We use Partition Magic 6.0. And it is the only one I recommend. If you have Windows 98/95 Partition Magic 4 / 5 will also work. However, you can also use System Commander 2000. In case you have Windows ME installed, you will have to use Partition Magic 6.0 as nothing else will work.

. Windows installation disk and boot floppies

These are essential in case you goof up very badly (chances of this happening are less than 5% if you read this properly). If you don’t have boot floppies, don’t fret. Partition Magic / System Commander will make them for you when you install it.

If you have any means of backing up your software, please do it now. You can do so on a zip drive, a CD writer or if you have a large hard disk, on a separate partition where Windows is not installed.

Partitioning Hard Disk

By now you have installed Partition Magic. (P.M) here, we take P.M 6.0 as an example. Version 5.0 has the same interface. First cick on ‘Create New Partition’ in the lower left of the screen. Click Next. Now choose the Hard Disk (if you have two hard disks), on which you want to install Linux and click Next. It is advisable to install Linux on your Primary Hard Disk (The one with Windows on it). In case you have one, it is the default option. Then click on yes when it asks if you want to install a new Operating System on the partition Click Next. Choose Linux from the list of Operating Systems before clicking on Next.

Ext2 option is chosen by default. They recommend installing Linux on a Logical Partition, do it. Click Next. Choose the recommended option in the next screen. Go to Next. If you already have more than one partition, you have to choose from where PM should derive space to install Linux. Choose the partition where you have (freed up) space for Linux and click Next. Decide the size of the partition. Enter 1000 in the MB box for 1 GB and 2000 for 2 GB. Enter at least 128 MB less than the total space you freed for Linux as we will need this for another partition called ‘Swap Space’. Enter any name you want to keep for this partition in the Label box and click Next and then Finish.