 and Mandrake on a H.D.D ?
Thanks.

[trickster]

Hi,

When booting from the CD and running through the installer, you'll be prompted for which drive to use and what partitions to create.

Also, keep in mind that, if you install Windows after Linux, the MBR will be overwritten and you'll have to boot from a rescue CD and reinstall your boot loader (otherwise you won't be able to access your Linux installation.)

In other words, install windows before Linux.

[omidkamangar]

Thanks trickster,
I know that, I do not have any problems with installing windows and a Linux distro.
When I want to install the second Linux, I don't know what to do with the partitioning because,
both distros need '/' and 'swap' and '/boot'. Can they share the same partitions ?

[trickster]

They should be able to share /swap, nothing else.

All the other partitions should be specific for the distribution in question.

[Compunuts]

When I want to install the second Linux, I don't know what to do with the partitioning because,
both distros need '/' and 'swap' and '/boot'. Can they share the same partitions ?

Back in the early days of Linux, it was advised that you put stuff in their own partition so that when a partition goes back, you won't loose your stuff. But with advances in file system such as EXT3 and others, it was no longer the big issue. With automation features and package managers, it is less likely now that you would be updating single piece of system software and screwing it up such as Kernel (I personally haven't compile my kernel in more than 3 years).

With all that, I'd do the following if I were you.

1. Install Windows on hda.

2. Install FC6. When in partition manager, I'd create two partitions. One for FC6 (hdb0) and one for Mandy (hdb1). Then proceed to install FC6 on hdb0 putting everything under one partition; /, /swap, /var, /boot. (you don't even need to modify boot menu if you don't want to)

3. Then install Mandy. When in Mandy's partition manger, install it on hdb1. Modify boot manger to boot Windows, FC6 and Mandy and install that on MBR of the first disk (hda).

HTH ...

[omidkamangar]

Hi,
Thanks for your help.
Finally I did it this way:
I first installed two Windows XPs on hda, and then install Mandy with grub as the boot loader (LILO is the default) on hdb, in one partition and then installed FC6 on another partition on hdb and modified the grub.conf and now it is working.
I have one windows for other people, one for myself to do my VC++ programming, a Mandy for the internet and FC6 for PHP and C++ programming on Linux.
I also created a swap for the Linux distros and a '/boot' for the FC6.
Thanks.