Formating my hard disk

Going from windows to Linux, but I need to fotmat

[digi_mind]

I am going now from Windows to Linux, but before I install Linux ( Read Hat 7 ) I want to format my hard disk. Linux was having trouble doing it or I just couldn't figure it out.

How do I install Linux in a blank hard disk or how I could start my computer in DOS so I can delete everything in my C: drive and then install linux?

[David]

If you are installing from a Redhat 7.2, or 7.3 CD it will take you to a screen for partitioning, at that point tell it to use all of hda. It will then set up its partitions and format the disk for you.

added: It may give you an option to delete all existing partitions, check that box

[gethan]

But before formatting your hard disk - read all of the information in the docs dir of your installation CD.

I know for a fact that RadHat provides a windows utility that will allow you to set up a dual boot system using your existing windows installation as one half.

The steps are roughly: (from memory)

1) Defragment hard drive - moving all data towards the front.
2) Rewrite the partition table so that the end of the windows partition is after the data.

The utility is called FIPs...

From the redhat manual [redhat.com]

Do the other installations provide utils like this? I've not installed linux on a single windows partitioned system for so long now...

[dingman]

I think they pretty much all include Fips - certainly, it's been on every Linux install CD I've ever looked at that closely.