Fear of partitioning !

[Ephem]

Hi !!
Well, just need some help,
I tried installing Ubuntu once, but failed miserably and deleted Windows, my hard drive was then in bits and never worked again, I had to get it fixed
I am once again a Linux fan and would like to use Kubuntu on dual-boot, but I don't know if the partitioner will recognise Windows (WHICH IS PRE-INSTALLED ON THE PC) and not just delete it like last time,
Anwyays,
Thanks for any reply !
Mark**

[Earthwings]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

When partitioning, there's always the possibility of data loss. One reason are bugs in the partitioning software being used, the other the user screwing things up. I'd guess that in hundred failures, 99 are caused by the user.

Anyway, nobody can guarantee you that things work, but if you backup your important data, you'll only lose time if something goes wrong.

Edit: Sorry for the general answer, but you didn't have any questions so far, or did I miss them? :-)

[Ephem]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

So the partitioning program in Ubuntu (K) isn't safe ? (the utility that partitions for you)

[aysiu]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

No, it's actually quite safe. In fact, I think Earthwings said

I'd guess that in hundred failures, 99 are caused by the user

Regardless of whose "fault" it is (user or program) data loss can happen, so backups are a must before anything destructive (repartitioning, installing, etc.)

[Earthwings]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

No, it's actually quite safe. In fact, I think Earthwings said

I'd guess that in hundred failures, 99 are caused by the user

Regardless of whose "fault" it is (user or program) data loss can happen, so backups are a must before anything destructive (repartitioning, installing, etc.)

Exactly. Every piece of software contains bugs (at least chances are very high). I wouldn't trust Partition Magic and the like either, at least I'd make backups before using them.

[pegazuz]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

Hi !!
Well, just need some help,
I tried installing Ubuntu once, but failed miserably and deleted Windows, my hard drive was then in bits and never worked again, I had to get it fixed
I am once again a Linux fan and would like to use Kubuntu on dual-boot, but I don't know if the partitioner will recognise Windows (WHICH IS PRE-INSTALLED ON THE PC) and not just delete it like last time,
Anwyays,
Thanks for any reply !
Mark**

For same reasons I took a different approach. I got a small external USB hard drive and installed Linux to it. I set my bios up to boot first from Cd drive, then USB drives, then internal hard drive where Windows still resides till I have no further need of it. When I want to run Linux I either plug in the USB flash drive which boots up with Puppy Linux or the external Passport Drive which boots up Kubuntu. When I need Windows I just boot up normally. Windows can still get screwed up just from normal usage but the Linux installation has nothing to do with it if it happens.

For what it is worth i had tried installing Ubuntu first but it wouldn't install. Neither would Kubuntu till I partition the drive with Mepis and installed Mepis first. Mepis installed fine but then wouldn't boot up. After that Kubuntu then installed fine in those partitions and boots up just fine now with no problems.

[Ephem]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

I do have backups, and I was thinking of an external hard drive, or even a internal hard drive (low-size, cheap).
But should I try installing Kubuntu on the actual hard drive or not ?

[musta ruhtinas]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

though i'm not sure it's not only an XP Pro option, why not use the Disk Management Tool (diskmgmt.msc)? since it's very intuitive you could prepare the needed partitions in Windows and then let the Kubuntu installer just handle the formatting (basically you need three partitions: one swap and two linux - one for the OS and the other for your files and configs);
or, if it's not available you could use the GParted LiveCD;

in either case carefully check output before any permanent changes

[pwright2]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

And the reason why most problems are user errors? Because most users are not experts and the partitioning programs ask questions to which the obvious answers are not always the correct ones.

"Do you wish to make this partition active?" It seems unlikely that I would go to all this trouble to make an inactive partition. OTOH, even as a noob, I can guess that there is more to this question than meets the eye. I could google it ... but wait, I am in the process of reformatting my computer. The odds of me having google access are somewhat low.

As much as I am learning to like Linux, it will never become popular until it reads, writes, and boots from NTFS so that it can co-exist with windows without scaring the new user to death.

-----Paul-----

[Ephem]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

If I install it on a scternal hard drive (which I am likely to do), will I be able to get rid of Linux and un-partition it all ?

[pegazuz]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

If I install it on a scternal hard drive (which I am likely to do), will I be able to get rid of Linux and un-partition it all ?

Yes, very easily fi you want to put on a different Operating system or change hard drive to different file format just for storage.

[musta ruhtinas]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

If I install it on a scternal hard drive (which I am likely to do), will I be able to get rid of Linux and un-partition it all ?

the getting rid of has two parts: the one you mention is the simplest; just format, or delete the partitions and you're done. before that it'll be better to fix the bootloader issues; if you have an XP install cd boot off it and when prompted enter the recovery console and type the command fixmbr; or use the SuperGRUB live cd to do just the same.

[justin1278]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

Why not simply make your Windows partition smaller, and when the new parition is made delete it, this will create free unallocated space and Linux will recognize it as such and give you the option to install on the free space and create its own partitions.

[javierrivera]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

I could google it ... but wait, I am in the process of reformatting my computer. The odds of me having google access are somewhat low.

Uhmmmm... strange enough of my last five or six Kubuntu installs I have easy internet access in five. Easy as just hitting the konqueror icon and lets browse .

It's nice to install things using live-cd isn't it?.
Linux installs are much easier, and user-friendly than that other OS.

BTW, you are right, these kind of questions are better left to the text mode installer or to an advanced install mode.

Javier.

[paulcalabro]

Re: Fear of partitioning !

Hi !!
Well, just need some help,
I tried installing Ubuntu once, but failed miserably and deleted Windows, my hard drive was then in bits and never worked again, I had to get it fixed
I am once again a Linux fan and would like to use Kubuntu on dual-boot, but I don't know if the partitioner will recognise Windows (WHICH IS PRE-INSTALLED ON THE PC) and not just delete it like last time,
Anwyays,
Thanks for any reply !
Mark**

Ok--
This can DEFINITELY be done easily!

Assuming you have a) a computer with only Windows XP installed
b) an (K)ubuntu CD (I prefer Kubuntu myself)
This can be done very easily...

Put the (K)ubuntu CD in your cd/dvd drive and restart the computer.
Do whatever you need to get the CD to load when the computer starts (sometimes you have to select in your BIOS to boot from CD or sometimes you simply have to press a button such as F8, F10, etc.. etc)
This should load your CD...

Now for the most part, the installation should be pretty self-explanatory with things such as your name, computer name, time zone, pick your keyboard (which you shouldn't have to touch), and etc...

The only really tricky part (if you want to call it that) is the partitioning/mounting section, which the typical newbie might get intimiated by (I used to be).

IT"S REALLY NOT THAT SCARY, I PROMISE.

Now you should get like 3 options (I believe-- I dont have the screen memorized).
Two of them should be automated ones where Linux either 1) linux formats your drive and does a clean install or 2) uses the available space to create the necessary linux partitions

Let me say, OPTION #1 DOES NOT SOUND LIKE WHAT YOU"RE AFTER!
Option #2, using the available space, is a good choice because Linux does all the decision making for you... (but of course, it's a very generic installation not configured to your needs or tastes)

And finaly-- there's option #3 (which I prefer, but then again I've been doing this for a while).
This option has you create the needed partitions: 1 ext3 partition and 1 swap partitoin
(someone mentioned a 3rd ... you don't really need this, but it's nice to have your confugrations and settings independent of your OS files... which would be this 3rd partition--but not necessary)
Those would be your two partitoins.
Their mount points would be: ext should be mounted at / (also called root)
and swap should be mounted at swap (it's actually a location you can select)


After that's all setup, everything else should be cake and you should have yourself a nice dual-booting installation...

Good luck!