Help deleting Extended DOS Partition

[amr]

I'm trying to repartition for a dual boot with Linux/Win98. I'm having trouble deleting an extended DOS partition.

Here's my Partition Information via FDISK:

=====================
Current fixed drive: 1

Partition: 1
Status:
Type: EXT DOS
Volume Label:
Mbytes: 251
System:
Usage: 1%
=====================

I need HELP! Note: No logical drives exist on the disk. No primary drives exist. No option under "Delete" will allow me to delete this %@$#! extended partition. This is the only partiton listed. When I try to delete the extended partition with FDISK, I get an error saying:

Code: Select all

Cannot delete Extended DOS Partition while logical drives exist. 

I *can* boot to a shell with one of my Red Hat installation CD's. I could run FDISK from Linux, but I don't know the proper command line switches. I tried

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 # fdisk -p /dev/hda

and

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 # fdisk -p /dev/hdb

But neither worked. How do I list the partitions on my drive under Linux shell? I just want this damn "phantom" EXT DOS partition to go away, so I can divy up my disk 50-50 for Win98/RedHat. HELP!

[wheerdam]

fdisk /dev/hd? (your harddrive)

While within fdisk shell, I think the command p will list your partitions, and d will allow you to delete one of them.

But, are we talking about the same fdisk?

[amr]

Yep. Thanks Wheerdam. That did it.

It was /dev/hda4 and /dev/hda5 (swap)

Must've had some leftover Linux hidden partitions or something that DOS FDISK couldn't handle. Now have a blank disk with no partitions. I guess I need to create a Primary DOS partition first, and install Win98 there, and then do my Linux install with the remaining free space. I have a 20GB disk on thos PC, so I guess I split the size for Win98/Red Hat evenly 50-50 between the two? And use Autopartition with Linux? I'm scared of that Disk Druid deal.

[wheerdam]

If you're going to manage your partitions with Linux's Fdisk, you better put the VFAT partition on the beginning of the harddisk, in my experience, Windows will not recognize a VFAT partition if it's not located on the beginning of the harddisk.

What I usually do if I want to share a single harddisk between Windows and Linux is that I partition the harddisk with the linux fdisk. Linux, at least gentoo, requires 3 partitions: Boot (where your kernel image and your bootloader files located), Swap and Root.

so:

/dev/hda1 - 10-15GB VFAT/Win32 LBA
/dev/hda2 - ext2/3 Boot (I usually put 100MB here)
/dev/hda3 - swap (Double of your RAM, but there's a limit which I forgot)
/dev/hda4 - the rest

But I don't know about Red Hat, in Gentoo you have to partition your harddisk manually.

[amr]

Red Hat seems to be recommending that I install Win98 first, and then use the remaining free space for RedHat, and use a LILO bootloader.

[wheerdam]

I wonder how it works... so you use fdisk (Win98's) and make a primary DOS partition, say 10GB. You install it then boot to Red Hat and the installer will take care of the rest of the free unpartitioned space? The installer has to rewrite the MBR to make the partitions that Linux will need, right?

I thought that'll be a little bit risky... but it should be safe

[amr]

That's essentially it. I'm trying the install of Win98 first, on the 1st (only, at this point) 10GB partition. Then booting from Red Hat Installation CD, and letting the Autopartition take care of the 2nd 10GB avaliable. Also says to be sure and configure a bootloader, and they recommend LILO.

That's what the Red Hat manual says to do, anyway. We shall see. In the middle of the Win98 Install right now.

(wish I could change the title of this thread to "Setting up a Win98/RedHat dual boot")

[wheerdam]

Good luck on the install, I'm going to install gentoo tonight as part of my weekend project