How do I Install Gutsy over a previous distro?

[ralphdewitt]

Hi all:
It has been a while since I shifted distro's. I would like to install Gutsy while keeping all my home partition data and getting rid of all the previous distro's custom tweeks? Can some one give me some clear guidance?

Ralph

[dibl]

Re: How do I Install Gutsy over a previous distro?

I would like to install Gutsy while keeping all my home partition data and getting rid of all the previous distro's custom tweeks? Can some one give me some clear guidance?

Maybe.

Did you put your /home directory on its own partition, separate from the root filesystem? If yes, then you can leave it alone while installing Kubuntu in the root partition of the former distro, and just mount that same partition as "/home" for Kubuntu.

CAVEAT #1: Kubuntu's root filesystem will use about 3GB upon initial installation, and it tends to grow to over 4GB fairly easy. I use 6GB for my "/" partition, so I don't have to worry about running out of filesystem.

CAVEAT #2: If your former distro saved your "settings" in the /home directory, like *buntu does, then you're going to have some disconnected desktop icons, startup programs that don't exist anymore, and stuff like that to cleanup after Kubuntu is installed. It shouldn't be a problem in terms of configuration or performance, just a little post-installation work on your part.

CAVEAT #3: I noticed when I attempted to install Gutsy RC over the partition previously occupied by Gutsy Tribe 5 and its successor Beta, that I got errors/warnings about "existing data that might not be converted correctly" or words to that effect. So I first formatted that partition, and then the new installation went flawlessly.

8)

[piete]

Re: How do I Install Gutsy over a previous distro?

Hi! A simple question (no RTFM's please, I think this may be useful for this thread):

Is there a way to partition the directories in order to preserve the installed programs of the previous distro?

I'm just over a scary distribution upgrade that I only got through thanks to the folks in this forum. So in a future I may want to choose over another possibility (if that is possible), that is, a "semi-clean" install over a distribution upgrade. I am prepared to do all the post-install work if that would save me from downloading all the programs again.

[dibl]

Re: How do I Install Gutsy over a previous distro?

Is there a way to partition the directories in order to preserve the installed programs of the previous distro?

Nope, sorry -- at least not that I've ever heard of.

There are ways to see what packages you have installed, so you can make a list the night before you nuke your system with a new installation.

I'm just over a scary distribution upgrade ...

Back your data up to DVDs or an external USB drive, then there's not much to be scared of, except perhaps missing dinner while you're trying to remember how to install your video driver.

[helterskelter]

Re: How do I Install Gutsy over a previous distro?

If you want to keep your music and pictiure files etc...open konquerer,and select view hidden files...delete all the .dot files. Then Ctrl-ALt-Delete

reboot with installation cd--when setting up partitions--select your old /home partition to be your new /home partition BUT DONT SELECT Format,only format your ./root partition.

Worked for me.

eddie

[stealthbanana]

Re: How do I Install Gutsy over a previous distro?

Just doing it now. Changing from Debian Sid to Gutsy on my main desktop.

I would also add, back up all your . files and folders in your /home/<user> folder somewhere, then delete them. Some distros handle stuff different. You can always back up. Similarly, also make a back up of /etc This will give you a base for any system configuring you may need to do. Also if yo use any non standard drivers, back these up.

I also added the contents of /var/lib/dpkg in order to have a list of what I had installed.