Need help installing Linux partitions

[Dengar]

I finally downloaded Icepack Linux 1.0 since it claims to be very good for first time Linux users. I am presently at a screen which gives me the options to partition my drive. All I see is:

Choose the type of the new partition (Primary or Extended)
Choose the size of the new partition (where I enter the size)
Choose the system type of the new partition (Linux ext2 or Linux swap)

Im kind of lost here since the NHF's I found talked about /root, /home, /usr, and /home partitions. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[cage47]

First give us an idea what you have to work with. Size of your hard drive(s) What software/os you already have loaded and how much space does it take on the hd. To start and learn it will suffice to make a / directory and a swapfile twice the size of your system's memory (as a rule of thumb) Let us know how much space you have available and take it from there.

[Dengar]

Whoops, I forgot the specs :)

Its a P2-266 w/128 MB RAM on a 13 GB HD, clean drive nothing on it.

Basically I want to use this as a file/mail/ftp server so I want to allocate about 2-3 GB for my system fles and the rest for my ftp server.

[ 27 March 2001: Message edited by: Dengar ]

[digitalzero]

In order to install a linux partition you basically need two partitions.
One to store all the files (such as system files, applications, documents, mp3's, etc...) and the other for SWAP Partition (something to do with memory).

So u need to make two partitions. One of type ext2 and another of type SWAP. The size of SWAP should be double the amount of your physical RAM (ie. if you have 32MB of memory, u'll need to have 64MB of SWAP).
Next thing is to make the ext2 partition. ALlocate any size u want.
I have both of these partitions being PRIMARY Partitions. I installed LILO (Linux Loader) on the Master Boot Record (which ppl say is unsafe). Anyways, if u dont understand something just keep on posting.

By the way dont choose the easiest Linux distribution. Ppl say Mandrake is really complete and easy, all it does is fill your HD wtih useless stuff.
Go with Slackware 7.1. It's the only way to go!

[cage47]

What he said, but putting lilo in the MBR isn't unsafe. It's recommended. One thing though. Are you going to dual boot with another os like windows. If you are you will want to install this os first then Linux. But keep in mind a /boot directory needs to be created below the 8gig limit for the older LILO to work. If you load Linux first then Windows make sure to create your boot floppy during install to get back into Linux since Windows will overwrite the MBR and render your Linux partition unreachable without the boot floppy. Then edit /etc/lilo.conf to include the windows drive and type lilo at the command line. (Like I said it's easier to install Windows first).

[Dengar]

Thanks for the responses. I made the ext2 partition and the swap (about 300 MB) and now installing the packages. Ill keep you all informed and post back when I get lost again hehe :)