Trying to set up partition and install DSL

Forum: HD Install
Topic: Trying to set up partition and install DSL
started by: JohnD

Posted by JohnD on Jan. 19 2006,04:40

I installed DSL Linux to my IBM Thinkpad without any problems, however that was the only program on the disk.

I have a Dell Pentium III 600 Mhz machine with a 40 gig HD that I was running Windows 98 on. I decided to set up DSL Linux on that machine also, but in this case would also run Windows 98.

I Fdisk'd the hard drive and created two partitions each partion was 50% oFf the total. Drive C: 20 Gigs and Drive D: almost 20 Gigs.

I reinstalled Windows 98 on drive C: Everything fine there.
Used the boot floppy with DSL in the CD drive, and tried cfdisk in terminal mode (cfdisk/dev/hda2) but it didn't take. I hadn't formatted drive D: figuring that cfdisk would format that partition for Linux. Does anybody know what I am doing wrong here?

Posted by mikshaw on Jan. 19 2006,04:51

cfdisk is equivalent to fdisk. It will set up your partition table, but it does not format. You will need to use mke2fs to format the DSL partition.

Posted by JohnD on Jan. 19 2006,12:09

Thanks Mike,

I'll doublecheck the syntax, I'm assuming that mke2fs/dev/hda2 would be the complete command. Thanks again.

John:D

Posted by cbagger01 on Jan. 19 2006,17:54

Also, if you create a Linux Swap partition (example: /dev/hda3) type, you will also need to format this partition:

mkswap /dev/hda3

and then reboot and it will be automatically detected and used.

Posted by JohnD on Jan. 19 2006,20:01

OK, Thanks very much.

I like DSL linux very much. I'm also thinking, since this will be on a 10 gig hd, that I could add more to it such as Open Office, and other possible Linux programs. Will DSL Linux be able to support those? I think the program should, just want to be sure.

John :;):

Posted by cbagger01 on Jan. 22 2006,04:01

Check out the MyDSL repository.

OpenOffice and many other Linux programs are available.

Also, APT and Synaptic can be used to install other programs.

Posted by JohnD on Jan. 22 2006,04:03

Thanks loads.