Windows and multiple Linux's partitioning advise

Hi,

I'm partitioning a typical old fashioned 80GB drive on a notebook, you know
the ones that still have spinning platters in them. I'm using Slackware for
the first time and would like any advise on if the following set up is OK:

Device size system

/dev/hda1 8GB NTFS / XP
/dev/hda2 2GB FAT32
/dev/hda3 20GB ReiserFS / Slackware
/dev/hda4 Extended
/dev/hda5 2GB Swap (twice the available RAM)
/dev/hda6 5GB An extra distro, eg. Kanotix
/dev/hda7 1GB A mini-distro, eg. Damn Small
/dev/hda8 42GB The personal "data" partition

I placed the Windows partition first as that's what everyone usually
recommend. The purpose of the FAT32 space threafter is to be able to drop
files from Linux for opening in Windows, eg. otherwise unreadable Word or
RTF documents etc. As far as I know, there's no reliable way or at least
not a broadly implemented method to write from Linux directly into NTFS.

I read somewhere that Windows may try to identify and mount Linux
partitions if they're placed on a primary space and that it may therefore
be better to keep all Linux partitions on subsequent logical spaces, is
that correct? That said, I've dual booted Linux as the first primary space
and Windows as the second primary space on other systems for years and have
not had any problems doing that at all. So placed ReiserFS / Slackware on
/dev/hda3 and expect no problmes.

I intend to keep all Slackware programs within the Slackware partition
itself and whenever I update, I will likely update all programs in any case
as part of a complete house refurbishment.

The data partition at the end should function as a type of
/home/my_username/data directory for any and all Linux distros installed on
the drive.

Is the order good or could it be more wisely done in a different way? For
example, in case I'd like to merge, expand, reduce Linux partitions along
with the "data" partition at the end at some stage, would it make any
difference in which order things are placed to begin with?

And is 20GB enough for the current Slackware 12.2 DVD version plus any
imaginable additional applications, games not included (I'm not a gamer).
Has anyone here gone over 20GB for the Slackware system, programs and
applications included?

Many thanks for any advise!

Tuxedo

Hi,

I'm partitioning a typical old fashioned 80GB drive on a notebook, you know
the ones that still have spinning platters in them. I'm using Slackware for
the first time and would like any advise on if the following set up is OK:

Device size system

/dev/hda1 8GB NTFS / XP
/dev/hda2 2GB FAT32
/dev/hda3 20GB ReiserFS / Slackware
/dev/hda4 Extended
/dev/hda5 2GB Swap (twice the available RAM)
/dev/hda6 5GB An extra distro, eg. Kanotix
/dev/hda7 1GB A mini-distro, eg. Damn Small
/dev/hda8 42GB The personal "data" partition

I placed the Windows partition first as that's what everyone usually
recommend. The purpose of the FAT32 space threafter is to be able to drop
files from Linux for opening in Windows, eg. otherwise unreadable Word or
RTF documents etc. As far as I know, there's no reliable way or at least
not a broadly implemented method to write from Linux directly into NTFS.

I read somewhere that Windows may try to identify and mount Linux
partitions if they're placed on a primary space and that it may therefore
be better to keep all Linux partitions on subsequent logical spaces, is
that correct? That said, I've dual booted Linux as the first primary space
and Windows as the second primary space on other systems for years and have
not had any problems doing that at all. So placed ReiserFS / Slackware on
/dev/hda3 and expect no problmes.

I intend to keep all Slackware programs within the Slackware partition
itself and whenever I update, I will likely update all programs in any case
as part of a complete house refurbishment.

The data partition at the end should function as a type of
/home/my_username/data directory for any and all Linux distros installed on
the drive.

Is the order good or could it be more wisely done in a different way? For
example, in case I'd like to merge, expand, reduce Linux partitions along
with the "data" partition at the end at some stage, would it make any
difference in which order things are placed to begin with?

And is 42GB enough for the current Slackware 12.2 DVD version plus any
imaginable additional applications, games not included (I'm not a gamer).
Has anyone here gone over 42GB for the Slackware system, programs and
applications included?

Many thanks for any advise!

Tuxedo