WinXP and SUSE Linux Boot

[CrazyDelta]

Hello to all Linux Experts here,

I am a noob to the world of Linux, so please don't mind me asking stupid questions.

I have recently begun to experiment with different linux distros, especially live CD ones.

I have enjoyed it all and now I am going to be doing a clean install on my system.

I want to install Win XP and SUSE Linux Professional.

This is what I have in my mind. I have 2 HardDrives - HD1 (80GIG), and HD2 (200 GIG)

Following is how I plan my partitions.

HD1 - 30GIGS - Windows Xp

HD1 - 50 GIGS -

HD2 - 90 GIGS -

HD2 - 90 GIGS -

HD2 - 20 GIGS - Suse Linux

Does this sound reasonable? Now first after I install my Win XP, and then I proceed to install SUSE. After installation - how will I be able to choose which OS I want to boot to? Will I get a screen asking me to choose, and if I don't choose in a particular time frame it will automatically boot in WINXP?

I have never done this before so I would like to know before hand on what to expect or if there is something I should be aware of.

Thank you all in advance.

[VindicatorDS]

20GB should be enough for linux, however you will need a second partition to become the linux swap file (something like the windows pagefile), but don't worry the suse setup let's you choose what partitions to create, the space it recommends for the swap etc...

and you can easily configure the boot loader (e.g. grub) so don't worry and go for it!

edit: normally the boot loader will be placed in the mbr of the primary hdd, let's say it's the one with windows xp on it, then only this hdd will be bootable and with a menu screen for you to choose the os to boot from, however you can have the one with win xp (e.g. hda) without any linux reference and the second disk (e.g. hdb) only with linux, an very easy way to achieve this without messing around with grub setup is to deactivate hda within the bios screen of the motherboard

Edited March 2, 2005 by VindicatorDS

[Barney T. Administrators]

Hi,

After you install Windows XP, reboot with the SuSE CD in the CD-ROM, and SuSE will install to the unused partition on your second hard drive. It will automatically configure the bootloaer (LILO or Grub) and create a MBR on the primary (first) partition. When you boot up after installation, LILO or Grub will greet you with a menu where you choose what you boot up to......... XP or SuSE. It is as easy as this.

Make sure you tell SuSE to install on the unused partition. It will do everything else for you automatically. :yes:

Barney

[Lechio]

Yap just leave the 20 Gigs of free space in that drive (don't create a partiton

for Linux with any other software), when it prompts you where you want to install

u choose to install in the free space, and SUSE will deal with the creation of partitions.

For the bootloader part it's very easy to configure, if you want to have WinXP to be

the default system to boot just choose it to be in the GRUB/LILO installer part.

[CrazyDelta]

Thanks for the replies guys. Sounds fairly straight forward.

However, what's the difference between Grub and LILO. Should I give one the preference over the other?

[markwolfe Veteran]

GRUB is newer than LILO.

They both do the same function (ask you what to boot, and start what you select), and they both have additional functions (like being able to execute basic commands to edit your bootup parameters if needed).

Either will work just fine. I think that differences will only be noticed by a guru who needs to do a lot of work at boot time.

[filcab]

GRUB is better (especially for begginers), you should install GRUB (the installer will do everything automatically... You don't have to worry.

About the swap partition... You don't NEED it... It just has some performance benefits.

(I know... some like LILO... both LILO and GRUB have their advantages, but I believe GRUB is better, at least for begginers)

[chanvw]

Personally, I prefer LILO (it doesn't screw up totally when you delete your /boot partition), but since most distros are moving towards GRUB nowadays, I suppose there's not much choice.

[dotRoot]

  filcab said:

About the swap partition... You don't NEED it... It just has some performance benefits.

585557279[/snapback]

Just to clearify. The Swap Partition provides the same function as the Windows Pagefile. Although, not required by Linux to have a swap, I would absolutely suggest it.

For my partitions I use:

/boot = 100 MB

/swap = half of the total RAM installed

Most likely you want need 100 MB for a /boot. As a matter of fact you could probably just devote 20 MB depending on your configuration and be fine, plus have a lot of headroom just in case.

Because I run online servers I give myself way too much headroom, but still if you can afford that little bit of space, then why not?