alternate CD (beta) and partitioning

[senorian]

I have just downloaded this (beta) and the first partitioning screen gives a range from about 4 GB to 50 GB and says that one can use "max".
There does not seem to be any way to change or add text to the screen. Typing "max" gets the next screen saying improper post (or something similar)
Perhaps it would be better if this "alternate" CD was labelled for "professional" use. The partitioning manager sucks for newbies.
In addition there is no screen showing how the hard drive is or was partitioned.

[dibl]

Re: alternate CD (beta) and partitioning

Perhaps it would be better if this "alternate" CD was labelled for "professional" use. The partitioning manager sucks for newbies.
In addition there is no screen showing how the hard drive is or was partitioned.

I agree. I figured out a long time ago: "Partitioning is one thing, installing the OS is another thing." I think the problem is that they have packed the CD as full of packages and OS-related software as they can, and they can't put a really intuitive GUI partitioning routine on it, because there's not enough space.

Best advice is to make yourself a Parted Magic or GParted Live CD, and use it in advance of booting the installation CD.

Parted Magic:

http://partedmagic.com/

GParted:

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php


Here's another tip: Equal-sized partitions are very difficult to distinguish from each other when viewed in a character-mode display, whether in a console or in an installation screen. If you make your partitions with different sizes, according to the content, then you only need to remember for a short while the size of the partition that you plan to install your OS in, and it will be obvious on the list of "/dev/sdx nn.nGB" in the installer.

[senorian]

Re: alternate CD (beta) and partitioning

Thanks dibl for improving my "self esteem"
I half thought that it was my ignorance of Linux
that prevented me from appreciating how the partioner worked!
(the install loaded nicely. There seems to be something about the concept of "time" that is almost oriental with Linux developers. The screen will at one time show files, etc being changed or examined so fast that it is impossible to read them. Then NOTHING and this nothing seems to go on and on and on.You think that the damn thing has hung and are tempted to restart. You wait a bit longer and BOOM, things start happening again. A more consistent rate of supplying information as to the progress of the procedure would reduce my stree level!)
I will follow your advice and use gparted
thanks