How to replace some other Linux with Kubuntu on a dual-boot PC?

[Guest]

Hello everyone,

I have an HP Pavilion ze4300 series (ze4315us to be exact) with Windows XP.
A couple of years ago I used Partition Magic to shrink the XP partition
and create an empty new one, and installed Xandros 3.0.2 OCE.
I soon discovered that while I liked it overall, it completely lacked the
power management features I enjoyed with XP (suspend/resume when you close/open the lid,
slow down the fan and CPU when idle, etc.) and so the Xandros OS has not been used much.

I'd now like to try to replace the Xandros OS with Kubuntu 7.10.

Apparently Xandros installed its own boot manager (LILO I think).
It works fine as it is -- I can easily choose my OS.
In fact, I used the Xandros KDE to set XP as the default boot OS.

I suppose the first step to install Kubuntu is to remove the Xandros partition,
but how do I do that without shooting the current boot manager in the foot
since its config file lives in the Xandros partition?

Do I re-install the XP boot manager first? If so, how do I accomplish this?

I'm scared to death of botching this such that I can't boot anything
and have to reload WinXP again (please god, not that).

Btw, I created a bootable Kubuntu 7.10 DVD and have run it
on this HP laptop for a bit. Graphics, networking, and sound all work fine,
but it didn't suspend when I closed the lid, and I could not find
anything in the KDE menus to set power mgmt features.
Is this because I was running the OS from the Live DVD?

Finally, don't be afraid to get too technical. I'm a Unix veteran
who is quite comfortable running commands from a shell if needed.

Regards,
Mario

[Snowhog]

Re: How to replace some other Linux with Kubuntu on a dual-boot PC?

Monitor this thread for a reply from Qqmike. He will be able to point you in the right direction so you can get done what you want.

[Qqmike]

Re: How to replace some other Linux with Kubuntu on a dual-boot PC?

Sounds like Windows is on the first partition, sda1 = (hd0,0), and Xandros on the second partition of that drive, sda2 = (hd0,1).

If it were me (but then I tend to lock myself out of my system all the time ), I'd would simply use GParted live CD to delete your Xandros partition, then re-create two partitions in its place, one for swap (500 MB- 1 GB?), and one for the root files of Kubuntu (including /home (your personal data files)). Or, create 3 partitions, root, swap and a separate partition for /home. You can format these ext3 if you wish. The Kubuntu installer will probably want to re-format swap and root. Others can address this partitioning with you if that's an issue.

What matters here is the bootloader question. When you install Kubuntu, the installer will put GRUB, the bootloader, in the Master Boot record (MBR) of that hard drive, thus overwriting any other bootloader that may be there (LILO); also, GRUB will be setup automatically for you to work as your bootloader for both Windows and Kubuntu. There shouldn't be any problems. Both Xandros and LILO will be gone.

However, during the installation of Kubuntu, make sure the installer *does actually install GRUB to the MBR.* You have two choices:
-- The Alternate installer lets you specify where to put GRUB.
-- So does the regular Desktop Kubuntu Live CD installer.

I would just use the regular live CD installer, but note this:
Choose the "Manual" method of installation/partitioning (it's the last choice in the bulletted list).
Watch carefully in Step 6, note the Advanced button at lower right, click it, and there you can type where you want GRUB put, and that should be exactly as follows (parentheses included):
(hd0)

That is the notation for the MBR of hd0.

This way, you will also have a Live Kubuntu CD to use if you ever need to get into your system that way. (The Alternate CD is not a live CD operating system.)

That's it. It should go easily, without any problems. I do it all the time.

Tip: In GRUB, your boot menu, the GRUB configuration file, is in Kubuntu at /boot/grub/menu.lst, "lst" is an "l' as in "list". You must edit is as root, then, of course, not forget to save your edits. But, I can't imagine you will have to mess with it for what you are going to do here.

Your two backups (which I can't imagine you will need):

First backup: If your booting gets goofed up, you can use the live CD to re-install GRUB as needed. It's easy.
See:
How To GRUB Methods - Toolkit
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0
This also gives you an overview of how GRUB works in your case here.
Basically, use your live Kubuntu CD, open a terminal Konsole from it, type
sudo grub
then at the grub prompt type these commands:
grub> root (hd0,1) # See ***note below
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
$ exit
re-boot to test it (ie, eject the Live CD etc, then re-boot).
Note the space after root and after setup.
That's it.

***I'm assuming the root partition for Kubuntu is (hd0,1), if not, modify this root statement! If you put Kubuntu in the 3rd partition = sda3, that would be root (hd0,2); in the fourth partition sda4, that would be (hd0,3); etc. GRUB counts hard drives and partitions starting from zero.***

Second backup: Get a copy of Super Grub Disk and keep it on hand (live CD, free download).
Super Grub Disk, new site: http://supergrub.forjamari.linex.org/
(It can fix GRUB; it can also boot your operating systems, including Windows.)

Finally, regarding the Alternate Kubuntu installer (which you do not need), herman shows you how that works step by step:
Bigpond, home: http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/