linux uninstall

[Guest]

hi everybody

i decided to start learning on linux. i intend to install it as dual boot with win XP
2 questions :

1) do you think it's better to first read some guides and get to know linux a little bit or it's better to install it now so i will be able to practice what i learn ?

2) if after installation i decide to uninstall linux how i do it ? will i see it in the win's control panel at the add remove program ?

[Snowhog]

Re: linux uninstall

Welcome! As to your first question, The definitive dual-booting guide: Linux, Vista and XP step-by-step is probably the best guide to use. I used it, as have many others.

As to your second question: unless you use wubi to install Linux within Windows, the answer is no.

In a dual-boot configuration, you will have two operating systems on your PC, and done properly, you will have the choice to boot into one or the other.

[Fintan]

Re: linux uninstall

To expand a little bit.

Installing kubuntu with wubi is NOT recommended. As far as I have seen here it causes more problems that solutions.
From this page:
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_w...lled_first.htm

Although I don't lke using the installation partitioning tool, I gather that the latest version is pretty stable.
If in doubt get yourself the gparted live CD:
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

There is plenty of very usefull information on partitioning on that page and well worth studying.

Set up three partitions:
1 swap 1gig max.
1 root formated as ext3 10-12 gig.
1 home (personal files and configurations) formated as ext3 and as large as you want it.
This is optional but good practice if you should decide to keep on using Kubuntu.

Use the manual partitioning on the installation and choose every partition you have made and give it a mount point: / for root, /home for home. Swap will mount itself automatically. You can also mount your windows partitions if you want to access files there. DO NOT FORMAT the windows partition.!!!!!!

Now, if you decide to remove kubuntu for some ungodly reason you can just delete the partitions you made for kubuntu from the gparted cd.

Attention!!! As Kubuntu will replace the windows MBR with its own you will have to reinstall the windows mbr after losing Kubuntu.
There is plenty on that subject here or on google.
It really depends on if you have the original windows CD or not.

I hope that makes your decision a bit easier.

Welcome (almost) to the club

[Troberg]

Re: linux uninstall

If you are familiar with virtualization or at least somewhat of a power user (you need to have a basic understanding of files and directories and stuff like that), I strongly suggest testing in a virtual machine. Download VirtualBox, it's free, and runs as a program in Windows. Then, inside that virtual machine, install Kubuntu. It's simpler than it sounds.

If you don't like it, just delete the virtual disk image, and it's gone. The downside is that if you like it (which I'm sure you will), you will have to make new, proper install.

[pansz]

Re: linux uninstall

If you are familiar with virtualization or at least somewhat of a power user (you need to have a basic understanding of files and directories and stuff like that), I strongly suggest testing in a virtual machine. Download VirtualBox, it's free, and runs as a program in Windows. Then, inside that virtual machine, install Kubuntu. It's simpler than it sounds.
If you don't like it, just delete the virtual disk image, and it's gone. The downside is that if you like it (which I'm sure you will), you will have to make new, proper install.

Personally, I don't recommend running Kubuntu inside a virtual machine, the user experience is so poor so that most new users will think "Linux is a slow and useless operating system". Believe it or not, many of my friends who tried their first Linux inside virtual machine have this conclusion, and they will eventually remove their Linux.

So I'm talking to everyone who want to try Linux the first time: have some else install the Linux and setup the dual-boot for you, or have a computer exclusively for Linux. Don't try to install Linux inside a virtual machine unless you are very familiar with Linux and know exactly what you are doing.

From my experiences: Having a Linux host with a WinXP inside VirtualBox is a much better solution than having a Windows host with a Linux inside virtual machine. It seems that WinXP is better being virtualized and both OS works perfect in the first case.

[dibl]

Re: linux uninstall

From my experiences: Having a Linux host with a WinXP inside VirtualBox is a much better solution than having a Windows host with a Linux inside virtual machine.

Yes, I concur:

[img width=400 height=300]http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/3271/kintrepidcompizfu5.png[/img]

[Troberg]

Re: linux uninstall

As long as you don't use 3D effects, VirtualBox is almost as fast as a real machine. I don't notice any big difference. In fact, I have a permanent virtual Kubuntu on one machine where I, for various reasons, need to run Windows. That Kubuntu is always on, and I use it a lot.

I agree that running a virtual Windows on a Kubuntu host is preferable, but that's hardly the practical way to do it if you just want to try Kubuntu out.

[tinker]

Re: linux uninstall

I don't want to argue with anyone's choice of method, I see it as largely a matter of the user's knowledge and personal style, all seem good to me.

Something that doesn't appear to be considered here yet is the power and resources of ronenbz's computer. It's not mentioned and some of those XP era machines were at the low end of system requirements. I'd guess that something like that could adversely affect the user experience when running a virtual machine.

[Fintan]

Re: linux uninstall

Well put tinker.

Linux is ram intensive and less than 1gig total ram is not recommended for a vm machine of any description.

[toad]

Re: linux uninstall

Right, I don't want to throw a spanner in the works, but I've got an AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2600+ running at roundabout 1900, an NVIDIA GeForce 5200 with 128MB Ram and one gig RAM and I allocate 512MB RAM to and 64MB graphics RAM to my virtual system and I can still run both Linux machines no probs, the host even with compiz.

Granted, it is not like **** off the shovel, but neither am I

[The Liquidator]

Re: linux uninstall

I'm interested in the virtualbox point as I'm thinking of giving that a try given the refusal of VMWare player to "play" i.e install on my laptop.

I have a 500Gb USB drive which I could use for trial purposes. Can anyone give a simple walk-though of how you would set up a virtual XP machine, or say where one might find that sort of guidance?

I only need to use FF with plugins, Drgaon and occasionally TomTom Home.

Thanks

ian

[muzicman0]

Re: linux uninstall

...
If in doubt get yourself the gparted live CD:
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

There is plenty of very usefull information on partitioning on that page and well worth studying.

Set up three partitions:
1 swap 1gig max.
1 root formated as ext3 10-12 gig.
1 home (personal files and configurations) formated as ext3 and as large as you want it.
This is optional but good practice if you should decide to keep on using Kubuntu.
...

Fintan - I'm curious why 1 GB max...I have 4 Gig memory, and always heard to make the swap double the physical memory, so I have an 8gig (ish) swap...I have plenty of disk space, so it doesn't bother me...

[Troberg]

Re: linux uninstall

The Liquidator: Just install VirtualBox, then it has an excellent wizard that guides you through the process of creating a new virtual machine. Just run the install as usual on the virtual machine and everything should be fine.

Just try it, you'll see how easy it is.

[toad]

Re: linux uninstall

Second that, virtualbox is the way to go (even though I probably was a little over enthusiastic when writing the last post - I allocate only 32MB graphical memory to the client system...).

[Fintan]

Re: linux uninstall

Fintan - I'm curious why 1 GB max...I have 4 Gig memory, and always heard to make the swap double the physical memory, so I have an 8gig (ish) swap...I have plenty of disk space, so it doesn't bother me...

That was the rule when ram size was around 512MB. Today anything over +gig Swap is a waste.

Because you say size is of no importance, you could of course set up two or more swap partitions and that way use that space efficiently.