Installing windows 7

[loadbrain]

Hi,
I installed Sabayon Linux, now I want to install windows 7 beside. Therefore I would like to shrink my partition to make some place, but it is lvm as filesystem how can I do this?

[Skull Fire]

im pretty sure you cant shrink lvm's. you,ll be better off reinstalling i think.

also installing win7 will eat the linux bootloader. you could possibly install easyBCD in windows to add sabayon to the win7 bootloader. but installing win7 first, then reinstalling sabayon is a better option imho.

i would suggest running a linux live dvd. use a disk utility in it to create multiple primary partitions on the hard drive, then start withinstalling win7.

example of a 200gb hard drive: create:

sda1 (for win7) 75gb
sda2 (for storage, ntfs file system) 50gb
sda3 (for linux swap) 1gb
sda4 (for main linux install) 74gb

then run the win7 install disk. delete the 75gb partition(sda1 in linux) during install. then continue win7 install to the unallocated space.

then install sabayon. choose to create custom layout of partitions. use sda4 for the mount point /. and sda3 for your swap.

edit* in this way you will use the sabayon bootloader.

edit 2** if the win7 complains there is not enough partitions during install, delete sda4 also and re create it later.

[loadbrain]

Hm, yeah, I tried to play around with reducing the size of lvm on another machine, I damaged everything...
So, you 're surley right.
BUT:
Is it possible that I backup my existing sabayon (i.e. with dd) and then put it back?
Reinstalling is so annoying...