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Last updated on 2008-06-17.
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Before using an installer for Linux OS, I would first ask, what exactly would the installer do?
Until I have a detailed answer, I don't want to take any risks using a tools I don't know for sure what it is doing, especially installation tools.
That's a lesson I learned the hard way because I remember vividly, when I first try Mandrake years ago, after installation, all my existing partitions and files are gone!!! I know one might not see any lunatic installer like this nowadays, but better be safe than sorry.
Before knowing exactly what an installer does, I would manually do installation myself, though troublesome but safe.
To me, when choosing whether to use the installer or not, there is a most important question — would it install boot loader to MBR or into my Linux boot partition?
Over the years of using Linux, I've formed the habit of installing the boot loader into my Linux boot partition instead of MBR, because MBR seem to be a hot spot everyone is recklessly trying to lay their hands on, especially Windoze, and its ever increasing viruses. I never bothered to create "secure disk" for the tons of Linux OS I've been working on, because installing the boot loader into my Linux partition is my "secure" solution.
The worst case is, e.g., Windoze or its viruses completely hoses MBR and all the Windoze partitions, rendering the box completely unbootable, then the only thing I need to do is:
C:> format /mbr
then reactive my Linux boot partition. Vala, everything would be fine again.
documented on: 2007.07.15, xpt