free way to partition? 2

[sarahnade]

I want to have XP and linux on my computer. And I know very little about hardware. I know the easy way to partition is to buy something like partition magic. But is there a free way to do it? Or should I suck it up and pay.

don't panic, I'm mostly harmless
Sarah

 

[Kozusnik]

Sarah,
There are many ways to do this.

1. Partition Magic. Great product. Problem=Not free.
2. Windows boot disk. Run fdisk from DOS. Problem=Have to delete the XP partition to create any new ones.
3. Most Linux distros will allow you to resize an existing partition during the install process. WinXP can either use FAT32 or NTFS. FAT32 is no problem, NTFS is usually read only by most Linux distros out of the box. Problem=I can't positively attest to this, I have never tried it.
4. Buy another hard drive. Installation is very simple. Problem=Again not free and you may not have installed a harddrive before.
5. If you are hoping to test drive Linux, try something like Knoppix (knopper.net). It runs completely from cd, no need to install.

Whatever you choose, be sure to backup important data first. I'd hate to see your next post in data recovery.

Good luck,
Mark

 

[Grenage]

A work colleage recently installed Unbuntu on his XP workstation, he had only one partition (NTFS) and he selected the option to resize partition and make use of free space.

It worked without issue.


Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[stefanwagner]

qtparted is a graphical partition-tool with resize-option for linux.

seeking a job as java-programmer in Berlin:

http://home.arcor.de/hirnstrom/bewerbung

 

[scienzia]

Use sysresccd, it is a linux livecd with 2 FREE clones of partition magic (one is qtparted):

http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page

It also has other usefull tools for making/restoring images of partition (as norton ghost), and other stuff.

 

[bigoldbulldog]

Here's info and a walk-thru on using ntfsresize. You have to boot-up into a version of linux that has access to it.

It's easy, but BE CAREFUL!

http://mlf.linux.rulez.org/mlf/ezaz/ntfsresize.html

Cheers,
ND