Topic: Dual boot config ideas

[hans]

So my dad's going to be building a new computer. He doesn't like upgrading because it's a pain to move all his data from computer to computer and if we ever need to reinstall the OS, it's a big pain. So I'll helping him setup multiple partitions on the new system.
I'm trying to convince him to start using Linux more but I think that's going to be a tough sell for a while (he's very resistant, and now I understand what my parents had to deal with when I was younger). So I'm thinking we'll probably put three partitions on the PC.
1. WindowsXP (he still has a legacy program that uses Access and a USB Key)
2. Linux (Ubunutu)
3. Storage (the bulk of the disk)

My only question is which format I should do the storage partition in. FAT (works well with both windows and Linux) or NTFS (still works OK with Linux). Mostly likely he'll spend most of his time in Windows.

Or do I really just try and push him to the Linux system and run Windows with VMWare or something?

[Steve]

If he doesnt want to use linux dont push it. My suggestion is kill two birds and make him comfortable. IE single boot XP on the new pc ( or vista, :nudge: ) and put nix on his old p3 box for him to play with

[VBprogrammer]

Yeah, if he doesn't want Linux he's probably not going to embrace it!

I'd put the storage as NTFS (NTFS-3g is all but perfect now) and give him a gig or two for each OS. That way when he gets his XP full of crud / porn / viruses its a simple matter of formating that partition.

[Perspective]

Let him try linux via a live CD. If he likes it then just don't install windows. If he has the familiar option he'll never use the linux partition.

FAT and NTFS don't have file permissions which is a little anoying when using linux since every file shows up as rwx.