On Monday 03 July 2006 17:09, dmedhora@gmail.com stood up and spoke the
following words to the masses in /comp.os.linux.misc...:/

> Hi
>
> I've been trying to install linux on my x86 this way:
> My computer came with Xp only.
>
> I tried ubuntu and made a new extended partion.
> Into the extended partitions created 4 logical partitions
>
> so,
>
> /dev/hda1 FAT
> /dev/hda2 NTFS * Active
> /dev/hda3 (Extended)
> /dev/hda5 ( / )
> /dev/hda6 (/lib)

This is the culprit: you should never put */lib* on a separate
partition.

> /dev/hda7 (/usr)
> /dev/hda8 (/opt)
> /dev/hda9 (/data)

Why not */home?*

> /dev/hda10 SWAP
>
> Ubuntu failed after
> (1) mounting root file system [ok]
> (2) Ubuntu recovery mode does a kernel panic

Yes, because your */lib* doesn't live on the root filesystem, and it's
needed at boot time. It contains your kernel modules, among other
things.

> knoppix errored in strange places while booting, then hung
>
> slackware could not execute any process. For e.g "init".
> or any other executable. A ctrl+alt+del couldn't execute "shutdown"
>
>
> So what should I do. Should I place the root ( / ) partition as a
> primary one just after /dev/hda2 then put the rest in an extended
> part?

No, whether the GNU/Linux partitions are primary or logical in an
extended container is irrelevant to the system. Just don't split off
*/lib* from the root filesystem.

The directories you _can_ safely split off onto other partitions are the
following...:
- */boot*
- */home*
- */opt*
- */usr* (and anything underneath, such as */usr/local*)
- */tmp* (you can make this one a /tmpfs/)
- */var* (and anything underneath)
- */srv* (if applicable - not yet mainstream in all distributions)

Everything else /should/ stay on the root filesystem, provided that it's
not virtual or /ramfs-based,/ like */dev* or the virtual */proc* and
*/sys* filesystems.

> Thanks!

Hope this helps... ;-)

--
With kind regards,

*Aragorn*
(Registered GNU/Linux user #223157)