Setting up ReiserFS

[Minime80]

I want to check out ReiserFS on my mom's computer cause it has a spare HD that doesn't have anything on it. I have a Debian 2.2 CD that I want to put on there, and unless there's a free version out somewhere that I can download, I don't have Partition Magic or anything that can make ReiserFS partitions. Now, if I understand how this thing works (I could very easily be wrong) ReiserFS doesn't work on ext2 partitions and vice versa... Right? I'm pretty sure you can't have a standard Linux partition, patch ReiserFS support into the kernel, and automatically start using it on your current partition. From what I understand you have to make a Reiser partition. If that's wrong let me know. Okay, so I've got the Debian CD, what would be the best/quickest/easiest way to get everything ReiserFS-ified. Can it be done during the installation, or do I have to install it then convert everything?

Thanks for the help.

[Kadesh]

I remember there was a Debian with reiserfs but I'm not sure how it has kept up. It might be better to go with SuSE which has it in the main distro.

Creating a ReiserFS partition is like creating an ext2 partition out of a Windows partition. You can't do it without destroying data unless you have Partition Magic.

[Minime80]

I found a demo of Partition Magic 6 that I could download. Does anyone know if that does Reiser? I guess I could install the minimum Debian stuff on one partition then patch Reiser into the kernel, and then move everything over to the Reiser partition and reformat the first one into Reiser. Would that work? Is there an easier way?

[anti_seen]

You can't just use the tutorial listed at www.reiserfs.org (http://www.reiserfs.org) it has always worked for me, and no I don't believe partition magic will ever have the capabilites for creating reiser anything.

[bdg1983]

Yes, as far as I know, PM6 can only create ext2 and swap partitions.

Follow the tutorial at the link suggested and I believe that there are How-To's on the subject at www.linuxdoc.org (http://www.linuxdoc.org)