Installation

From Dreamlinux Wiki

After reviewing Dreamlinux Live version, you might want to install it on your PC. This page show you how to install Dreamlinux on your computer.

The first partitioning method is easier to perform, but it in case of reinstall or change operating system, there will be a complete lost of all data and customization files, less you make a backup.
The second partitioning method is a bit more complex to do, but allow to store your files and documents in a separate hard drive space in order to avoid its loss in case of reinstallation or upgrading.

Partitioning Tools

Dreamlinux provide two tools to hard drive partitioning:

GParted
Cfdisk

The first tool has a graphical interface and is able to manage disk partitions, changing the size and the internal file system. It's a more suitable tool for beginners.
The second has a textual interface and functions purely destructive, in order to repartition the disk after its formatting. It has no resizing capability and is a tool for experienced users.

How to partition your hard drive

Let us now see how to partition your hard drive

Partitioning the hard drive using cfdisk

Run the Terminal (Main Menu -> Terminal) and type the following command:

sudo cfdisk

In the first screen (Fig.1) cfdisk shows the current partition table with the names and some information about each partition. At the bottom of the screen are some buttons. To change the partition use the arrow keys up and down. To change command use the arrow keys left and right.

Deleting a Partition

To delete a partition, highlight it with the arrow keys up and down and select the command

Delete

with the arrow keys left and right and then press Enter (Fig.1).

Fig. 1 - Deleting a partition

Create a new partition

To create a new partition (Fig. 2), use following command:

New

(selecting it with the arrow keys left and right), and press Enter. You must choose between primary partition and logical partition. In the case of a logical partition, the program automatically create first an extended partition. Then you must choose the partition size (in MB).

Fig. 2 - Creating a new partition

Partition Type

To set the partition type for Linux swap or Linux, highlighting the current partition and use the control (Fig.4):

Type

Fig. 3 - Select the partition type

You'll get a list of different types. Press the space bar and you get other types. Find what you need and enter the number on the prompt. (Linux swap is 82, the Linux filesystem should be 83)

Fig. 4 - The Partition types

Making bootable a partition

With linux there is no need to make a bootable partition, but some operating systems require it. Highlight the partition and select the command.

Bootable

Note: When you install on an external HDD the partition must be bootable:

Writing on disk the new changes

When you set the changes you can write using the Write (write) command. The partition table will be written to disk. Since the writing of new changes will destroy all of data on partitions you have deleted or changed, you must be sure you want to do this before press the button 'write'.(Fig.5)

Fig. 5 - Write the changes

Closing tool

To exit tool select Quit. After leaving cfdisk and before starting the formatting or the installation, you should restart the system so that Dreamlinux Installer can read the new partition table.

Hard Drive partitioning with GParted

In Dreamlinux Live, GParted can be run as Administrator, then you must open the Terminal (Main Menu -> Terminal) and type following command:

sudo gparted

The tool will display its graphical user interface and perform a devices scan for devices.

2.2.2.1 Menu Bar

Menu 'GParted'

If you click the menu "GParted", you'll see two options. You can click on "Detect devices" to update the display system devices
Or click on "Devices" to select the hard disk on which you want to modify the partitions table.
This is useful if you have more than one hard disk, or if you want partitioning external device like a USB pendrive.
You must be very careful to avoid any misidentification, as once in action, GParted would erase any contents of the hard disk or partition wrongly chosen.

Fig. 6 - GParted Interface

Edit Menu - The menu Edit has three functions that could be crucial:
- Undo the last action
- Apply all operations
- Clear all operations
View Menu - Which contains the entries
- About the device - The "About device" panel display the details of Hard disk as a model, size, etc..(Fig.7) This panel is more useful in a system with different hard disk where the information is used to confirm that the hard disk that you are considering is the right one.

Fig. 7 - Situation of selected device

- Suspended Operations - In the status bar, located at the bottom, you see a list of pending operations (operations pending). This information is useful since it provides an indication of several pending operations.
Device Menu - The "Device" menu allow you to add a label to the disc and if the current one is inappropriate, it can be changed using this option.
'Partition Menu - This menu is of utmost importance. Allow you to make multiple operations, some of which are hazardous
- Delete - this item is selected if you want to delete a partition. To perform the deletion, you must first select the partition.
- Resize / Move - allow you to resize partitions.

Creating a new partition

In the toolbar, the New button allow you to create a new partition, if already selected an area not allocated (Fig.8). There will be shown a new window that allow you to choose the size desired, if the partition will be Primary, Extended or Logical, and finally the filesystem type.

Fig. 8 - Creating a new partition

If it is a mistake, you can use the Delete button to delete the partition you selected.

Resize/Move

When you want to resize a selected partition(Fig. 9), press the "Resize/Move" item and a new window will appear. Use the mouse to reduce (or increase) the partition size or if you prefer, use the arrow keys.

Fig. 9 - Move and/or resize a partition

After the command "Resize", you must click on "Apply" otherwise no operation is performed on the hard disk.
At this point, the operations take off (Fig.10) and a new window shows the progression of them. Duration can vary according to partition type and size.

Fig. 10 - Operation in progress

WARNING!
After changed the partition table, end session and restart the system to allow Dreamlinux installer to read the new partition table.

Resizing NTFS partition

Resizing a NTFS partition need restarting the system!
DO NOT DO ANY OPERATION on this partition before you reboot or you receive some errors.

After restarting in M$ Windows, the system will display a screen
Let it run the Autochk NT needs to control its own file system after the resizing operation.
At the end of the process the computer will automatically reboot. This ensure that all things works perfectly.
After reboot, Windows XP will be fine, but expect that the system has completed its boot, until login window!

Recommendations

Generally it is recommended to reserve at least 10 GB to Dreamlinux partition on hard disk. This space will be occupied by the system itself, new applications that will be installed by the user, and files that user add to the system (documents, music, films, etc..). Of course, more space is available, most are content that can be stored in it.

As for the space to be reserved to Swap memory, you may refer to an old assumption, which says that the swap should be at least twice the available RAM memory. However, this was true when the RAM was very limited (64/128 MB), but now in modern PC RAM memory is well more than enough and it can be said that the space be reserved to the Swap should not be over 1 GB.

NOTES and Acknowledgments

Documentation about GParted is on GParted website. Some parts of this section on partitioning, have been drafted on the basis of the excellent SIDUX manual that you can at this URL.

Continue with the Installer

Installation

From Dreamlinux Wiki

Contents

System Requirements

Partitioning