Trible Boot (XP-Vista-Mepis) - One more time - The right way

[Muskt]

I'm back (never really left), & I still want to get it right.

I normally feel very comfortable and capable performing Windows operations.
I am very new at Linux. I am comfortable performing command-line entries (I just usually don't know what to enter).

Here goes. I found a smokin' deal on a big SATA drive today. I will install all three OSs on it, and with your help, get it right, this time.

Remember, the OSs are XP, Vista, and Mepis Linux (6.5 released version).

The information I am requesting should be helpful to many of the user of this forum, so I plan to start at the very beginning.

1. How many and what type of partitions are recommended?

2. Primary, extended, logical, NTFS, FAT32, EXT2, EXT3, etc.?

3. What size (320G SATA disk) (I am going to disconnect all other dirives for this exercise, so lessening the potential for conflict & mess up).

4. Preferred install order?

5. Where to install EasyBCD (I have 1.6A)?

6. Where to install GRUB?

I realize that these questions may seem elementary; however, judging from the numbers of folks who are having difficulties multibooting, a very basic approach may be just the thing that is needed.

Please don't hesitate to add info to the questions I have already posed.

Assuming that I am successful, I can write a step-by-step guide for posting.

Thanks,

Jerry in Anchorage

 

[mqudsi]

1) NTFS for Vista, NTFS for XP, ext3fs for Linux. Optional partition of type "swap" for linux if you want to enhance performance.
2) All primary is best.
3) How many drives do you plan on having in the end? If you're installing all operating systems to that one drive, then go ahead and disconnect the other(s). Otherwise, it depends.
4) XP, Mepis, Vista
5) XP or Vista - doesn't matter.
6) To the ext3 Mepis partition.

Good luck!
Ah - let me send you the latest EasyBCD though, the one you have has several bugs in it