[CentOS] Dual-boot with WinXP, CentOS already installed

Fri Apr 17 10:31:26 UTC 2009
Kai Schaetzl <maillists at conactive.com>

Sorin Srbu wrote on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:16:33 +0200:

> Apparantely Windows can bork up after a while if the system files aren't on
> C:.

No, that is a myth. You just cannot put the system drive on an extended 
partition, it has to be a primary partition. If that is the first non-Linux 
partition Windows will name it C, anyway, as it just ignores partition types 
it doesn't know. But, as I said, the letter doesn't matter.

I was thinking the Windows installer will see the linux partitions and
> try to name them C: and D: etc, thus Windows will be installed on E: or F:,
> which might not go down well with some programs.

No, see above, but really, it doesn't matter at all. Windows isn't that dumb.

> 
> 
> >> Would I be better off disconnecting the drive containing CentOS and
> >> reconnect it when I'm done installing Windows. Then boot with CentOS
> rescue
> >> and reinstall grub to the Windows-hd MBR?
> >
> >Why? If you want to put them on separate *hardware* then you don't have to
> >reinstall anything. Just make sure that the CentOS drive is the first boot
> >drive.
> 
> Windows drive numbering, see above. This way Windows doesn't see linux at
> all.

No, I meant: why then reinstall grub? No need for it. You just change 
grub.conf. If you want to use a second disk because of drive numbering: no, 
you don't need to do that. If you want to do it for other reasons, like space: 
go ahead!



Kai

-- 
Kai Schätzl, Berlin, Germany
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