Installing questions? [SOLVED]

[Keith2021]

I'm back and have other questions. I am thinking of installing Linux Mint 20.2 Cinnamon, Kernal 5.4.0-74 on my HP Pavilion g7-1260us, Laptop, 1T hard drive and 4GB ram.
I have the 1T hard drive divided into two different drives C: and E:, drive E: has 608GB on it and I want to install it on the E: drive not the C: drive. I don't know that much about Linux to know what will work or not so I decided to ask.
If I install Mint will I be able to pick the C: or E: drive or another drive?
I have files on the E: drive that I will have to remove or make another partition, I would like to make a 300gb partition to install Mint. So I might have three drives, do you recommend doing this or what would the best way to do it be?
If I do this will I be able to get to the files on the drive that Mint will be installed on from the C: file system?
I also don't want to mess the computer up, any suggestions? I tried before you install and it worked fine.
Thanks for any info.

[rickNS]

1) I have the 1T hard drive divided into two different drives C: and E:, drive E: has 608GB on it and I want to install it on the E: drive not the C: drive. I don't know that much about Linux to know what will work or not so I decided to ask.


2) I have files on the E: drive that I will have to remove or make another partition, I would like to make a 300gb partition to install Mint.

1) how much free space do you have on E ?
You will need to "shrink" this partition first. You should probably do this from your windows system.

2) Yes, you will need to make another partition (or more) from the free space created by step 1, to install Linux Mint on to. Most recommend using Gparted form the live Linux to do that.

And yes Linux will be able to access your windows files.

[decrepit]

So Linux doesn't use C, or E designations for drives or partions. Yes you can install where you want, but you have to know the linux designations.
first drive is normally sda, then partitions on it are sda1, sda2 etc.

When booted into your live media, you can do a

Code: Select all

sudo fdisk -l

Like this

Code: Select all

decrep@decreps-mint20:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for decrep:          
Disk /dev/sda: 223.58 GiB, 240057409536 bytes, 468862128 sectors
Disk model: KINGSTON SA400S3
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x53c85297

Device     Boot     Start       End   Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sda1            2048  81922047  81920000  39.1G 83 Linux
/dev/sda2        81922048 376700927 294778880 140.6G 83 Linux
/dev/sda3       376700928 458620927  81920000  39.1G 83 Linux
/dev/sda4  *    458620928 468860927  10240000   4.9G ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32)
decrep@decreps-mint20:~$ 

That will show you, what mint calls the partition you want to install to.

There are divided opinions about a separate home partition. Personally I prefer to have one, in this case you give 30Gb to 50Gb to / (root) and the rest of the available space to /home.

It's best to use ext4 file system for mint, but windows can't read ext4 files. However Mint can read windows file systems. You can have a common data partition using ntfs. But I think I've heard there can be conflicts in the way the two operating systems write to the files?

[Keith2021]

Hi, what I figured that I would do is find my new hard drive and dock that I have and clone the disk and that way if I mess it up I can just put the other drive back in and make another clone and start over again. I don't want to lose everything I have from playing around.
Thanks for the info, it will come in handy later.

[coverich63]

Hi, what I figured that I would do is find my new hard drive and dock that I have and clone the disk and that way if I mess it up I can just put the other drive back in and make another clone and start over again. I don't want to lose everything I have from playing around.
Thanks for the info, it will come in handy later.

I gradually made my 1T disk in ext4 with the drive management of Linux Mint C 20.2
I had 3 partitions on the disk with win file versions, with dates and other things, I did it that way
first one patition as ext4 then copied my files over, and then made the second patition in ext4 now i have
both plates only ext4
PS: the drive management is very easy to use without frills and safe.

[Keith2021]

Hi, what I figured that I would do is find my new hard drive and dock that I have and clone the disk and that way if I mess it up I can just put the other drive back in and make another clone and start over again. I don't want to lose everything I have from playing around.
Thanks for the info, it will come in handy later.

I gradually made my 1T disk in ext4 with the drive management of Linux Mint C 20.2
I had 3 partitions on the disk with win file versions, with dates and other things, I did it that way
first one patition as ext4 then copied my files over, and then made the second patition in ext4 now i have
both plates only ext4
PS: the drive management is very easy to use without frills and safe.

I am safe to say that you are not running any windows? My Laptop is Windows and it has all my programs on it that I use daily. I wanted to put Mint on it.
If you install Linux on a hard drive can you then put windows on it or is it best to have windows first. Also running Linux if you need to update the Bios or other items how do you do it if you can't run an EXE? Linux is all new to me.

[mikeflan]

I am safe to say that you are not running any windows?

I am not coverich63, but yes, it is safe to say I do not boot up windows and I don't have windows on most of my Linux machines. I think one machine (that I don't use) has Linux and windows on it - on a 2nd drive in the computer. I don't mix Linux and windows on the same drive, hardly ever. I use desktop systems 95+% of the time, so it is easy for me to have multiple drives.

My Laptop is Windows and it has all my programs on it that I use daily. I wanted to put Mint on it.

No problem, go right ahead.

If you install Linux on a hard drive can you then put windows on it or is it best to have windows first.

Yes you can install Linux 2nd. No problem with that. For people who think windows is just the best OS around and they must have it, they should probably install Linux 2nd - I think due to boot order.

Also running Linux if you need to update the Bios or other items how do you do it if you can't run an EXE?

That is a problem. I don't update the bios even once every 10 years, but if I was going to do it I would just put in a windows SSD, boot up, and grit my teeth.

You are doing good by asking questions. Keep asking and keep researching.

[Keith2021]

Thanks for alll the replies, what I did was install Q4OS on a VM on my HP Laptop as it had a window installer and I rebuilt an older computer that I had and installed Linux Mint on it by itself, Now I can play around with Linux without messing up windows which I need for several programs. All is good.