unable to load linux on my hard drive (solved)

[broncoluvr74]

I am trying to load pclinux on my sons laptops. They both have win xp, and I want that to stay. But for some reason I can not install linux for a dual install.
First of all, I am using KDE;2011, loaded on a usb flash stick.
When I try  to install from my usb drive, the wizard gets to the partition setting.
Now, both computers have C,D,PE partitions, and they both have 60gb unallocated space left. When Linux goes to install on the empty section, it says I have the max primary partitions, and I need to erase one first. I have searched around the web, but I have no clue what I m doing wrong, or what to do. Basically, at this point I need step by step to set up a dual boot system. Thanks!

[Just17]

When running PCLOS, open a terminal (Konsole) and type

su     <enter;  give password at next line ...  it is typed hidden>

Then at the prompt type

fdisk   -l    (that is a lower case L)

Copy what you typed and the result into your next post.


As a guess, I would say you have four primary partitions existing and cannot therefore create another as 4 is the max.
The command above should show clearly what partitions exist on the machine it is run on.

regards

[broncoluvr74]

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x92e4538c

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *          63   124343099    62171518+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2       124343100   137050514     6353707+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3       137050515   183365909    23157697+  1c  Hidden W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda4       312496380   312576704       40162+  ef  EFI (FAT-12/16/32)

Disk /dev/sdb: 2004 MB, 2004877312 bytes
16 heads, 32 sectors/track, 7648 cylinders, total 3915776 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x34e234e1

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *          32     3915775     1957872    b  W95 FAT32

Disk /dev/sdc: 1030 MB, 1030225920 bytes
4 heads, 3 sectors/track, 167680 cylinders, total 2012160 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000



   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1   *         243     2012159     1005958+  83  Linux
linux is running via flash drive at the moment

[Bald Brick]

I am trying to load pclinux on my sons laptops. They both have win xp, and I want that to stay. But for some reason I can not install linux for a dual install.
First of all, I am using KDE;2011, loaded on a usb flash stick.
When I try  to install from my usb drive, the wizard gets to the partition setting.
Now, both computers have C,D,PE partitions, and they both have 60gb unallocated space left. When Linux goes to install on the empty section, it says I have the max primary partitions, and I need to erase one first. I have searched around the web, but I have no clue what I m doing wrong, or what to do. Basically, at this point I need step by step to set up a dual boot system. Thanks!

Your problem is that you can only have four primary partitions on the same drive. If you need more than four partitions one of the primary ones must be an extended partition, i.e. simply a container for the number of logical partitions you need.

This means that if you need a fifth partition you must first remove one of your existing partitions and create an extended one in its place. After that you can resize that extended partition and create several new logical partitions within it, e.g. one to hold the data that used to be on the primary partition you just removed and one or more for your Linux install.

Remember to back up the data on the primary partition you are going to turn into an extended one.

[Just17]

  Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *          63   124343099    62171518+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2       124343100   137050514     6353707+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3       137050515   183365909    23157697+  1c  Hidden W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda4       312496380   312576704       40162+  ef  EFI (FAT-12/16/32)

In addition to having four primary partitions already on the HDD, I notice that one of them is an EFI partition.

I am unsure how PCLinux interfaces with this ........  maybe someone who is more familiar with it could comment.

I guess the reason you only saw three partitions from Windows is that one of them is hidden.

regards

[broncoluvr74]

Ok, I moved my partitions around a little, and replaced one of the primarys ( the EFI one) I found out, that partition hold "boot booster software"
Now, I have 4 primary partitions "C:", "D:", "PE:", and the 4th is where linux lives.
Linux then installed sucessfully on the 4th primary partition.
I have done some more reading up on partitions, and windows partitions specifically.
Just so I understand, If I make one of my partitions an extended partition, the computer can't boot from it, right?
Also, I am a little confused by the "PE:" partition. All the reasearch I have done on this type of partition says it is for recovery of vista, and my computer(s) all have XP. There is no mention of PE: in the XP documentation. It is possible that it serves the same function; and I might move that data to another drive for storage.
So, right now i have a 160gb hard drive, 4 partitions(3 for xp), and one for linux. Lets say I want to wipe it, and optimize my partition setup. What would you recommend as a good new partition setup; keeping in mind I want both xp and linux on my 2 machines right now.
 

[menotu]

I think the PE (Preinstallation Environment ) can have a "choice" of Windows OS's - I don't believe it solely for Vista, but mebbe someone can clarify/expand on that.

[Bald Brick]

Ok, I moved my partitions around a little, and replaced one of the primarys ( the EFI one) I found out, that partition hold "boot booster software"
Now, I have 4 primary partitions "C:", "D:", "PE:", and the 4th is where linux lives.
Linux then installed sucessfully on the 4th primary partition.
I have done some more reading up on partitions, and windows partitions specifically.
Just so I understand, If I make one of my partitions an extended partition, the computer can't boot from it, right?

It can't boot from the extended partition as such, but Linux can boot from a logical partition within the extended partition.

Also, I am a little confused by the "PE:" partition. All the reasearch I have done on this type of partition says it is for recovery of vista, and my computer(s) all have XP. There is no mention of PE: in the XP documentation. It is possible that it serves the same function; and I might move that data to another drive for storage.
So, right now i have a 160gb hard drive, 4 partitions(3 for xp), and one for linux. Lets say I want to wipe it, and optimize my partition setup. What would you recommend as a good new partition setup; keeping in mind I want both xp and linux on my 2 machines right now.
 

[Just17]

If the space now occupied by Linux is large enough, you can delete that partition, create an Extended partition, and inside the Extended, create as many Logical partitions as you wish, and on those Logical partition put as many operating systems as you like. They will all be bootable.

Windows too can boot from such a partition .....  provided its boot manager is placed on the first primary partition .....  or at least that used to be the case when last I played with Win. Win was even bootable from a different drive than its boot manager was on. It is probably not a worthwhile exercise these days ... much easier to give it the space in which it is most comfortable

You can use Linux to examine the contents of the PE partition and decide for yourself if its contents are worth keeping or not.
It may be useful if you ever wish to sell the machine and reinstall Vista on it.

regards

[broncoluvr74]

You can use Linux to examine the contents of the PE partition and decide for yourself if its contents are worth keeping or not.
It may be useful if you ever wish to sell the machine and reinstall Vista on it.

regards

The machines never had vista on them! LOL.
Can you have more than 1 extended partition? I am still looking for a suggestion on how to optimally repartition my hard drive!

[Bald Brick]

You can use Linux to examine the contents of the PE partition and decide for yourself if its contents are worth keeping or not.
It may be useful if you ever wish to sell the machine and reinstall Vista on it.

regards

The machines never had vista on them! LOL.
Can you have more than 1 extended partition? I am still looking for a suggestion on how to optimally repartition my hard drive!

No, you can't -- not on the same drive, that is. But you can have (at least) fifteen logical partitions in that one extended partition. (You used to be able to have 63 logical partitions on an IDE drive and I've read somewhere that 15 isn't an absolute limit on scsi or Sata drives either. But if you want more you have to do some googling.)

Anyway, fifteen logical partitions is most probably more than you'd want on one drive, and consequently you'd seldom if ever need more than one extended partition.

And apart from the extended partition you don't need more than one primary partition either. Logical partitions work equally well if they are large enough.

[Just17]

BB I seem to recall that limitation on the number of Logical partitions was overcome some time ago ......  so even if more are required I believe they will work 

[Bald Brick]

BB I seem to recall that limitation on the number of Logical partitions was overcome some time ago ......  so even if more are required I believe they will work  

Yes, I remembered reading the same thing and that's why I wrote "(at least) fifteen logical partitions". I just didn't recall where I read it and the idea of a couple of hours of googling didn't feel that attractive. But now, of course, you've forced me to google for it anyway....

Nevertheless, if you aren't O-P fifteen logical partitions on one drive should be enough!

[Just17]

BB I seem to recall that limitation on the number of Logical partitions was overcome some time ago ......  so even if more are required I believe they will work 

Yes, I remembered reading the same thing and that's why I wrote "(at least) fifteen logical partitions". I just didn't recall where I read it and the idea of a couple of hours of googling didn't feel that attractive. But now, of course, you've forced me to google for it anyway....

Nevertheless, if you aren't O-P fifteen logical partitions on one drive should be enough!

.....  I seem to recall mentioning the elimination of the limit and he immediately created another couple of partitions to prove it   

I would need a PC dedicated to keeping track of his partitions!   

[broncoluvr74]

well, on my other  sons laptop, I did this; combined C: and D:, which  opened up a primary. I then figured out how to get linux to turn the unallocated space into /, swap, and /home. Installation was simple. I am just hoping xp does not have a fit about C and D in the same partition!
I will mark this solved for now!
Thanks!
Ken