This document explains your options for installing Red Hat Linux on a computer that
currently runs another operating system, and how to create a dual-boot
environment.
If the computer you want to install Red Hat Linux on is currently running Windows
(or some other operating system), you have an important decision to
make. Your choices are:
Do you want to install Red Hat Linux but feel timid about disk partitioning?
You can install Red Hat Linux on your system without creating any Linux
partitions by performing a partitionless
installation. The installation program can install Red Hat Linux on an
existing, formatted Windows partition and you'll only need to create a
boot disk during the installation to access Red Hat Linux on your system.
This method is perfect for those who do not want to install Red Hat Linux as
the primary OS or as a dual-boot OS on your system. It is a great way
of trying out Red Hat Linux without creating Linux partitions on your system.
If this is your preferred choice, refer to
Official Red Hat Linux Installation Guide, Appendix B. Installing
Without Partitioning, for those instructions.
Do you want to install Red Hat Linux and have the option of booting either
Red Hat Linux or your other operating system? Performing a workstation- or
custom-class installation will allow Red Hat Linux to install on your system
without affecting the other operating system. A workstation-class
installation will do this by default. In a custom-class installation,
you must install LILO (the LInux LOader) on the MBR (Master Boot
Record) -- unless Windows NT is your other OS or if you are already
using another boot loader on your system. The
Official Red Hat Linux Installation Guide has instructions on installing and
configuring LILO. After the installation, whenever you start the
computer, you will indicate whether you want to start Red Hat Linux or the
other operating system.
Warning
Do not perform a workstation-class installation if you're
sharing a disk with Windows NT; if you do, you will be unable to
boot Windows NT. LILO will overwrite NT's boot loader and you
will be unable to boot NT. You must perform a custom-class
installation and configure LILO so that it is not installed on
the MBR.
To create a dual-boot environment on a system that currently has
NT, you must install LILO on the first sector of the root
partition, not the MBR. Please be sure to create a boot
disk. In a case such as this, you will either need to use the
boot disk, or configure the NT system loader to boot LILO from
the first sector of the root partition. Be sure to check out
http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/mini/Linux+NT-Loader.html for
more information on setting up LILO and NT.
Do you want Red Hat Linux to be the only operating system on your computer?
The Red Hat Linux installation program will remove the other operating system
and also any data you have created using that operating system.
Please Note
In order to install Red Hat Linux and keep another OS on your system, there
must be sufficient space for Red Hat Linux to be installed on. Otherwise,
Red Hat Linux will replace the current OS and files on your system. If you
have not partitioned your hard drive to make room for Red Hat Linux or made
sure that there is sufficient unpartitioned space available for your
installation, Red Hat Linux will install over the existing information by
default. It will also happen if you select a server-class
installation (note that a server-class installation does not install
the X Window System so no GUI environment will be present [1]
). So a dual-boot environment is incompatible with this choice.
If this is your preferred choice, first back-up any information on
your computer that you want to save or perform a full backup if you
think you may want to restore your system to its original
configuration), then proceed with installation as explained in the
Official Red Hat Linux Installation Guide.
A server-class installation is most appropriate for you if you'd
like your system to function as a Linux-based server, and you
don't want to heavily customize your system configuration.
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