How To Install GNU/Linux Distros On A Mac

Hi all,

As you can probably tell I am new to Linux and new to the forum, I am using Kali and Mint both as live Linux environments on USB drives, all is good and I am finding my way around, the reason for the post is that I need to copy 15 CF cards that have multiple partitions, Windows isn't really an option as it can only see one partition on a removable drive, so here goes with Linux.

The CF cards contain Windows Embedded XP in one partition and a separate partition for user data which isn't protected, not that the contents matter, only the fact that it is bootable with multiple partitions, the object is to upgrade the old 2gb cards to 4gb cards to add an additional program on the embedded drive, but they are both full.

as long as I can copy both partitions over the partition size doesn't matter as I can resize that if necessary, but I need both partitions to copy over to the new drive.

I have read that dd command is the way to go but cant find much on multiple partitions which display in Linux as two drives, so how do I go about this, any pointers

Ideally I would like to automate the process as this is something that we could end up doing on a regular basis, I have seen a USB drive that was plugged into a PC and through a basic GUI allowed you to copy a HDD but I don't know If that would do both partitions, something for the future?

Hey,

My PC has 298 GB of which approximately 179 GB is unallocated. The remaining estimated 119 GB is being used by two distro's: PCLinuxOS and Manjaro 0.8.12

When I have tried to add a new distro, having plenty of free space, I usually get a message telling me I can not proceed further due to my having four primary partitions.

I have a Swap partition of sufficient size to handle multiple distros almost 10 GB.

I installed PCLOS first and then Manjaro. I gave each approximately 12 GB for their 'Root' (/) Their Home (/home) partition was roughly 40 GB each.

{/dev/sda1 swap /dev/sda2 Extended (/dev/sda5, dev/sda6) "PCLinuxOS" /dev/sda3. /dev/sda4 "Manjaro 0.8.12"

For /dev/sda 5 & 6 I used 'Reiserfs' file system. For /dev/sda 3 & 4, I used Ext4.}

The way I look at it my root and home partitions are 'primary' thus taking up the four primary allowed. I seem ti either recall or seen somewhere, that beside 'Primary there was something called 'Logical'

Starting with PCLinux as a base could I make a new installation of Manjaro where (/) would be Primary and (/home) would be Logical?

Or would I need to start totally over with fresh installs of both Manjaro ant PCLinux?? Then make (/) primary and (/home) logical?

Would such a move allow me to install additional distros?

A thought could I make the changes in Gparted while keeping the distros as they are, just making the changes [primary & logical?]

TIA

herakles_14

I recently installed debian-7.8.0-i386-DVD-1.iso on a VirtualBox. It "live booted" just fine and then I followed the install instructions. As far as I can tell it works. ??? I dont know. here is the issue. When I tried to instal from the Add/remove software in the applications. I get a notice to load 'Debian GNU/Linux 7.8.0_Wheezy_- Official i386 DVD Binary-1' in the dvd tray, after it starts to load/install. so what is really going on there? why do I need to use this? how do I get around it. I appreciate the input. Keep in mind I have know idea about how Linux works. First time user.

I have tried installing the newest version on Kali Linux on my laptop. I have these specs...

Lenovo S510p (touch)

Processor- Intel(R) Core(TM) i3
RAM-6GB
System Type-64-bit, x64 based OS

Windows 8.1

It gives me errors with the kernels, ive tried i686 i486 i386, it wont start when I usb unstall 64 amd version, it starts with i386 but the kernel wont run the persistent setup because it gives me an error message about the kernel. i486 just worked all weird on my laptop. Any links or step by step guides to the BEST methods of installing the write version for persistent mode, any info on MAIN things to upgrade right away from the command box like audio, graphics, add-on tools, updates etc... im trying to get all that before I head out of town in less the 48 hours with little time to be online for the moment. Id greatly appreciate your responses.....

I have installed linux(mint and ubuntu) on a few laptops, but i have an ASUS eEEE netbook PC..Atom processor...No DVD drive...

I have chosen PUPPY Linux distro, and I have booted from a thumb a few times to make sure everything seems to work....but...when I start trying to install...well...its asking me about using the partition tool to change the types of partitions that are best for linux...

I am not understanding the instructions...as far as what i need to do...has anybody done this install ,,,the current netbook OS is Windows Starter 7. I just want to REPLACE it entirely with linux puppy. I did not encounter this on my laptop installs..i just said yes...replace the current OS..but somehow the netbook install is acting different....do i need to change the partitions or can i just take the defaults...I forge the exact partition extentsions..something line ntfs and it says to change to ext2 and ext3...not sure how to do that...

Can some direct me to the best way to do this? thx.

Hi folks,

after googling for a couple of days, I get the feeling, this is a common problem. But the usual fix doesn't seem to work for me.

I am trying to install Linux on a separate partition of my Acer Aspire V5-573G. I used the Lili USB Creator to make a bootable USB drive with Ubuntu 12.04 on it.

when I reach the installation menu, it doesn't matter what I choose (start live, install..), my notebook will always freeze on a black screen.

I figured out how to add 'nomodeset' to the grub line. This does bring me one step further (the Ubuntu start screen) but then I get this message:

Code:

ubuntu@ubuntu:^^$ [   20.267422] mei 0000:00:16.0: init hw failure. 
[   20.267558] mei 0000:00:16.0: initialization failed.

After pressing enter I get a command line. From here I don't know what to do.

I've tried other distros (Lubuntu, Linux Mint), but then even 'nomodeset' didn't make a difference. I have also tried to add 'acpi=off' to the grub line after 'nomodeset', but again only black, even with Ubuntu.

Any suggestion or help will be greatly appreciated!

Hi,

I am new to the installation of Linux, and wish to install 3 different distro's on the same hard disk.

I have installed Centos 7 successfully as follows :

The /boot is /dev/sda2

/dev/sda1 is listed as unknown so i assume it is the Master Boot Record with Grub installed. I do obtain the option to boot to the various kernels after updating the OS.

/dev/sda3 is a Linux LVM with the various partitions i required.

When i installed the CentOS 7 the installer stated an error about the bootable partition - which was effectively /boot, so i moved this to /dev/sda2.

What i am not sure about is that if i want to install 2 other Linux OS's will i run out of /dev/sdaX assignments ?.

I read somewhere that there are 4 maximum that can be used a /boot (SDA1, SDA2, SDA3, SDA4), so does this mean i can only install one other OS ?.

Any guidance gratefully received. Thanks.

Regards,

Richard.

Hello,

Using Fedora 19 (Gnome)

I am unable to print on my Printer : Brother DCP-J925DW

I have followed these intructions on installing the printer driver : http://welcome.solutions.brother.com...ion_prn1a.html

The drivers needed are installed :

[root@jonashp Jonas]# rpm -qa | grep -e cups -e lpr
bluez-cups-4.101-9.fc19.x86_64
cups-filesystem-1.6.4-2.fc19.noarch
cups-filters-1.0.40-4.fc19.x86_64
python-cups-1.9.63-4.fc19.x86_64
cups-libs-1.6.4-2.fc19.x86_64
cups-pk-helper-0.2.4-2.fc19.x86_64
cups-1.6.4-2.fc19.x86_64
gutenprint-cups-5.2.9-11.fc19.x86_64
dcpj925dwlpr-3.0.1-1.i386
cups-filters-libs-1.0.40-4.fc19.x86_64
dcpj925dwcupswrapper-3.0.0-1.i386


But when I try to print a pdf document or a test page via cups website (http://localhost:631/printers) nothing happens.

I tried with network :

Description: DCP-J925DW
Location:
Driver: Brother DCP-J925DW CUPS (color, 2-sided printing)
Connection: lpd://192.168.1.110/binary_p1
Defaults: job-sheets=none, none media=iso_a4_210x297mm sides=one-sided


Status according to CUPS : DCP-J925DW (Idle, Accepting Jobs, Not Shared)


I have tried with usb and let Fedora detect and auto-install the printer : printing does not work.


What else can I try ?

I've long wanted to delve into these methods of HD manipulation but here's the thing: I only have 1 hard drive -- a 1TB, and the more I read the more it seems the main point of using these techniques is to utilize that extra layer of abstraction to bridge HDD's in some version of a RAID setup.

Of course I've also read the performance is better, along with snapshot capability, on-the-fly partition resizing, striping, etc. These prospects excite me. So finally, two questions:

1) With just one physical drive, is it worth creating a new partition table to include these technologies?
2) With all of the above methods, there is no way I can keep the data on any part of this PV if I want to venture into LVM, ZFS or Btrfs, correct?

p.s. I've got 12 partitions (one swap, one extended, one very large one logical partition that serves the 9 linux distros which fill the remaining partitions as a hold of media, documents, music, etc.

I'm setting up a new Linux server and trying to get the best performance from it, along with if any directory fills up, then I won't have to worry about the whole OS.

I want to split up /var into various partitions, such as the following:

/var/cache

/var/log

/var/software_install

Will there be a problem with having these separate partitions and still having a separate partition for /var too?

Or should I plan on just a separate partition only for /var only?

thanks