SATA+IDE, Linux

  • Thread starter Thread starter Edward W. Thompson
  • Start date Start date
E

Edward W. Thompson

My machine comprises 2 SATA drives and I presently use WINXP Pro. I
want to try LINUX and to avoid any possible problems I intend to
install an IDE drive and load LINUX on that drive. My questions

1. Are there any 'gotchas' I need to be aware of when installing
to installing an IDE drive with existing SATAs? I do appreciate the
fact I do not strictly need to install another drive but will feel
more comfortable with LINUX on a physically separated drive.

2. I need to set up a dual boot system. How is it best to do
this? On this topic I have Norton GoBack installed, should I
uninstall this before setting up dual boot or will there be no
problems?

3. Anything else I need to know before I embark on this
'adventure'?

Thanks for any advice
 
Edward W. said:
My machine comprises 2 SATA drives and I presently use WINXP Pro. I
want to try LINUX and to avoid any possible problems I intend to
install an IDE drive and load LINUX on that drive. My questions

1. Are there any 'gotchas' I need to be aware of when installing
to installing an IDE drive with existing SATAs? I do appreciate the
fact I do not strictly need to install another drive but will feel
more comfortable with LINUX on a physically separated drive.

2. I need to set up a dual boot system. How is it best to do
this? On this topic I have Norton GoBack installed, should I
uninstall this before setting up dual boot or will there be no
problems?

3. Anything else I need to know before I embark on this
'adventure'?
Click to expand...
1) No.
2) THe Linux installer will install a boot loader. It works well.
3) Make sure your hardware is supported.

You might want to get hold of Microsofts Virtual PC which is now free
and install & try Linux on that before taking the plunge.
 
My machine comprises 2 SATA drives and I presently use WINXP Pro. I
want to try LINUX and to avoid any possible problems I intend to
install an IDE drive and load LINUX on that drive. My questions

1. Are there any 'gotchas' I need to be aware of when installing
to installing an IDE drive with existing SATAs? I do appreciate the
fact I do not strictly need to install another drive but will feel
more comfortable with LINUX on a physically separated drive.

2. I need to set up a dual boot system. How is it best to do
this? On this topic I have Norton GoBack installed, should I
uninstall this before setting up dual boot or will there be no
problems?

3. Anything else I need to know before I embark on this
'adventure'?

Thanks for any advice
Click to expand...

With today's Linux versions, setting up a Dual boot system is not much of
a problem. Just be aware of what your hard drives are called under Linux,
so as to get things set up where you want them.

You may have a problem if you go back the other way later, reinstalling
your windows again after Linux is installed. I am not sure how things are
today, but Windows has been notorious for believing that it is the only
operating system around, and wiping out any dual boot possibilities upon
install.

But for best info on how to dual install Linux, also check out internet
sites, like with a Google search such as Linux dual boot howto.

By the way, from my experiences, there is no real worry about whether
Linux is installed on the same or another drive. Perhaps the only issue
would be if you want to change your Windows hard drive at some point, you
wouldn't need to reinstall Linux again if it was on another drive, you may
just need to reinstall the boot loader (which would be located on the
computer's one and only bootable hard drive, presumably your Windows SATA
drive).

/Steve
 
Preferably install the bootloader on a floppy (if you have a floppy
drive). That way you need not worry about mending the XP boot record
(in case of gotcha)
 
With today's Linux versions, setting up a Dual boot system is not much of
a problem. Just be aware of what your hard drives are called under Linux,
so as to get things set up where you want them.

You may have a problem if you go back the other way later, reinstalling
your windows again after Linux is installed. I am not sure how things are
today, but Windows has been notorious for believing that it is the only
operating system around, and wiping out any dual boot possibilities upon
install.

But for best info on how to dual install Linux, also check out internet
sites, like with a Google search such as Linux dual boot howto.

By the way, from my experiences, there is no real worry about whether
Linux is installed on the same or another drive. Perhaps the only issue
would be if you want to change your Windows hard drive at some point, you
wouldn't need to reinstall Linux again if it was on another drive, you may
just need to reinstall the boot loader (which would be located on the
computer's one and only bootable hard drive, presumably your Windows SATA
drive).

/Steve
Click to expand...


Thanks to all for your very helpful advice
 
Preferably install the bootloader on a floppy (if you have a floppy
drive). That way you need not worry about mending the XP boot record
(in case of gotcha)
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I don't know if I would recommend that. Firstly, floppy drives are
slow and noisy compared to a nice and quick clean boot from a hard drive.
Floppy disks are also not very durable, meaning you will need to make
several copies and make sure you make new copies when older ones no longer
work.

At any rate you should make a boot floppy disk of some kind, in the event
something goes wrong and you cannot boot up from hard disk. Still, if that
did happen, you could always begin a new Linux install, either from CD or
floppy, and then do a Linux repair rather than install, to get you back
into your OS.

With today's Linux boot loaders, for example Grub, installation and
re-installation is not very difficult, so if something goes wrong (in case
of gotcha) you can always get things set up again.

- Steve
 
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