Linux partition questions & also Linux/WinXP dual boot question

[LintMan]

I just ordered my new system a nice new 100GB disk. I'm planning to install Windows XP now and later add Linux and dual-boot between them.

My goal is to set up the partitions on my disk such that XP will work fine for now, but that I won't need to repartition things later to nicely accomodate Linux.

1) What's a good amount of space to dedicate to linux stuff nowadays? I 5GB enough or would 10GB be better? How much space for swap, given 512MB of RAM?

2) Does linux still have location restrictions on where on the disk you install the kernel partition? (Ie: it used to have to be within the first 1024 cylinders or some kind of limit like that.)

3) To do dual boot with XP and linux, do I need LILO, or does XP have a boot-chooser utility I can use? If Lilo, does it still need a small 1MB primary partition at the front of the disk? If Windows XP will do it, any tips on how to set that up?

4) To sum up the point of the last 2 questions: The easiest thing for me to do would be to allocate the first 90-95GB of disk to Windows XP (with a mix of NTFS and FAT32 partitions), leaving the last 5-10 GB unused, which could then be allocated later for various linux partitions. I don't know if that will work though, because of the issues I mention (or others unknown to me). If my plan wouldn't work, can you suggest one that would?) It's been a while since I've installed a linux setup, so I don't know what the latest requirements are.

Thanks!

 

[Priit]

<< 1) What's a good amount of space to dedicate to linux stuff nowadays? I 5GB enough or would 10GB be better? How much space for swap, given 512MB of RAM? >>



Depends what linux stuff do you want to install 🙂 I think 5Gb is enough almost in all cases. If you don't run something really huge, linux will probably never even touches the swap with 512Mb RAM: about 128Mb swap partition should be enoug just for case.



<< 2) Does linux still have location restrictions on where on the disk you install the kernel partition? (Ie: it used to have to be within the first 1024 cylinders or some kind of limit like that.) >>



No, the 1024 cyl. limit is history.



<< 3) To do dual boot with XP and linux, do I need LILO, or does XP have a boot-chooser utility I can use? If Lilo, does it still need a small 1MB primary partition at the front of the disk? If Windows XP will do it, any tips on how to set that up? >>



I would suggest using LILO. I really doubt that any M$ boot loader would work with linux anyway. You don't need small partition at the front of the disk (see 2nd question 🙂 )



<< 4) To sum up the point of the last 2 questions: The easiest thing for me to do would be to allocate the first 90-95GB of disk to Windows XP (with a mix of NTFS and FAT32 partitions), leaving the last 5-10 GB unused, which could then be allocated later for various linux partitions. I don't know if that will work though, because of the issues I mention (or others unknown to me). If my plan wouldn't work, can you suggest one that would?) It's been a while since I've installed a linux setup, so I don't know what the latest requirements are. >>



I guess that would work just fine.