Building out a multi-OS testing PC
I have been evaluating a lot of Linux versions, each with a specific market. In the past, I’d use VMWare images for this type of work but I am encountering a lot of hardware specific requirements with these tests. So, I set aside a single laptop to use for testing no less than 5 operating systems.
FYI: My test hardware in an Thinkpad T40. If you leave it with the default video driver and do not attempt to enable compiz and the fancy 3D effects, the system is very stable and you are able to use the suspend/stand-by and hibernate features.
I preface the rest of the post with credit to devils_casper who posted the fundamentals over at LinuxForums.Here is how I got started …
I wanted one instance of Windows XP more as a safety net than anything else so I installed that first. I booted from my old Windows XP CD. During the install process, I deleted all partitions and only allocated 12GB as an “extended partition”. I installed Windows XP and the necessary service pack and hot fixes. I then created a single extended partition for everything else. Later, I cut this up into a number of “logical partitions”.
Next I booted my Ubuntu 7.10 LiveCD. I started the install process. When I got to the step to select a partition, I went the “manual” route. This is where I got creative.
I first created a 256MB logical partition - yes “mega byte”. This get’s used a little later.
Next I created a 3GB logical partition for “swap” and a 12GB logical partition for Ubuntu. I also created a 12GB, and 8Gb, and another 8GB logical partitions which will receive three additional distributions of Linux over time. I created one final logical partition to use up the rest of the disk drive. The ’swap’ partition will be used by all the Linux distributions.
I finished the installation of Ubuntu and rebooted. I then installed all the available updates. I also used “system -> administration -> synaptic” to install SAMBA/CIFS support. I installed a solution for auto mount/umount CIFS network devices which I will write up in a separate post.
Thus far, I have two operating systems install and space allocated for three more.
November 29th, 2007 at 10:08
[...] previously posted about building out a test PC that has no less than 5 different operating systems. In that post I [...]