Re: [TCLUG:3909] Erasing Linux, going back to Windows

[barnabas@pobox.com]

Dear New to this Whole Windows Thing,

Christopher Palmer wrote:
> 
> (Just kidding! hah!)
> 
> Dear Ann Landers,
> 
> I want to set up my Linux machine with a small old IDE HDD with WinDoS on
> it, so that I can trade files with people who want to employ me. :P Four
> questions:
> 
> 1. Do I have to do anything besides copying the Windows 95 SCSI drivers
> from my SCSI driver disk onto the Windows boot floppy, in order for
> Windows to see my SCSI CD-ROM drive? I need the CD-ROM drive to install
> Windows. Do I need to tweak one of those DOS files on the boot disk?

> 2. What does a dual-boot Linux/Win95 /etc/lilo.conf file look like?

Here are the applicable portions of mine:

# LILO configuration file
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda
delay = 50
vga = normal    # force sane state
default = Linux-2.2.1
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /vmlinuz-2.2.1
  root = /dev/hda3
  label = Linux-2.2.1
  read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for
checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# DOS bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/hda1
  label = DOS
  table = /dev/hda
# DOS bootable partition config ends

> 3. Are there any precautions I should take so that Windows doesn't try to
> eat my Linux partitions?

It has been my experience that Windows (95 and NT) leave partitions
alone which are unformatted or whose format they don't understand.  When
I installed '95 on my box (I had to do so to upgrade my modem from 33.6K
to 56K), Windows didn't bother my Linux partitions at all.

The one thing you'll need to worry about however is the boot loader. 
Windows will overwrite your MBR and replace lilo.  Just have a Linux
boot disk on hand so that after installing the Windows, you can boot
back to Linux and run lilo to get the boot loader back to where it
should be.

> 4. My neighbor doesn't fold her hand towels the way I think she should.
> Should I politely tell her she's doing it wrong, or just let it go?

What are hand towels? :-)>

> Signed,
> New to this Whole Windows Thing
> 

Eric