Tips on moving to Linux?

[Ral-Clan]

The only thing I can think of is perhaps you need to run a chkdsk on the NTFS drive. Have you booted into Windows since resizing the partition? It will usually run chkdsk automatically when booting when it discovers the partition size has changed.

Yeah, I ran a chkdsk before re-partitioning, and once I partitioned, I booted in Windows XP and it automatically ran a chkdsk.  I've booted into Windows several times since (and before trying to back up with CloneZilla).

Since Clonezilla didn't work, I tried my old backup software, Nero Backitup Essentials (a basic OEM version that came with my DVD-writer and runs in windows or from a bootable recovery CD).  It's always worked well when backing up my Windows XP partition.

It also seems to recognize the file system on the linux partition (it shows a graphic diagram of the disk structure and identifies the Windows partion as NTFS, the Linux partition as ext3 or something (I can't remember)).  It also identifies another undesignated 3GB partition on the disk (not sure what that is).

I've used it now to backup both the Windows XP and Linux partitions individually, and then the whole drive (imaging the drive).

Before backing Linux partition it does warn that since the partition doesn't have a Drive Letter, it can't lock the partition during backup. However it will still proceed and does successfully verify the backup image file against the real partition.

As I said, I've also used it to "image" the whole 160GB drive (Windows XP / Linux / undesignated partitions) all together.  Since Nero Backitup is a Windows program, and I'm booting from the Windows XP partition, it warns again that it won't be able to lock the Windows partition as it is in use.  But again, it backs up the whole drive.  I know in the past when I've had to restore my Windows XP setup from these backups it has worked fine.

Nero Backitup Essentials is pretty easy to use and even allows the making of a bootable live restore CD (which I've done and had to use in the past).

So I hope I'm covered.

[cgutjahr]

It also identifies another undesignated 3GB partition on the disk (not sure what that is).

Linux uses a separate partition called "swap" or "swap space" for saving virtual memory to disk. This results in better performance, and said partition can not be invalidated since no filesystem is involved.

So I hope I'm covered.

I don't have experience with backing up multi boot setups. But as far as Linux is covered, backing up your home directory (/home/USERNAME/) usually means everything you want to keep is save. You can (re)install Linux or install it on a different computer and after copying back the contents of your home directory, everything is set up the way it used to be. You'll have to reinstall the additional applications you were using of course, but their configurations have been preserved aswell.

(Most of these important config files and directories are hidden files starting with a dot. navigate to your home directory and press Control-H to see them)

[TeamBlackFox]

Hey ral-clan,

I know this was previously mentioned, but one of the UNIX ways of backing up drives is to use Disk Dump or dd.

Open a terminal, and type gparted, then when you get the partition number for your NTFS partition (/dev/sda# if SATA/SCSI or /dev/hda# if IDE) then close out and drop back to the shell.

Type the following:

Code: [Select]

$ mkdir ~/backups
$ dd if=$yourpartition# of=~/backups/$backupname bs=4096 conv=noerror
Example:

Code: [Select]

$ dd if=/dev/sda2 of=~/backups/archbang20140407 bs=4096 conv=noerrorThis will copy a disk image equal to size of your partition to a directory called backups in your home directory.

It takes awhile but this method has a few benefits:

1. If you lose all your data or mess up that partition, setting up a new partition then running dd to copy the data back (if is the source and of is the destination, so you can do it backwards) this will result in a (mostly) turnkey solution, assuming your bootloader is already setup

2. The image you made COULD be run in a VM if needed.

3. You can restore the image from any UNIX system, this command will work on Linux, BSD, Solaris, Mac OS X, and apparently there is a dd port for Windows too, never used it myself, however.

[Iggy]

This is  now the fourth (and definitely the last) time that I tell you I'm talking about the other case where one is trying to install Windows after Linux.

Please read what you're replying to, it would have saved both of us quite some time.

UH, but that is the DUMB way to do it.
Windows or OSX first, then Linux, because those first two OS' aren't smart enough to co-exist with something else.

[Ral-Clan]

Hey ral-clan,

I know this was previously mentioned, but one of the UNIX ways of backing up drives is to use Disk Dump or dd.

Thanks, Teamblackfox.  That was informative.  I've got a lot to learn, but Linux is obviously very powerful once you've mastered the terminal.

[psxphill]

UH, but that is the DUMB way to do it.
Windows or OSX first, then Linux, because those first two OS' aren't smart enough to co-exist with something else.

 It's not dumb. All you need to do is reinstall grub, if you have a problem doing that then Linux is not for you.
 
http://askubuntu.com/questions/83771/recovering-grub-after-installing-windows-7

[ferrellsl]

This is  now the fourth (and definitely the last) time that I tell you I'm talking about the other case where one is trying to install Windows after Linux.

Please read what you're replying to, it would have saved both of us quite some time.

No, you weren't talking about trying to install Windows AFTER Linux.  You made earlier statements that it was impossible to have Windows and Linux coexist on the same system at all. Then, after being confronted by more than one person that you were incorrect, you started changing your story.  Now you're changing it again.

Care to go for five now?

[ElPolloDiabl]

A boot repair use to be: FDISK and edit config.sys

Though Windows really gets surly when there is more than one drive. It has written the MBR on the spare drive on several occasions. I don't know why.

edit: I just found an answer. You change the drive order in the BIOS.

[cgutjahr]

You made earlier statements that it was impossible to have Windows and Linux coexist on the same system at all.

My first post in  this thread says: "Ubuntu can also be installed in parallel to an existing Windows install, without having to reformat your existing harddisk partitions".

Not sure what thread you're reading, certainly not this one.

[ferrellsl]

My first post in  this thread says: "Ubuntu can also be installed in parallel to an existing Windows install, without having to reformat your existing harddisk partitions".

Not sure what thread you're reading, certainly not this one.

Yes, I'm reading this thread quite well and on page 14 here's what you had to say about Linux and Windows being unable to coexist:

2. installing Windows alongside Linux isn't possible at all - so far Linux beats Windows hands down, as far as you are concerned.

[persia]

Because Linux is pretty light on resources you should be able to run it happily in a VM on a low end core i3 or perhaps even lower end.

[CritAnime]

Ops system is a p4 without any virtualisation extensions. So it would be very unlikely that a system would run smoothly under vm.

But yes the Linux kernel is light. The stuff that's attached to it is what takes resources. I don't know if it's true still but at one bit you could have a Linux kernel running off a floppy.

[gaula92]

Ops system is a p4 without any virtualisation extensions. So it would be very unlikely that a system would run smoothly under vm.

But yes the Linux kernel is light. The stuff that's attached to it is what takes resources. I don't know if it's true still but at one bit you could have a Linux kernel running off a floppy.

It's true as long as:
1) You can still boot floppies
2) You compile a kernel with disabled built-int features (most of the kernel built-in hardware support won't be used in your computer EVER, anyway)
3) You minimize the external modules to these you really need.

[AmigaPixel]

@ral-clan

I am doing the same for now.


My main pc has Win XP pro but I intend to upgrade it to Win 7 Pro. I am concerned whether or not XP compatibility mode will really work with some of my older software. The other concern is there are no Win 7 drivers only Win Vista 32/64bit drivers. It seems from what I read in various forums and articles Vista drivers often work in Win 7 but not always. It is an older Compaq Presario I bought used for good price in 2008 at a pawnshop (not where I normally by used PC’s) It originally came with Windows Vista Home Premium but who ever pawned it had stripped that off and put a 30 day trial of Win Vista Basic, which already expired! I intended to install XP pro anyway so I bought it for the hardware. I am hoping the Vista drivers work or better yet Win 7 SP1 will find all of the hardware and the only thing I will have to install is the nVidia driver.


My Ubuntu experience:

In the mean time like others I trying Ubuntu mainly for my internet and emails. It ran fine from the DVD, very slow to load of course. Instillation went smooth until it was time to restart when Ubuntu froze. I had walked away for a while and when I came back it had gone into a sleep mode while the restart dialog box was up. Maybe that had some bearing on it. Anyway I powered it off and back on expecting to see a Grub screen, and…. Nothing! Straight to Windows XP wanting to run a check disk on the partition I installed Ubuntu. at least what Win XP could still see. After some quick research  I downloaded the Linux Grub/MBR boot repair ISO image. Rebooted with it and ran the fix utility. That did the trick! I now had a dual boot XP/Ubuntu machine.

Notice I say the word “had”. I just could not leave well enough alone. I thought hey lets install a Linux nVidia driver which screwed it all up. I got stuck in an endless loop of low graphics mode message. I could not even click on or tab to the OK button. I tried the Ubuntu recovery mode and steps I read to fix the issue but it didn’t work. To sum it up I had to delete the partition and use the Win install disk/Recovery console to fix the MBR. Then use a third party partition software to reclaim and stitch the lost partition back to the second partition. Whew! Lesson learned! Leave it be! Ubuntu works just fine without me mucking it up. I will try re-installing it tomorrow.

[psxphill]

I am hoping the Vista drivers work or better yet Win 7 SP1 will find all of the hardware and the only thing I will have to install is the nVidia driver.

The Vista to 7 transition was far better than the 2000->XP or XP->Vista transition for driver compatibility, especially if you took the plunge and installed the 64 bit version.
 
Even if windows doesn't find all the drivers, somewhere like http://www.station-drivers.com/ is a good place to start. I mainly start off by googling for the device id from device manager and the name of the OS. If you're looking for a driver now it's very likely that someone has previously been looking for one as well.

[stefcep2]

Y'know, I ditched Linux once Ubuntu 9.10 ended support, but every now and then I think:"Lets see where its at, now".

And then I see a post like Amigapixel's, and all its starts to come back to me, and I realize its just Crazy Thinking.

Oh and if you want to know why it happened Amigapixel, I'll save you some time.  Man what were you thinking going nutso and installing a video diver like that!

"Its your fault".