Frans van Duinen wrote:
> I want to install Linux on my laptop, whose only HD of 40MB is set up as
> a single partition for Windows XP. There is a second drive but it's a
> CD/DVD with R/RW capability.
>
> What I want to do is reduce the size of the existing partition and add a
> 2nd partition for use by Linux. What I don't want to do is endanger
> my existing data/partition. Or for that matter have to reload all XP
> apps.
>
> My question is, what if I cut too deep and lobotomize a file or page
> swap area? Is there any part. software that checks if it is safe to
> make a given reduction? It would have to know what file system is in
> the old partition (NTFS i think) and how much space it actually uses.
gparted part of the SystemRescueCD will handle this safely for you. Many
Linux distributions have this or something like this and can/will do this
during the installation process.
SystemRescueCD:
http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page
gparted screenshots:
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/screenshots.php
Just shrink the Windows partition. Linux will handle creating the partitions
for itself. Yes I said partitions, at least one for Linux and one for the
swap partition are normal for Linux.
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