Linux install and partitions

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Gravy

14 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#27733 4-Nov-2008 22:40

I'm looking seriously at replacing win XP with Ubuntu. I don't really do anything that Linux may not run from what I can tell. I have an older system 700mhz and only a 20GB HD. The HD is partitioned (via partition magic) 3 ways roughly c=9GB/d=7GB/e=3GB. Currently windows is on C (obviuosly) D is my file storage drive and e is pretty much unused.

When installing Linux how does this affect the existing partitions? From reading the forums here it will format the one it's installed on and it's not a good idea to use multiple partitions.

1 Will Linux give me the option to reset my partitions so it will fit on one of them or will I have to organise this with partition magic first?

2 If I'm to replace xp does that mean i'll have an entirely free C drive afterwards. how much of my xp settings will Linux adopt? Should I transfer Linux to C somehow? Have I missed something major here.

3 What's the best way to go about getting rid of xp and how much will I need to backup/make a note of first? eg email address book etc.

cheers

kobiak

1615 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 551

Trusted

#175934 4-Nov-2008 23:15

there should not be any problem if you would set up ubuntu on that 3Gb drive, however 4Gb is recommended requirement. and you better increat 3Gb partition. using parition magic or acronis disk director.

Installutuion of ubuntu should not affect XP at all, and you'll be able to boot from both OS as ubuntu's grab would allow you to select witch OS you want to boot to.

Clean installution to formated hard drive is always better :)

helping others at evgenyk.nz

Gravy

14 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#175942 4-Nov-2008 23:30

Thanks for that. I was going to flick a couple of GB over to E before installing so it could gets it's 4gig. Just wondering if Linux would do it for me really during the install.

Guess I'll get em running side by side first anyway so if I do continue with shutting down xp via a format I know the Linux boot disk works

cheers

kobiak

1615 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 551

Trusted

#175945 4-Nov-2008 23:42

There's an option to manually define partitions, but I guess it would be easy to do from windows partition magic first, then maybe change file system to linux native and just install on that partition, ubuntu will automatically find it.

helping others at evgenyk.nz

Mudz12

71 posts

Master Geek

#176019 5-Nov-2008 09:45

You can easily handle your partitions with the installer aswell. When I installed uBuntu along with my XP install it automatically detected my partitions and I just split them up how I wanted them.

Mudz - Software Developer

Gravy

14 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#176193 5-Nov-2008 20:31

Thanks for the replies everyone

Maximus

33 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 4

#176197 5-Nov-2008 21:00

As Mudz12 says, the installer ´should´ recognize your existing windows partitions and you can choose what to allocate to Ubuntu...if you didn´t want to get rid of XP you can mount existing Windows NTFS partitions in Ubuntu. So you can keep your existing file storage drive and have access to it from XP and Ubuntu.
Cheers

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

FredDag

206 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#176233 5-Nov-2008 23:18

Welcome to linux... may your xorg.conf stay uncorrupted!

Fred