Dual-boot question

[Mikkel L. Ellertson]

Bhaskar _ wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have Windows XP and FC5 installed on my machine, and use GRUB to boot.
> GRUB configuration file sits on /boot/grub as recommended by the book I
> used for installation. I now want to format my C drive where my Windows
> OS sits and clean install XP. Could you please tell me about things I
> should watch out for so that I don't screw up my Linux partition? Would
> a default install suffice or should I make sure some options are set
> differently when I install Windows?
> 
> Just trying to be careful. Thanks for your help.
> 
> -Bhaskar
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> My 'fdisk -l' output looks like this:
> 
> Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
> Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
> 
>   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
> /dev/sda1   *           1        2550    20482843+   c  W95 FAT32 (LBA)
> /dev/sda2            2551       19456   135797445    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
> /dev/sda5            2551        5100    20482843+   e  W95 FAT16 (LBA)
> /dev/sda6            5101        5113      104391   83  Linux
> /dev/sda7            5114        8937    30716248+  83  Linux
> /dev/sda8            8938        9574     5116671   83  Linux
> /dev/sda9            9575       10211     5116671   83  Linux
> /dev/sda10          10212       19456    74260431   8e  Linux LVM
> 
Besides Grub being overwritten, as others have talked about, you
will also want to make sure you do not delete partition number 2.
This is an extended partition, and the logical partitions with your
Linux installation are in this partition. Because the FAT16
partition is also in this same extended partition, it will take
extra work if you want to combind that space with the FAT32
partition to make one large partition.

I have never tried it, so I do not know if gparted can shrink the
extended partition to free up the space from the FAT16 partition. If
it can, then you may have to edit /etc/fstab because the partition
numbers will change. (Not a problem if the partitions are labeled.)
You will also have to edit /boot/grub/grub.conf. If you are mounting
the Windows partitions in Linux, and you change the file system
type, you will have to update /etc/fstab to reflect this.

Mikkel
-- 

  Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons,
for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup!

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