Multiple OS Installation Partitioning Advice

[ShaidarHaran]

I've just received a 250GB HD from RMA (free courtesy of a friend that no longer needed the drive) and have decided to use it to install a multitude of different Operating Systems to play around with to broaden my horizons. I am going to install the following OSes: Windows Server 2003 Enterprise R2, Windows Server 2008 Beta 3, Ubuntu 7.04, Fedora 7, FreeBSD 6.2. Given that Server 2008 has by far the largest disk space requirements (40GB recommended, 80GB optimal - will be going with 80GB for this one), I need to partition my remaining ~150GBs of post-formatting space for use with the other 4 OSes. Any suggestions as to how to partition the remainder? I do plan on creating some small databases for each of the server OSes so I can become familiar with that aspect of running a server OS, but don't have any huge data-intensive aspirations for the remaining *nix variants.

sys info:
P4 530
i915G chipset-based mobo
2.5GB RAM
2x250GB HD (primary HD for Win XP, secondary for other OSes)
X1650 XT PCI-e
Pioneer 111D ATA DVD-RW
Liteon ATA DVD-ROM
no floppy

Also, since I have no floppy drive and am using SATA HDs will I run into issues with any of the aforementioned OSes or are they modern enough that it shouldn't be a problem? I would imagine the 915G chipset would have quite a bit of support by now, such that it wouldn't be a problem but I'd rather know beforehand.

Thanks in advance

 

[Davros]

why not just install 1 linux and get live cd's for the others (im assuming you want several versions of linux just to look at them rather than actually needing them)

ps: i would install inux last it seems to be better at living with other os's

benelix (solaris live cd if ya want a play with it)
http://www.genunix.org/distributions/belenix_site/?q=home

 

[ShaidarHaran]

Thanks for the advice. I may play around with other distros in the future but the ones I've mentioned are the most widely used/supported *nix variants I've found.

Off to install the 2 Win Server OSes now, wish me luck

 

[Davros]

I think your gonna need it

 

[ShaidarHaran]

I think your gonna need it

Apparently so.

Installs went off without a hitch, but drivers are few and far between.

No graphics driver available for either (big surprise there)
NIC driver not available for 2008
No sound driver for 2008

Sound isn't a big deal, but networking sure is so that kinda sucks. I may not run Server 2008 afterall. I have yet to install any of the *nix variants but I have a feeling that drivers will be included/available for all my devices there. I found sound and video drivers and I'd be surprised not to see support for an Intel Pro/100 VE NIC not included with desktop OSes, *nix or not. I'll probably hold off on the *nix until another time. For now it's back to football.

 

[Davros]

its very suprising about the network cards ms o/s's usually have drivers for them built in

ps: maybe you can get a nul modem cable

 

[ShaidarHaran]

its very suprising about the network cards ms o/s's usually have drivers for them built in

ps: maybe you can get a nul modem cable

I know, I was actually shocked when my NIC wasn't detected by either OS. I figured of *all* the devices not to have a stock driver, that'd be the last.

 

[hoho]

Remember that BSD needs to be installed on primary partition. I'd also suggest to create a small primary partition for all the Linux kernels (/boot) but it isn't required. Linux can be installed on extended partitions, also swap can be on extended partition.

 

[ShaidarHaran]

Remember that BSD needs to be installed on primary partition. I'd also suggest to create a small primary partition for all the Linux kernels (/boot) but it isn't required. Linux can be installed on extended partitions, also swap can be on extended partition.

Thanks for the info!

 

[mito]

I have a 500Gb disk

I created four partitions.

On the first one I installed WinXP.
On the second I installed Vista64.
The third partition was supposed to have Vista32, but I gave up installing it.
The fourth partition is for data.

I'm happy with this setup. Everything automatic. (The partition reserved for Vista32 was merged with the Vista64 partition using Vista's native partition manager).