[ale] Dual boot setup

[n4zm at mindspring.com (zeb)]

On Sunday 12 November 2006 08:54 pm, Jim Popovitch wrote:
> I've got a laptop with linux on 100% of the harddrive.  What I want to
> do is add a small Win2K install (dual boot, grub) for testing.  Does
> win2k need to be in the first partition?   Any other advice?

Everything I have  ever  read says that Windows *must* be the first primary 
partition on the first hard drive.  That means that Linux will need to be on 
the second primary partition or on a logical drive in an extended partition 
and that Linux must be moved back to provide space for the  Windows 
partition.  I have always installed Windows first and then installed Linux.  
Linux can be installed most anywhere.  This system has  Slackware installed 
on hdc5 (first logical drive in an extended partition on the third hard 
drive.    Windows *does* take over the MBR on installation, but running 
"LILO" will rewrite the MBR.  "aefdisk" claims that it can save and restore 
the MBR; again, it's something I haven't tried.

If it is possible, you might think about installing a smallish (5-10 GB) hard 
drive as the first  hard drive (hda) and then installing Windows on it.  Then 
use a boot disk (mount root = hdb or something) or a live CD to install LILO 
or grub and rewrite the MBR.

Sorry, didn't notice you are referring to a laptop.  So a second drive may not 
be practical.  I think parted will move partitions down, but not up.  Could 
be the other way; I've never used it.

Zeb