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    Need help installing linux....

    Discussion in 'Alienware M11x' started by adramalech, Nov 29, 2011.

  1. adramalech

    adramalech Newbie

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    Okay so I have a M11x R3 i7 w/ 8GB of RAM. I have an issue though. I see that my HDD has 3 partitions already taken up. One /Boot (fat32), one C:/Win7 (ntfs), and a D:/Recovery (ntfs). Now I am trying to install Gentoo Linux. The issue is I usually like to install a /boot (ext2), /root (ext4), /home (ext4), /swap (ext4), etc..

    I don't know why Dell didn't create a LVM to not have all my physical partitions taken up. I don't like to just have a /root and a /swap for security reasons.

    I was asking if anybody has encountered this problem and has just deleted/reformatted the /boot partition and leave the /win7 and /recovery partitions alone. Then just create a LVM for the other partitions?

    Also have an issue with running liveusb image of systemrescuecd with it saying sysrcd.dat not found on devices: /dev/sda, /dev/sda1, /dev/sda2, and /dev/sda3. This is only on the USB3.0 port if I boot from the USB 2.0 port it is okay!!!! Does it not have usb3.0 support out of the box??
     
    adramalech, Nov 29, 2011
    #1
  2. un4tural

    un4tural Notebook Evangelist

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    i wouldn't install linux on this, unless that project is completeish to get optimus to work... Or just work with virtual one inside the win7...

    What i would suggest if you want to go ahead with it, just get a new HDD or completely format this one, and start from scratch with all the partitions.
     
    un4tural, Nov 29, 2011
    #2
  3. adramalech

    adramalech Newbie

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    I am probably just going to save up for an intel 520 ssd or a cruicial m4.

    But I was trying to maybe work on helping out the development of ironhide/bumblebee stuff.

    I already have vmware player running linux mint 12 fc1 and fedora 16.

    I noticed the first partition isn't a boot but i think the alienware respawn crap and diskutility stuff. So I don't think I will remove it. What I think I will do is wait get an intel 520 ssd and run linux on the ssd and windows through a usb3.0 external enclosure with the original hdd.
     
    adramalech, Nov 29, 2011
    #3
  4. Rypac

    Rypac Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm not sure that you will get very good performance running Windows through USB 3.0. If you bought an SSD with a bit higher capacity you could dual boot pretty easily.
     
    Rypac, Nov 29, 2011
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  5. nikudorei

    nikudorei Newbie

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    If it is just a workstation why bother with more than just 2 partitions?
    Im a sysadmin, seems a little like overkill to me.
    I dualboot linux on my m11x r3 for afterhours work stuff, only got / and swap partitions. Dont really need more, maybe a /boot if you are going to use some sexy strange FS on your /
     
    nikudorei, Nov 29, 2011
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