Linux installation

Hello friends,

I am using Windows XP with Intel Celeron 1.10GHz and 128MB SD-RAM. I have a 40GB HardDisk with 4 partitions (C,D,E,F). I have Windows XP installed in the C drive. Now I got RedHat Linux 9 CD and I want to install it in my F drive. To install Linux, I booted my PC from the first Linux install CD. I went upto the partition page. In the partition page I specified to partion manually. But, I am totally helpless on how to proceed furthur if want to keep the current HardDrive partions and to install it to the F drive. If I choose 'automatic partitioning' and selected 'Keep the current partitions' and then if I press Next the following critical error message appears,
'You have not defined a root partion(/), which is required for installation of RedHat Linux to continue'.

Please help me in solving this problem. Also specify me in detail the step by step proceedure on how to move further from the partitioning page in the Linux installation if I want to keep the current HardDrive partions and to install it to the F drive without loosing any data from other drives of my HardDrive.

Thanks a lot in advance!!!

when you reach the partitioning screen,

you will some partitions listed like (similar to this):

hda1
hda5
hda6
hda7 etc.

Here:
hda1 = C drive
hda5 = D drive
hda6 = E drive
hda7 = F drive

you can choose to delete the hda7 partition, then create two partitions in the resulting free space:

first, create a swap partition of size = 2 x RAM SIZE
i.e. if your RAM = 128 mb, then create swap partition of 256 mb in size.
Next, you will be left with the remaining free space.
Create an ext3 partition in that space and assign it the mount point "/". The mount point is necessary for linux installation to proceed (it assigns linux root partition).

then, proceed with the installation. When setup asks you to install the linux bootloader (grub), install it on the mbr of your hard drive.

Im no expert but I think the the root partition the the actual place where you install the files required for your linux distro. It installs the neccessary files into this partition . To get a better solution to the problem I think you would be better posting this in the Open Source Section.

Please also check this link this is a detailed walkthrough of the Redhat 9 Installation

Installation Help Here

Hope this helps.

Re: Root partitioning!

aloysiustany said:

Recently I tried to install Linux RedHat 9. In the harddrive partition page I clicked the partion to which I want to install Linux. But, when I clicked next a dialogue box appears stating that you have not created a root partion (/) and the installer cannot proceed further without creating it. Could you please tell me what is root partition? and how to do it safely in detail? Thanks a lot in advance.

Click to expand...

man stop shouting

Linux uses the root partition to store all system data, analogous to the C:\Windows folder where all data that is necessary for the OS goes in. Now, Linux uses a number of partitions for each task, and depending on who you ask, you will get a different answer. Ask 5 people, and you will get 5 totally different answers!

Without going too much into the details, what I personally do is create a root (/) partition, a swap (/swap) partition (analogous to the pagefile for Windows) and a /home partition for my user files, and of course, the auto-allocated /boot partition that is necessary for booting. If you are unfamiliar with the process, get to the partitioning screen in your Linux installation, select the partition/free space on which you are going to install Linux, and select the Partition Type as "Root (/)" and then you can either select the size of the drive manually, or allow auto-allocation, and the installation will proceed automatically. If you want to do it right, first create the /boot partition (say 100MB) , the /swap partition (2-2.5 times your RAM), and the rest can be your / partition. Fore more information, you should refer here.

aloysiustany, why two threads on the same topic in the same forum category?

see this:


mods, please merge the two threads.

Pls post topics regarding linux in open source.... not the right place for posting your query... also have a go at the search button before starting the topic to see whether it has been answered previously...

I am assuming ur system is completely emtpy!
First of all there are max. 4 primary partitions a PC can take!
Make sure u have atleat 2 primary partitions empty to install Linux!
AT the partitioning phase choose the manual partition and then choose a partition size for swap partition. Normally a swap partition chosen should be 1.5 - 2 times of RAM!

OK now it says that it has xx cylinders!
suppose it says it has 1500 cylinders total free!
and you have 40 Gb HD! therefore 1 Gb -> 37.5 cylinders . If u wanna give 2 Gb to swap then there must be an option which indicates like
1. /
2. swap
3. /home or home
etc
chose 2 option for swap part. and alot 75 cylinders for 2 Gb.
Now if wanna create root part. chose 1st option with cylinders similarly!
and after all done proceed!!!

help me, please.

busyanuj said:

when you reach the partitioning screen,

you will some partitions listed like (similar to this):

hda1
hda5
hda6
hda7 etc.

Here:
hda1 = C drive
hda5 = D drive
hda6 = E drive
hda7 = F drive

you can choose to delete the hda7 partition, then create two partitions in the resulting free space:


first, create a swap partition of size = 2 x RAM SIZE
i.e. if your RAM = 128 mb, then create swap partition of 256 mb in size.
Next, you will be left with the remaining free space.
Create an ext3 partition in that space and assign it the mount point "/". The mount point is necessary for linux installation to proceed (it assigns linux root partition).

then, proceed with the installation. When setup asks you to install the linux bootloader (grub), install it on the mbr of your hard drive.

Click to expand...

What is mbr? Further, when i press OK after assigning the mount point of the rest of the free space as / , it says that "WARNING: Boot Partition(/) may not meet booting constraints for your architecture. Creation of a boot disk is highly encouraged." But when i selected /home as mount point, it accepts. What could be the problem? One more thing, there is accualy a small free space of 7MB already present. When i try to change the properties of rest of the free space (after swaping the first part of hda7) the actual free the space to which i assigned the properties does not change but the changes is affecting the small free space which was present initialy. Please help me!!!

What is the MINIMUM amount of space that should be alloted to a linux partition.

I mean MINIMUM

I couldnt understand fully, but anyway, it seems you are trying to mount the '/' partition on the free space? You have to create a new partition, of type ext3. Then, specify the mount of point of this partition as ext3. Don't try to modify the free space, when you create a new partition, it will be created from the free space itself.

Also, its not necessary to make a seperate /home partition, it will be of benefit only if you use several linux distro's together.

And as for MBR, it means Master Boot Record, the first few bytes of the hard disk. Later on, when the installer has to install a boot loader, it will ask you where to install it. There, you should specify the MBR.

godsownman, well it really depends, for a very basic linux system, with just essential system tools and some development packages, it will probably take under 200MB. With X-Windows, you will need around 500MB, and if you install many applications, this can go to 1 GB. If you install KDE, Gnome etc, this can shoot to 2-3 GB.

How much would it be for fedora version 3 .

I searched on the google but couldnot find much .

Thanks

On a default install, I think you would neet 3GB+

You could, however, tune down the options and get it done in 1-2 GB, if you install only one of Gnome or KDE, and deselect the software you don't need.