[NTLUG:Discuss] installing redhat 6.1 on 2nd hard drive

[briank@hex.net]

On Sun, Mar 26, 2000 at 08:07:48PM -0600, John M. Mauldin wrote:
> i didn't have enough knowledge to ask a question on this issue.
> do you think i need to get pertition magic before i try to
> install rh6.1 for the first time in the fashion i mentioned?

You don't need Partition Magic to install Linux on a separate physical
drive. 

> 
> i know i sound like a baby, but i would hate to get involved in
> an installation on my drive and accidently erase my windows 98
> files on my first drive. that is my biggest worry.

Which is why you want to make sure you back up the important stuff on
your Win98 drive.

> i'm still thinking i should just take the first one offline and
> install on the second drive by itself. but my original question
> was if i do this, can i access the second drive if i put my main
> windows drive back on line.

You can certainly do that.  However, you will then have to install
LILO or some other boot loader on your own, rather than have the RH
install script do it for you.  I think if this is your first time to
install, you would be better off not trying to swap drives in and out.
The RH install script handles existing partitions just fine. 

Also, you will more than likely have to modify your partitions under
/etc/fstab, since your disk will probably not be the same device name
on a multi-disk system as it is on a single-disk system.  I'd probably
study up on fstab and mount as well if you go this route :)

> i was studying a little on the books i got with the program and
> it looks like i can boot with just a floppy and select which
> drive to start on, but i don't know.

This is actually fairly easy to do.  But LILO is robust enough that I
think you're worrying needlessly about any risk factor associated with
destroying existing data on your boot drive partitions.

I believe the RH installation allows you to create a "rescue" disk.
If you have concerns about LILO, just create the disk and boot.  But
be prepared to learn a little bit about how partitions and devices are
named under Linux in order to do this, because you'll eventually have
to select the partition you want to boot from.

  --Brian

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