How to dual boot? Fedora 16...?

Question

I want the GB's allocated half and half, I have like 580 gb or something, and 80 is used by Win 7, but I'd like to give Fedora 16 250 GB. Trying to dual boot.

When I'm on the install to hard drive section I screen I see a few options. I can't do Use all Space obviously, since I want to dual boot alongside W7. When I hit Replace Existing Linux System(s) / Use Free Space: it says:

Could not find enough free space for automatic partitioning, please use another partitioning method.

When I click Shrink Current System, it says which partition, blah blah blah... and sda 1 (ntfs, 0 MB), sda 2, and 3 all with the same ntfs, 0mb.Then it says shrink partiion to size (in MB) 199 underneath that.

And then when I hit Create Custom Layout, it shows this:
Hard Drives:
sda (/dev/sda):
sda1 199 (ntfs
sda2 595972 ntfs
sda3 14204 ntfs
sda4 103 vfat
Free 1

If I click 'Free' it says: You have not defined a root partition (/), which is required for installation of Fedora to continue. You have not created a bootable partition.

This partitioning stuff is all new to me, and I tried finding some help on Google but F16 is brand new and all, so not really finding anything.

Thanks for any help guys. :)

Answer 1

You shall know some things about linux

1)Linux doesnt know partitions like windows does.There is no Drive C or D or anything.

Linux says sda1 sda2 ... instead.

2)Windows has folders named "Windows" "Program files" ... for its system files but linux has "/usr/" "/var/" "/home/" "/etc/" ... for its files. you can put all of them into one partition or choose different partitions for each. if you choose one partition for all of them you shall select that partition's mount point as " / " instead of "/var/" "/home/" or ... which will contain all of them.

3)you shall install your boot loader into the harddrive instead of a partition so if it asks where to place the boot loader you shall say "sda"

you can also put your boot loader into a flash memory which will be "sdb"



4)linux has different partition format than windows.windows has fat ntfs ... but linux has ext3 ext4 ...

5)linux uses a partition (if you want) as swap space meaning that if you run out of RAM it will use that partition as extra RAM.





I recommend you to install Ubuntu or linux mint instead of Fedora because they are easier to use.

and I also recommend you to choose manual partitioning because you will know what exactly happens on your harddisk

Answer 2

How to Dual Boot Fedora 15 and Windows 7 (also applies to Fedora 16)

http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/06/27/how-to-dual-boot-fedora-15-and-windows-7/





LUg.

Answer 3

go to administrative tools -> storage -> disk management from windows and delete the relevant partition. then try to boot from live CD. If it didn't get the free space , choose manual option, and from the free space allocate 500mb for /boot (ext2) {mountpoint /boot} , 2Gb for swap (swaparea) and rest for / (ext4) {mountpoint /} . for more info @ http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/05/04/manual-disk-partitioning-guide-for-ubuntu-11-04/ . and use this, http://ask.fedoraproject.org/questions/ for questions.with ubuntu software installations are easy but I prefer fedora because of build in GNOME support.

Answer 4

attempt this installation instruction manual. enable me comprehend at what step you have any issues. once you get to step 2.9 choose Use loose area with the intention to place in on the a hundred and fifty GB loose area. do no longer use LVM nor assessment and regulate partitioning format. the two verify bins on the backside of the website. Step 2.10 if it asks to choose storage gadget be valuable to choose the splendid one. this is geared up which you have greater effective than one frustrating rigidity on your equipment. the 1st frustrating rigidity would be referred to as /dev/sda and the 1st partition would be /dev/sda1 (possibly domicile windows) and the 2d /dev/sda2, etc. The bootloader (grub) could desire to be put in on /dev/sda; this is the MBR, grasp boot checklist. If it asks approximately enhancing partitions (it possibly won't when you consider which you unchecked the container "regulate and assessment partitioning format) you want basically 2 partitions / (referred to as root) and alter. exchange could desire to be a million-2 situations the dimensions of your ram and / will carry all of the data; a minimum of 20 GB. do no longer use LVM as this could reason greater confusion. the reason you acquire the message that there is no longer sufficient reminiscence i think of is when you consider which you probably did no longer create the recent partitions that are mandatory. wish this helps.