Re: Installation Help.

[Rick Stevens <rstevens vitalstream com>]

Daniel wrote:
>  
> Hello.
>  
> I'm new to Linux and would like some help getting started.
>  
> I cannot get through the installation process for v.7.3, particularly 
> creating a new partition.
>  
> It asks me if I would like the installer to do it for me, and to select 
> the proper drive:
>  
> hda: WDC WD400BB-563LBO
>  
> Am I sure I want to do this to /dev/hda ?
>  
> When I click yes it says
>  
> Could not allocate requested partitions
> Partitioning failed, Coul not allocate
> Partition as primary partition
>  
> I'm not quite sure what this means except that perhaps Redhat doesn't 
> think I have a hardrive.

No, all of your disk is allocated to XP, so RedHat can't find any
free space to make a Linux partition.  Notice it said "Can't allocate
space", not "Can't find disk".

> I'm using a Gateway computer with XP on it and have been loading the 
> Redhat install program by simply putting the disk in and rebooting.
>  
> Is there any easy way around this?  Any replies or a link to a support 
> page that has covered this problem would be greatly appreciated.

Sure.  Free up some space on the hard drive by shrinking a partition
to make room for Linux.  XP sucks up all the space on the drive.
Depending on your disk, you probably have a C and a D, with C being a
VFAT partition and D being an NTFS partition.  Use XP's disk manager
to make enough room to fit Linux on there.

Under XP, can you do an fdisk and show us what the disk layout looks
like?  We can then suggest a layout that'll work.
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- Rick Stevens, SSE, VitalStream, Inc.      rstevens vitalstream com -
- 949-743-2010 (Voice)                    http://www.vitalstream.com -
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- Treat each day as if it's your last...a lot of crying and whining  -
-      usually gets you what you want!              -- Sam Sledge    -
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