[Nottingham] forums.planetnottslug.org

[Michael Leuty]

On 26/10/05, Kenneth Huggins <ken-huggins at fsbdial.co.uk> wrote:
> All of the above Paul !  As a Linux Virgin my problem at the moment is
> setting up my first installation ... I have the latest Ubuntu version but
> don't want it to overwrite the existing OS (Windoze) and files.  I have a
> separate hard drive, so plan to run Linux on that, but when I began the
> installation it didn't seem to be about to ask me where I wanted to install
> it ... instead it just got on with installing something and I pulled the
> plug just in case it was about to wipe my old stuff.

Installing on a second hard disk is a good idea. I assume the
following: The second hard disk is a "slave". The first ("master")
hard disk has Windows and your data on it, and the computer will be
booting from it (it looks at the MBR on the first disk at boot time).
The first disk will appear as "C:" in Windows Explorer, and the second
disk as "D:" or some later letter. You don't have anything on the
second disk you want to keep.

So much for the assumptions. Linux calls the first disk hda and the
second disk hdb. When you install Ubuntu it gives you the option of
wiping either hda or hdb and using it for the install. I suggest that
before you do this, you copy all the files on the first disk to the
second (using Windows), just in case of error. During Ubuntu install,
agree to allow hdb to be wiped for the install. You will get a chance
to review the new partition structure before you do anything
irrevocable. This should show the Windows partition(s) on hda, as ntfs
or vfat partitions. Your new Linux partitions (ext2) should be on hdb.
You then get a final warning that hdb1, hdb5 and possibly other
partitions on hdb are about to be formatted. This is OK, as long as
you have seen your Windows stuff safely situated on hda.

Finally, it will ask you where to put the boot loader. Assuming that
has correctly found your Windows installation (it will tell you), it
is safe to allow the boot loader to be put on the MBR of the first
disk (hda). You will then find Windows as a boot option once the
install has completed.

Hope this makes sense.

Mike

--
Michael Leuty
Nottingham, UK