disk format and sharing with windows

[Exil]

Then it is finally decided; it will be the Kubuntu OS, and I am very looking forward to it

But when I was repartitioning my hard disk it just occurred to me that perhaps I would need to prepare my hard disks for the installation, some kind of special disk format or something.

So I searched around the internet, but could not find information that made it any clearer to me...Still while using Partition Manager, to repartition, that there was something called ext2 and ext3, and I found this have something to do with Linux, but I did not really know what to chose and what possibilities and/or limitation these choices involve... or even if I should just use FAT32 or any other format that might exist.

Another thing is that I have to hard disks on this computer, one small (18 gb) with mostly music and the other (130) for other use. Now, I want to share files and also the printer (hp PSC 1510) with the WindowsXP computers, that should not be any problem, should it? Knoppix did not manage to get the printer up and running you see so I don't feel very sure about this issue.

And finally is there something in particular I should keep in mind before plunging into the Linux world?

[askrieger]

Re: disk format and sharing with windows

The only preparation you need to make is to contract the size of your windows partition(s) so that you leave an adequate space for Linux. Fifteen GB will be more than adequate. When setting up a dual boot machine, I just free up the space with Partition Magic under windows and let Linux format it. Ext2 is the basic Linux file system. Ext3 is just EXT2 with a "journal" that allows you to recover from crashes more easily. Linux crashes MUCH less frequently than windoze, but it's still worthwhile to use EXT3. There are several other file you could consider, but for a beginner, EXT3 is a good choice.

Linux can read windows ntfs file systems so you can leave your read-only data on your windows partition. Linux can't write to ntfs (because M$ won't reveal the specifics of some proprietary algorithms), so you will need a small Fat32 (called VFAT in Linux) partition for data exchange from Linux to windoze.

According to Linux Printing.org, your HP1510 should work "perfectly" with Linux.

[Exil]

Re: disk format and sharing with windows

Thanks for the reply Al, I will definitely format to Ext3 

I hadn't really thought of leaving a partition for windows on this computer, do you think it is necessary to do so? I have WindowsXP on two laptops and I just wanted these to be able to share some files and the printer through the Kuntubu computer...

I have seen that the HP PSC 1510 is supposed to be compatible with Linux, but the printer went crazy when I tried to print out on it. It just sent  all the paper  right through without printing anything, but I'm sure there is a solution to that, my doubt is more if I really will be able to share resources on the Kuntubu computer with the Windows computers.

thanx again

[askrieger]

Re: disk format and sharing with windows

To share data between a Linux computer and windoze computers you have to use a program called "Samba" which interacts with the M$ smb protocol. I believe that it is installed by default, but if it is not you can certainly install it yourself using the Adept or (preferably) Synaptic package manager. Once you've got Kubuntu up and running, you can start to use Samba.

[Exil]

Re: disk format and sharing with windows

Cool. Thank you