Help Me Enjoy [Install] Kubuntu Please

[Qqmike]

Yeah, stick with 14.04 for now.

Your link

http://www.linuxandubuntu.com/home/d...th-screenshots

looks typical, it's OK, but it is for Ubuntu, and Kubuntu will be similar.

the part of selecting "something else" then proceeding with the partitioning.

That's OK. That corresponds to the "Manual" option I talked about above. As I explained above, you can "test" this by running the installer, select Install Kubuntu, and seeing exactly what that Installation Type screen says, and then pressing the QUIT button to exit out of the installation, no harm done.

You must always first do the partitioning BEFORE trying to install Kubuntu. Some people do this WHILE running the Kubuntu installer: that's the Manual or "something else" part. But the actual installation (downloading and placing your Kubuntu files) can not begin until you finish that partitioning step.

Now, a little religion ... many of us here FEEL that it is safer and better to take care of this partitioning ourself BEFORE even booting the computer with the Kubuntu installer DVD/USB; and we do so using GParted, usually. SOME people have observed that the partitioning done by the installer (during the Manual or "something else" step) has goofed things up on occasion. Fact is, if you wish to simplify this and simply try to do ALL the partitioning during that Manual step, go ahead, you'll probably be OK. But, even before doing that, you must somehow shrink the Windows 10 partition down to where there is room for Kubuntu. At a minimum, I would think, you need this for Kubuntu:
/ root filesystem partition: 25 GB (let's be safe; some people might say just 15 GB)
/home partition: 30 GB (but if you do a lot of apps, movies, photos, documents, then only you really know how much you need).
swap: say maybe 4-8 GB (8 GB is probably an overkill).

Gotta run again, will be gone possibly all afternoon, not sure.

[logan01]

Good deal. I'll go your route. That's what I was looking for. Thanks buddy.

[logan01]

Gotta take me a little break from all this for a while. I'm wiped out. Gonna go mow the yard for a couple of hours. I shall return.

[logan01]

Just shrunk C: by 150 GB. I reckon I currently have a 150 GB to dedicate to my new Linux life? If I use GParted to to create my 3 partitons (root-home-swap), will it basically ask me what size for each? Are these partitions/names in a drop down or am I required to type /root, etc.? Once we get past that and I am ready to install Kubuntu, will it ask to go to /root, will it somehow know to go to /root; how does that part work What I want to avoid is beginning the install and then it depending on ME to direct it to it's required destination. Oh yeah, don't laugh. The other day I read somewhere that when doing all this stuff and just prior to the install, do a defrag. It said it would put the new data out toward the edge of the HDD which would give better response times, etc. True? If so, am I defragging only the C:, shutting down the pc then boot to the usb with Kubunta for install?

The following is from GParted: "I would be remiss if I did not tell you about the problems that can occur with too many partitions. Specifically partitions do not share free space with other partitions. Hence if one partition runs out of free space, then you will need to resize, move, or delete other partitions to enable you to address the lack of free space problem. If there is unallocated space immediately after the partition, then growing the partition into this space is often a quick task.
Unfortunately if unallocated space is not available immediately after the partition, then the task becomes much more onerous. This is because moving partitions is a time consuming task, and there is always the chance of data loss due to software bugs, hardware problems, or power failure. We highly recommend that you back up your data prior to moving partitions.
To minimize the chance that you will need to restructure your partition layout, we recommend that you spend some time up front to estimate the partition sizes you will need." How would this fly for partition sizes? /root - 30GB, /home- 50 GB, swap 8 GB.

[Qqmike]

150 GB is more than enough for Kubuntu.

If I use GParted to to create my 3 partitions (root-home-swap), will it basically ask me what size for each? Are these partitions/names in a drop down or am I required to type /root, etc.?

Yep, nope, nope.

You have to type the size in the box that pops up in MB (as I recall). So 30 GB = 30000 MB.
Names are not in a drop-down list in GParted.
You are not required to type the names in the GParted dialogs.

--> GParted doesn't care about any of this: it will just create the 3 partitions for you to use any way you wish.

Remember the formats (which also pop-up in GParted in a box for you to check off):
root / is ext4
/home is ext4
swap doesn't matter, but you can choose ext4 if GParted insists (I can't recall).

The Kubuntu installer will ask if you want it to re-format these. You can say No except you can let the installer re-format only the swap partition (marking it as "swap" or whatever it does).

For GParted, see this:
The Manual shows you how to do partitioning operations:
http://gparted.org/display-doc.php?n...ed-live-manual


Note:

"Names are not in a drop-down list in GParted."

BUT, they ARE in a drop-down list when you run the USB/DVD Kubuntu live installer on the partitioning page (Prepare Partitions), which makes it nice and easy.

See this explanation/example:
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...l=1#post377688
Scroll down to "Prepare Partition screen."

How would this fly for partition sizes? /root - 30GB, /home- 50 GB, swap 8 GB.

Sounds good to me. (If it doesn't work out right, we can all blame you -- it'll work fine)

[Qqmike]

For GParted, see this:
The Manual shows you how to do partitioning operations:
http://gparted.org/display-doc.php?n...ed-live-manual


Like anything, it takes some getting use to; but GParted is pretty easy.

It shows you what is on your drive.
Select the right drive from the drop-down list at upper right.

Where you see any "unallocated" space in the list or the graphical picture, click on it to highlight it.

Then to create a new partition in it, click the Partition tab at top, then New, and up pops a dialog box where you fill in a few things. Usually, free space preceding and following are both zero. Create as primary Partition. File System is drop-down list -- choose ext4. If you wish, you can type a label so you more easily recognize each partition (you can always add a label later, at any time in the future). Remember, the New size is in MB, so 30 GB is written as 30000 MB.

When you are satisfied and close that dialog box, then click the green Apply button and it will create that partition for you and show it to you in the graphic and in the listing. For beginners like you and me, recommended to create one partition at a time, and then click Apply each time. (Experts can create dozens of partitions and changes at one time and click Apply just once. I think some people have tested it with 100 or more changes.)

[logan01]

Thanks. Looks like a bit more reading to do. Getting close.

[logan01]

That's a whole bunch of stuff in that manual. I thought I just opened or download then opened GParted and went at it. I need to install it also to another flash drive and then begin the partitioning process?

[Qqmike]

I need to install it also to another flash drive and then begin the partitioning process?

It's nice to have a live GParted CD handy, yes. But as I said in my other how-to I linked to ...

Three choices for running GParted: ... etc ... -- You can run the Kubuntu installer (live) DVD/USB, select "Try Kubuntu" to run a live session, install "gparted" in your live session and use it there (prior to installing Kubuntu from the live DVD/USB).

--> For doing this, see the Tips below. ...

Installing GParted (gparted) in Kubuntu or in a live Kubuntu session

Live session details: You can run the live Kubuntu installation DVD/USB, and before installing Kubuntu you can do the partitioning in the live session, first by installing gparted in your live session. When you re-boot your computer with the Kubuntu installer DVD/USB inserted, boot into it (by entering your computer's UEFI or BIOS firmware setup and selecting the DVD/USB), then you may see a GRUB menu from which you should select "*Try Kubuntu," then at the Welcome screen, Live Session User, simply press Enter to log in to your Kubuntu live session.

Installing gparted in Kubuntu (whether it is a live session or an installed Kubuntu OS)
Two methods:
-- Use Muon (K > Applications > System > Software Center (Muon Discover)). In Search, type gparted, then Install.
-- Use the command line Konsole (K > Applications > System > Terminal (Konsole))
Type
sudo apt-get install gparted
press Enter, answer any questions with Yes (Y).

Where to find GParted after installing it
Probably here: K > Applications > System > Partition Editor (GParted).

https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...l=1#post377688

[Qqmike]

That's a whole bunch of stuff in that manual. I thought I just opened or download then opened GParted and went at it.

Yes, I think you can do that. Especially using my tip-post above on creating new partitions.

[logan01]

Under your Prepare Partition, this is throwing me off: If you are using UEFI, make sure you created an ESP partition (see above). My understanding Windows 10 or whatever the deal is with this pc is that it's UEFI.

[Qqmike]

It's good to learn some of this stuff, but I hate having you mess with all this (unless you don't mond). I guess (you checked?) the option "Install Kubuntu alongside Windows" doesn't exist on the 14.04 installer? I guess I could check that real quick by running my 14.04 installer USB. Remember the tip to use the QUIT button on the installer at any time. We can't expect all our potential members here to go through all this, can we? I mean, this is not Arch or Slackware, is it?

[Qqmike]

OK, I just re-booted with the live Kubuntu installer 14.04 USB flash drive, clicked Install Kubuntu, got to the Installation Type screen, and I do NOT see any option to install Kubuntu alongside Windows, nothing even close to that. The only viable option for most users is the Manual install method (the 4th option listed of four).
Hmmm ... that's not good.

[logan01]

It exists on the version I have on the flash drive, at least that's what it says is an install option.

[logan01]

Here's my deal. On the Kubuntu 14.04 I installed to usb from "unetbootin" I recall it having that statement associated with the install option. http://unetbootin.github.io/ Now whether that function actually works is another matter.