Newbie/Partition Questioning.

[DIxer]

Hello all,
First off, I should advise I'm new to Linux so expect stupid questions from me. Maybe this will be my first.
I'm trying to install FC4 on a 17" 1Ghz powerbook. I have a 250 GB external firewire drive and a 60 GB internal drive. Neither of these have partitions.
Is it entirely necessary to create an exclusive partition for Fedora? I noticed this on the x86 installation guide:
"Keep all partitions and use only existing free space
Uses only the unpartitioned space on the hard disk(s) to install Fedora Core". Should this work for PPC? Can anybody advise of alternative methods to provide partition space without losing the data on my drives?
Again, I appreciate the help and apologise for the stupid questions.
Looking forward to getting to grips (hopefully) with Linux,
Regards,
Dixer.

[tashirosgt]

I can't understand you saying that you want to proceed "without losing the data on my drives" and also saying that neither drive has partitions. Did you mean that the other 2 drives are being used for Windows and have only NTFS partitions?

[DIxer]

I can't understand you saying that you want to proceed "without losing the data on my drives" and also saying that neither drive has partitions. Did you mean that the other 2 drives are being used for Windows and have only NTFS partitions?

Tashiro,
No this is a OSX thing, not windows. I only have the internal Powerbook drive and an external 250GB firewire, both of which have data I cant afford to lose and therefore cant partition. I'm asking is it absolutely necessary to create a partition exclusively for the installation of Fedora.
Thanks for getting back to me,
Dixer.

[Cruzader]

Yes, Fedora requires its own partition, it can't be installed like another program in OSX.

[DIxer]

I can install it on an external Firewire drive? Not only my internal?
Thanks again.

[haalaaluu]

it need to have separate partition for FC4
a littol bucky on resizing partittion without loose of data,
http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iPartition.php or
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/23512

[DIxer]

Thanks for all the advice,
My current situation is that Linux/Anaconda doesnt seem to be recognising my firewire drive. I formatted and partitioned my external drive. The default format was Mac Ox Extended (Journaled). Running the Linux installer resulted in the messages "The partitions data region doesnt occupy the entire partition" and "Attempt to Read Sectors 16 - 18 outside of partition /dev/hda". Both these messages have 'ignore/cancel' options. Pushing ignore repeatedly will eventually reach the 'Automatically/Manually partition' screen where the only drive option is HDA i.e. my internal harddrive.
Thinking maybe it waws something to do with the format of the External harddrive, I re-partitioned with 3 partitions of different format: Mac os extended (Journaled), Mac os Extended and Unix file system. Running the anaconder installer had the same result though.
Is this something other users might have encountered?
Any advice people might have would be appreciated,
Thanks again,
Nick.

[haalaaluu]

"problem upon problem" ;)
Anacoda.. yes, if you wanna give a try for testing purpose.
One basic concept, if you want to boot from external HD (USB,FireWire), the medium should be formatted in vFat, ext2, ext3 which normally can not process through Mac Disk Utility. Unless external HD drive included program for itself to be formatted. (or format through exited Win or Linux)

Boot from CD/DVD > restart > press "C" > yaboot > linux video=ofonly resolution=1024x768 (optional - linux mediacheck)

Boot from external HD > format the FireWire/USB HD to vFat(Fat) > linux askmethod

[Edit]THIS IS FOR INSTALLATION FC BY CD/DVD OR Ext. HD

[DIxer]

Haalaaluu,
Thanks again. The thing is, I'm booting from a burned DVD image (Which I have tested) but am seeking to install on the external firewire as opposed to boot from the external. Is this viable? i.e. to install fedora on an external drive? Are you saying that in order to install on the external I need to boot from the external too?
Dixer.

[haalaaluu]

To run FC on external HD through FireWire

i frankly no idea upon whether it will work charm or not. :)
dont wanna get you trouble but you can however give a try.
it could be better to try this with other light weight distro ubuntu, yellowdog, knoppix, etc.. see more at http://www.linuxiso.org/

i think Dave Taylor's TriBoot Strategy (http://www.intuitive.com/blog/ubuntu_linux_yellowdog_linux_and_mac_os_x_all_on_o ne_powerbook.html) could give you some idea.

but if you still wanted to run FC distro, pls resize 60G Macintosh HD partition using iPartition or VolumeWork to give FC about 10G room. [RECOMMENDATION]

FC is unlike other distro and it's more towards on base station than portable.

good luck!