Installing on a WinXP disk

[CWBillow]

I've been looking at Kubuntu through a VM, and now want to install it directly.

I have WinXP SP-2 installed on my Disk_0 in 100gig, then I have a 120gig storage, both NTFS.

In the 80gig remaining I want to install Kubuntu. But I'm freaked by the partitioning info, 'cause I don't really recognize the present partitions, and it's talking about re-sizing and the slider is showing 77%...

How do I do this? How will I know that it's not going to screw with my present setup? When I tried SUSE, I could (sorta) understand the partitioning, and it showed no re-sizing, but this setup is (I think) doing just that.

And yet I (obviously) am way too new to this to trust my own settings in a Manual setup.

So what the heck do I do here to get started?

Also, it was showing my time correctly in the taskbar, but not at the point where you select time zones. Is this OK?

??

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[BlueFightingCat]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

Hi Chuck,

Don't worry about it. Its going to be ok. This is how I managed to install my Kubuntu on a Win XP machine. I am new too.

First make sure that you have defragmented your hard drives (using the windows defragmenter). You only have to do this on the harddisk you plan to install Kubuntu on. It also might be good to run the defragmenter a few times. Each time it takes less time to defragment. I ran it about 4-5 times.

Then download GParted from http://gparted.sourceforge.net/ This is one of the best partitioning softwares around. To use this what you have to do is make a gparted live cd. You download the image from here: http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...kage_id=173828

and then burn the image on a cd. At this point it would also help if you have your Kubuntu live CD ready burned on a CD.

Ok then put your gparted CD in your drive and restart your computer. What this does is boot from the CD and automatically comes to the GParted programme. If this doesn't happen and it loads WinXP instead you have to change your boot sequence so taht it checks the CD drive first.

Once you are in GParted first resize your WinXP partition to an appropriate size (i.e. smaller).
Once you have done this create a SWAP partition (should be about 2-3 times the amount of RAM you have) and then creat a linux partition that is about 10-15GB with the mount point /
After this make a partition out of the free space you have left with the mount point /home

Then allow GParted to do the work.

Once GParted is ready restart your computer but this time make sure your Kubuntu CD is in the drive. This way the computer boots to Kubuntu. Once you kubuntu has loaded up just clikc on the icon on the desktop to install Kubuntu. Once the install comes to the partitioning section just choose "manual". There you can see the partitions you have created with gparted. Just clikc on the partitions to have them formated and also make sure the mount points are correct i.e. / and /home

That should be it. If you have any more questiosn please let me know.

BFC

[Fintan]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

Welcome to kubuntu

Just as an add on to what BFC already advised:

Once you have done this create a SWAP partition (should be about 2-3 times the amount of RAM you have)

A swap larger than 1gig is a waste. Swap generally only gets used when doing some seriously heavy stuff like editing movies, DVD's, 3D graphic rendering, etc.

You should also read this:
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/documentation.php

definitely a must read before partitioning.

And while you are at it you might think about making a data partition, format it fat32 and copy your personal data from your win to that partition. So you can "share" between the two. This especially useful when you start using win as a vmware guest.

so your new partitions would look something like this:

/swap=max. 1GIG
/= max 8GIG formated as ext3
/home= about 2-4GIG formated as ext3 (this will hold all of your desktop and apps. config files.
/Data=as much as you want/can formatted as fat32

When you have finished partitioning it is good practice to write down the names of each partition. Unlike windows names its partitions not with c,d,e but with hda1, hda2,hda3 meaning harddrive a, partiton 1,2,3 respectively.

This naming will probably change to sda1, sda2, sda3 etc. But don't let that bother you. Feisty and above see your HD's as scsi disks.

This will make it easier to "find" the partitions in the manual partitioning part of your installation.

Now you can go on as BFC advised assigning your partitions mount points by right clicking on the partition you wish to edit and choosing "edit".
A good mount point for your eventual data partition would be /Data.

Do not format your eventual /Data partition if you have anything on it!!

I hope this helps and enjoy

[CWBillow]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

Guys:

I shouldn't need my current partitions re-sized, as there's still 80gig free space, right? And I have Acronis' Disk Director, so...

I guess what I'm trying to say/do is that I want the Kubuntu installed into to 80gig of space without any resizing.

Since they give you a "manual choice", can't I use that and set up the Kubuntu within the 80gigs? And, is so, what sizes and what do I name the parts, and then onto which do I actually install the K, (as opposed to swap and storage -- \home? )?

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[Fintan]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

Since they give you a "manual choice", can't I use that and set up the Kubuntu within the 80gigs?

If you have a partitioner (and know how to use it) use it instead of the live partitioner. Just follow the advice given above. We just advised gparted because it is free, very powerfull and linux orientated but acronis will do the job as well.

You will have to use the manual option anyway to assign your mount points as mentioned above:
/
/home
/swap
/data (advisable but not necessary)

Note: If you don't make a separate data partition then make /home as large as possible, but you will not be able to "share" data with your win installation.

Meaning for example if you write a document in Linux and save it to /home you can only open/edit it in Linux. The same applies to all other data and files (music, graphics) saved in /home.


again don't forget to write down the name your partitioner gives to each partition it makes so you can find them again during install.

Good luck at let us know if you run into problems.

[CWBillow]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

Since they give you a "manual choice", can't I use that and set up the Kubuntu within the 80gigs?

If you have a partitioner (and know how to use it) use it instead of the live partitioner. Just follow the advice given above. We just advised gparted because it is free, very powerfull and linux orientated but acronis will do the job as well.

You will have to use the manual option anyway to assign your mount points as mentioned above:
/
/home
/swap
/data (advisable but not necessary)

Note: If you don't make a separate data partition then make /home as large as possible, but you will not be able to "share" data with your win installation.

Meaning for example if you write a document in Linux and save it to /home you can only open/edit it in Linux. The same applies to all other data and files (music, graphics) saved in /home.


again don't forget to write down the name your partitioner gives to each partition it makes so you can find them again during install.

Good luck at let us know if you run into problems.

So then the Data Drive I format as FAT32... and I can write directly to it in Windows and K?

Chuck

[Fintan]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

I a word. Yes. That is the idea.
An added perk is the fact that your data is separate from your OS. so if it crashes (which windows loves to do) or you have to reinstall windows for any reason you don't automatically lose data, respectively go through a tedious and sometimes impossible data recovery.

[CWBillow]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

I a word. Yes. That is the idea.
An added perk is the fact that your data is separate from your OS. so if it crashes (which windows loves to do) or you have to reinstall windows for any reason you don't automatically lose data, respectively go through a tedious and sometimes impossible data recovery.

OK... I'll be back!

Chuck

[CWBillow]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

I forgot one "last" question:

It had been said:

/swap=max. 1GIG
/= max 8GIG formated as ext3
/home= about 2-4GIG formated as ext3 (this will hold all of your desktop and apps. config files.
/Data=as much as you want/can formatted as fat32

Does it matter how the parts BESIDES / is formatted?

Chuck

[CWBillow]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

Hi Chuck,

Don't worry about it. Its going to be ok. This is how I managed to install my Kubuntu on a Win XP machine. I am new too.

First make sure that you have defragmented your hard drives (using the windows defragmenter). You only have to do this on the harddisk you plan to install Kubuntu on. It also might be good to run the defragmenter a few times. Each time it takes less time to defragment. I ran it about 4-5 times.

Then download GParted from http://gparted.sourceforge.net/ This is one of the best partitioning softwares around. To use this what you have to do is make a gparted live cd. You download the image from here: http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...kage_id=173828

and then burn the image on a cd. At this point it would also help if you have your Kubuntu live CD ready burned on a CD.

Ok then put your gparted CD in your drive and restart your computer. What this does is boot from the CD and automatically comes to the GParted programme. If this doesn't happen and it loads WinXP instead you have to change your boot sequence so taht it checks the CD drive first.

Once you are in GParted first resize your WinXP partition to an appropriate size (i.e. smaller).
Once you have done this create a SWAP partition (should be about 2-3 times the amount of RAM you have) and then creat a linux partition that is about 10-15GB with the mount point /
After this make a partition out of the free space you have left with the mount point /home

Then allow GParted to do the work.

Once GParted is ready restart your computer but this time make sure your Kubuntu CD is in the drive. This way the computer boots to Kubuntu. Once you kubuntu has loaded up just clikc on the icon on the desktop to install Kubuntu. Once the install comes to the partitioning section just choose "manual". There you can see the partitions you have created with gparted. Just clikc on the partitions to have them formated and also make sure the mount points are correct i.e. / and /home

That should be it. If you have any more questiosn please let me know.

BFC

Fintan:
OK< I got GParted, but when I booted from it, it didn't recognize my cordless keyboard...

OK, 'cause I had an "old" one around... but then it gave me a video error ("That's why you are at /bash") and said I needed to run the "forecevideo" script.

OK, how do I do that?

Chuck

[CWBillow]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

Hi Chuck,

Don't worry about it. Its going to be ok. This is how I managed to install my Kubuntu on a Win XP machine. I am new too.

First make sure that you have defragmented your hard drives (using the windows defragmenter). You only have to do this on the harddisk you plan to install Kubuntu on. It also might be good to run the defragmenter a few times. Each time it takes less time to defragment. I ran it about 4-5 times.

Then download GParted from http://gparted.sourceforge.net/ This is one of the best partitioning softwares around. To use this what you have to do is make a gparted live cd. You download the image from here: http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...kage_id=173828

and then burn the image on a cd. At this point it would also help if you have your Kubuntu live CD ready burned on a CD.

Ok then put your gparted CD in your drive and restart your computer. What this does is boot from the CD and automatically comes to the GParted programme. If this doesn't happen and it loads WinXP instead you have to change your boot sequence so taht it checks the CD drive first.

Once you are in GParted first resize your WinXP partition to an appropriate size (i.e. smaller).
Once you have done this create a SWAP partition (should be about 2-3 times the amount of RAM you have) and then creat a linux partition that is about 10-15GB with the mount point /
After this make a partition out of the free space you have left with the mount point /home

Then allow GParted to do the work.

Once GParted is ready restart your computer but this time make sure your Kubuntu CD is in the drive. This way the computer boots to Kubuntu. Once you kubuntu has loaded up just clikc on the icon on the desktop to install Kubuntu. Once the install comes to the partitioning section just choose "manual". There you can see the partitions you have created with gparted. Just clikc on the partitions to have them formated and also make sure the mount points are correct i.e. / and /home

That should be it. If you have any more questiosn please let me know.

BFC

Fintan:
OK< I got GParted, but when I booted from it, it didn't recognize my cordless keyboard...

OK, 'cause I had an "old" one around... but then it gave me a video error ("That's why you are at /bash") and said I needed to run the "forecevideo" script.

OK, how do I do that?

Chuck

I don't quite understand (I know, I'm slow), but besides Data and / , what format are the /home and /swap partitions?

And I saw no "slot in Gparted for a partition label... does that come later in the process?

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[Fintan]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

ext3 is a linux format for harddrives and thus partitions (like ntfs for win) so / and /home should be ext3, at least in this example. Swap partitions have thier own format which is automatically given when you creat a partition as /swap so no worries there.

And I saw no "slot in Gparted for a partition label... does that come later in the process?

Is that on the "free space" of 80gigs you were referring to before? Then my guess would be just that "free space" or a aprtition not yet created. Please read the documentation on the link I sent you and don't forget to create logical partitions and not primary partitions.

[CWBillow]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

ext3 is a linux format for harddrives and thus partitions (like ntfs for win) so / and /home should be ext3, at least in this example. Swap partitions have thier own format which is automatically given when you creat a partition as /swap so no worries there.

And I saw no "slot in Gparted for a partition label... does that come later in the process?

Is that on the "free space" of 80gigs you were referring to before? Then my guess would be just that "free space" or a aprtition not yet created. Please read the documentation on the link I sent you and don't forget to create logical partitions and not primary partitions.

Fintan:

I apologize... I didn't read the docs thoroughly. I guess I was kind of assuming (dangerous eh?) That parts would be self-explanatory.

I keep forgetting that this isn't DOS, nor just another flavor of Windows.

And I saw no "slot in Gparted for a partition label... does that come later in the process?

I am suing my 80gigs of free space for this K setup.

What I was expecting was (like in Windows) that you would set up a partition, the machine would assign a letter, and then the user would add a label. I understood in your explanation that rather than C,D, etc. K would use the hda1, hda2 etc., and that then I would assign "Swap" etc. as labels. But this doesn't seem to be the case.

In addition, I'm not clear on the "mount points". In working with Acronis, I don't believe I've come across these before.
Where or how would these be assigned?


And Then, BlueFightingCat talks about "then using the partitions I've created" (manual mode). When I set up SUSE, it got all kinds of freaked if I had partitions already, and much preferred using free space.

Will Kubuntu, instead, ask me individually for the home, swap, etc. partitions allowing me at that time to point to each one i9ndividually?

Geez, the more I write, the dumber I fell! :-(

Chuck

[Fintan]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

No problem.

In addition, I'm not clear on the "mount points". In working with Acronis, I don't believe I've come across these before.
Where or how would these be assigned?

Mount points are basically addresses on a HD that tell linux to mount (access) a certain partition. hda1 is not a mount point. hda1 is sort of a sorting code so that the HD partitions have a structure. I know this by far not an exact explanation but for now it will do.

Will Kubuntu, instead, ask me individually for the home, swap, etc. partitions allowing me at that time to point to each one i9ndividually?

Well that is why you should write down the positions (hda1, etc) of your new partitions so you can find them again and give them the appropriate mount points as explained before.

For further reading:
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/ins...g#partitioning
interesting for you is the manual section.

By the way you are not dumb, just learning just like the rest of us had to.

And believe me doing this with windows is not easier. At least not if you want seperate partitions, which can help keep your data safe

[CWBillow]

Re: Installing on a WinXP disk

No problem.

In addition, I'm not clear on the "mount points". In working with Acronis, I don't believe I've come across these before.
Where or how would these be assigned?

Fintan:

After just reading the link you supplied, I grok setting up the various partitions, and formatting, same. What I didn't and don't get is where you tell "it" OK, this is the one for /home, and THIS is for /usr, and THIS...

I see the list of the various sets, and, especially if the partitions are set up beforehand, tracking what you *intend* to do is pretty clear.

But where do you tell Setup what you want?

And I didn't see any place to set mount points.

Chuck

Will Kubuntu, instead, ask me individually for the home, swap, etc. partitions allowing me at that time to point to each one i9ndividually?

Well that is why you should write down the positions (hda1, etc) of your new partitions so you can find them again and give them the appropriate mount points as explained before.

For further reading:
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/ins...g#partitioning
interesting for you is the manual section.

By the way you are not dumb, just learning just like the rest of us had to.

And believe me doing this with windows is not easier. At least not if you want seperate partitions, which can help keep your data safe