[KLUG Members] newbie question

[Bruce Smith]

> >Hi all, I am new to Linux and have a newbie question for you. 
> >Is it possible to install Linux onto a laptop and have it dual boot
> >with  Windows XP? 
> 
> Yes.

It _may_ not be pretty or easy, but it can be done.

I tried this once, and since it XP came with a NTFS filesystem, FIPS
couldn't shrink it.  Since it came with a recovery CD, it couldn't be
installed on a smaller partition.  Whenever the recovery was run, it
formatted the entire hard drive and took over the WHOLE thing.

I finally made it work by running the recovery/install process, and
stopping it at one of the reboots, after it partitioned the hard drive,
and before the actual recovery (and while it was still FAT32), and
shrunk that partition, then continued the install.  Then I installed
Linux on the remaining free space.

The good news is the boot loader dual booted Linux & XP just fine.

> >Is this something that can be done at one of the meetings? Thanks,
> 
> Yes.

Meetings are only two hours long, and if you have to go through all the
screwing around I did, that may not be enough time.

IF you can get XP installed on a small partition, leaving free space on
the hard drive, _BEFORE_ the meeting, then it shouldn't be a problem.

You can do that by "cheating" like I did, or getting a real install CD
for XP and installing the hard way.

--------------------------------------------
Bruce Smith                bruce@armintl.com
System Administrator / Network Administrator
Armstrong International, Inc.
Three Rivers, Michigan  49093  USA
http://www.armstrong-intl.com/
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