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Question for you Linux Power-users

Discussion in 'Technology' started by EnzymaticRacer, Dec 4, 2009.

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  1. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

    Feb 27, 2005
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    #1 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 4, 2009
    So I have decided that I want to tinker around in linux, and have downloaded the new Fedora 12 release.

    However, I've been unable to get it installed because I can't get the installer to create the partitions.

    I have Windows 7 installed, with two partitions on a single 150gig physical drive.

    The problem was that even after shrinking my data partition by 50gig using Windows to make room for linux and leaving the data unallocated, the installer still sees the second partition as the full 100gig.

    I did some digging and discovered that I actually have one single dynamic disk (I don't know how I ended up with a dynamic disk... either Windows 7 did it or it came from the manufacturer (HP) set up that way..., which is then split into the working partitions, and apparently Fedora doesn't really like dynamic disk.

    Is there any way I can resolve this partitioning issue without destroying my data?

    Thanks for the help
     
  2. SPEEDCORE

    SPEEDCORE Four Time F1 World Champ

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    #2 SPEEDCORE, Dec 7, 2009
  3. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #3 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 9, 2009
    Thanks for the recommendation speedcore...

    but I don't see where it lists that this program can convert dynamic partitions to simple partitions. I'm hoping to do that without going through the hassle of data recovery, as both my Windows 7 boot partition and my data partition are both dynamic partitions.

    Can that program convert my data partition to a simple partition so that I can put linux on there?
     
  4. DGS

    DGS Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #4 DGS, Dec 10, 2009
    For just tinkering, use your older computer for Linux.

    (I presume you needed a new computer to run Win7.) ;)

    After you see how much faster Linux on an old box is than windoze on a newer one, you might just solve the problem by deleting windoze. :p

    (That's the process I followed many moon ago. I found that WfW on a Pentium couldn't keep up with Linux on a 486.)
     
  5. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #5 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 10, 2009
    Nope.

    Windows 7 runs amazingly well on 4 year old laptops. Thats one of the great things about windows 7.

    If I had an old box, linux would be going on there, but I don't, so thats why I was hoping to try to dual-boot just to tinker around.
     
  6. DGS

    DGS Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 DGS, Dec 11, 2009
    How young do you have to be to *not* have an outdated computer lying around? ;)

    For what you'd spend on disk rework software, you could probably pick up an old computer at a local computer junk store or flea market.

    Keep in mind that the first installation of Linux you play with, you'll probably wipe out and reload, after a couple of months. (After you've learned a few tricks.)
     
  7. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #7 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 11, 2009
    hehe... I do have one... but the screen is being held together with duct tape and the hard drive is fried.

    I'm attempting to do this without putting any money into it at this point (including the partitioning software), plus buying an el cheapo laptop is just going to make more clutter...

    since I'm trying to get into grad school I'm trying to keep my money @ max and clutter @ min.

    I have built numerous computers from scratch, have already dual-booted a couple computers, played with RAID arrays, was student manager of my University's Computing help desk, so I know my way around computers.

    Was just hoping someone here knew how to resolve this dynamic partition issue without too much effort.

    Thanks for the suggestions. :)
     
  8. SPEEDCORE

    SPEEDCORE Four Time F1 World Champ

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    #8 SPEEDCORE, Dec 11, 2009
    Yes! That's why I mentioned it :eek:

    I guess I should of posted a guide too :eek: Here I found one online. http://mypkb.wordpress.com/2007/03/28/how-to-non-destructively-convert-dynamic-disks-to-basic-disks/

    Also there is a more technical *unsupported* way :eek: http://thelazyadmin.com/blogs/thelazyadmin/archive/2007/01/17/Converting-Dynamic-Disks-Back-to-Basic-Disks.aspx

    I'd still backup critical files just incase :eek:

    Good Luck!
     
  9. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #9 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 11, 2009
    Thanks Speedcore... I thought it looked like a very useful tool anyways, but I guess I must have somehow skipped over the instructions somehow.

    Thanks a bunch for the guides... will be trying it shortly!
     
  10. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #10 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 11, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2009
    Well,

    That went well.

    My computer isn't booting now. Luckily I have this Fedora Live disc that I burned a bit ago, and am able to get on with that.

    Tried using the Windows 7 recovery tools, the diskpart.exe program is listing my entire Hard drive as invalid, and since there is nothing there that can work on dynamic partitions, I'm going to have to try to get things recovered using linux.

    Going to start tooling around in linux to see what I can do. Linux can still see everything, so all the data is still there... just gotta figure out why it can't boot anymore.

    This should be informative.
     
  11. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

    Feb 27, 2005
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    #11 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 11, 2009
    Hey Speedcore,


    So I'm still in the Fedora Live CD. I downloaded the testdisk for linux, and I tried to run it. For some reason though, when I do, nothing comes up. The process is running, but I don't get any window for actually running the program...
     
  12. SPEEDCORE

    SPEEDCORE Four Time F1 World Champ

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    #12 SPEEDCORE, Dec 11, 2009
    OOops :(

    Another guide... haha.

    http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step

    I haven't used linux in a while(well not including shell to my webserver). I have used testdisk successfully in windows/dos. :eek:
     
  13. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

    Feb 27, 2005
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    #13 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 11, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2009
    hehe, I've been looking at that guide. I'm logged in as root and navigated down to the proper folder , but for some reason

    command keeps returning a command not found error... I'm guessing I'm doing something wrong.


    edit... I got it working. using
    But testdisk is telling me the filesystem seems corrupt. Guess I've got more work to do.
     
  14. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #14 Fast_ian, Dec 11, 2009
    My guess is you don't have the "current working directory" in your path.

    Assuming you're in the same dir as the testdisk executable:

    # sudo ./testdisk_static

    The "./" says "in here".... Or you can add it to the end of your path with:

    #PATH=$PATH;./

    BTW, *never* put the current dir at the beginning of your "PATH=....." line (typically found in the rc file for whatever shell you're running.)

    HTH,
    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  15. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #15 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 11, 2009
    thanks for the suggestion Ian,

    I surprisingly got it figured out before I saw your post... I need o reload more often!
     
  16. SPEEDCORE

    SPEEDCORE Four Time F1 World Champ

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    #16 SPEEDCORE, Dec 11, 2009
    Mac users can be useful from time to time :eek:
     
  17. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

    Feb 27, 2005
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    #17 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 11, 2009
    well, looks like my file system is hosed.

    Going to have to format and reinstall everything. need to figure out how to do it without creating dynamic partitions again.

    Will read up on dual-booting Win7 and linux.

    Thanks for the help guys.
     
  18. SPEEDCORE

    SPEEDCORE Four Time F1 World Champ

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    #18 SPEEDCORE, Dec 11, 2009
    ohh that suxs :(

    I was hopeful testdisk would of solved it :(
     
  19. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #19 Fast_ian, Dec 11, 2009
    :D

    BTW2 - After you'ce changed your $PATH, I forgot to mention that in most shells you need to:

    # export $PATH

    Hang on, didn't you say that Linux could see it OK? Is that no longer the case?

    I guess it's no big deal as long as you've got a good backup.....

    Good luck, cheers,
    Ian
     
  20. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #20 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 11, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2009
    Well thats the weird thing.

    Fedora is able to read/write the data on the two dynamic partitions, but neither the built in Palimpsest utility or the Testdisk utility seems to be able to do anything to fix the the MBR/partition type in a way to fix my Windows 7. Testdisk also says the file system is corrupt, and I've tried several things with it, none of them having any effect.

    Atleast I've learned how to keep my data segregated from my OS, allowing for easy recovery and backup in case of failure...
     
  21. DGS

    DGS Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #21 DGS, Dec 12, 2009
    You should be able to use Linux to back up your visible data to a USB drive (either flash or external disk). Depending on the formatting you use on the USB drive, either OS should be able to read it back.

    There might be user preferences in the user directories under the OS partition that you might want to capture, too. (Such as IE "favorites" aka bookmarks.)
     
  22. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #22 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 12, 2009
    Already taken care of ;). Luckily I had an external device with enough space left (only had ~8gigs on my drive, everything else was already on external drives.).

    I use the Google Toolbar to store all of my bookmarks in the cloud, so luckily I never need to worry about losing those, unless I forget my password... hehe.

    In any case, I'm going to have to get around to reinstalling windows when I can.
     
  23. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

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    #23 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 13, 2009
    Hey Everyone,

    Just thought I'd let you know that I now have my computer Dual Booting Windows 7 / Fedora 12.

    I ended up using the LiveCD to create two NTFS basic partitions, one for Windows installation, one for my data, and then left ~60gigs unallocated, formatted them and installed windows 7, then installed Fedora 12.

    The installation was fairly easy. The only difficult part was figuring out how I wanted to handle partitioning for the Linux installation. Atleast I left 60gigs of unallocated space to make it easy to set up the partition structure.

    Luckily Fedora was able to set up the boot manager fairly automatically since I installed Windows 7 first.

    Thanks for the help guys. Chances are I'll be back as I try to figure out how to do stuff in linux.
     
  24. DGS

    DGS Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #24 DGS, Dec 14, 2009
    As I said, after you play a bit, you'll probably figure out how you could have done it better, and then start over. ;)

    I still tend to over-partition my Linux, but the basic separation is that you need a swap partition, an OS partition, a user partition, and space for "extras".

    Although I've heard that, on a dual boot system, you can (theoretically) use the windows swap file, mounted through a loop device, as a swap partition. Never tried it myself, and your swap partition is virtual memory, so it should be as fast as you can make it. I'd think a loop interface would slow things down.

    Make sure you leave tons of unused space for your /tmp directory --- all the videos you watch online, all of your print postscript files, etc., all get expanded in that directory, so if that partition runs out of space, things stop working.

    The "extras" have to do with applications that don't come with the OS. With Fedora, you can get RPMs, often geared to the specific version. But sometimes you need to compile from source. But if you reload the OS, you'll need to reinstall the extras again. Keeping the downloads separate (at least, those that aren't OS version specific) means you don't have to download them again, and it makes it easier to keep track of what all you've added beyond the basic distro.

    For me, I like to split /opt and /usr/local off as separate partitions --- but, again, I tend to make more partitions than I really need.
     
  25. EnzymaticRacer

    EnzymaticRacer F1 Veteran

    Feb 27, 2005
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    #25 EnzymaticRacer, Dec 14, 2009
    Hi DGS.

    If you don't mind, can you say if this partition structure makes sense?

    /dev/sda
    -/sda1/ - C: (Windows 7)
    -/sda2/ - D: (for windows data)
    -/sda3/ - boot
    -/sda4/ - LVM
    -------/root
    -------/home

    thats what I finally decided on at some point. I was considering doing some other partitions, but wasn't sure which partitions would be the best do separate out.
     
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