Software - Support > Installing Linux Lite
LL 3.8 Win-XP Dual-Boot
stevef:
@W-Exit
Gunter
--- Quote ---sorry to bother you again mate.
--- End quote ---
No problem, happy to try to help provided it is understood that this can only be general advice about process and not a discussion of unsupported OS etc..
First, ensure any important data has been saved somewhere safe before proceeding.
Then you need to decide what you want to do. Here are some choices, one of them may be right for you.
If not, let us know exactly what you want.
1) Simplest - Do Nothing.
Your system boots ok from the SSD and there is plenty of disk space to not worry about the partitioning.
Changing the BIOS boot order to promote the SSD to the top of the list would improve the boot time.
2) Still simple - wipe the disk and start again with no special partitioning.
Normally this will be the 'Erase Disk and Install Linux' choice. Many people do it this way without a problem, but because you have untidy partitioning in place, it is possible the installer may struggle and it will be more predictable if the partitions are cleared before invoking the installer. To do this, it is necessary to boot from the Live media and use Gparted to delete any partitions you find and then install a fresh system onto the blank disk.
This will allow the OS installer of the distro you select to use the whole disk for the OS and your data.
3) Complex - wipe the disk as option 2 but re-partition it before installing the OS.
This allows the OS and your data to exist on different partitions of the same disk.
Keeping OS and data separate may have some advantages. This would require the 'Something Else' choice. It is easy to make an error here.
4) Most complex - Try to tidy up the partitioning without re-installing.
I can't see any benefit in trying this unless options 1,2 or 3 are impractical.
--- Quote --- If I understand correct I can “delete“sda7 and sda6 (both ext4) ??
which should leave sda2 (extended) intact ??
Or do I need to format sda2 as ext4 (??)
here it comes, my I don't know what to do.
will sda2 still be available (for data storage) after deleting sda6 and sda7 ??
in other words: Deleting sda6 and ada7 will create free, unused space ??
Which i can assign to sda2 ??
I would imagine the actual LL-Sys (booting with no USB) resides on sda1 (ext4) ??
--- End quote ---
I think these questions are relevant with option 4 which is not recommended unless you can really justify the time and effort required.
--- Quote --- Or was it better to do a complete re-install (trying to recollect the complete SSD) ??
Meaning: Delete sda1 as well ??
--- End quote ---
Yes, this would be option 2 (or maybe option 3)
--- Quote --- If so YES, how would I force this after the USB - boot ??
I am asking, because I tried this before and ended with the mess I am currently facing.
--- End quote ---
Boot from the Live USB, use gparted to clean the disk up and then install the supported OS to the clean disk.
If all goes well, it will install the OS correctly. It is hard to guess how you have ended up with the partition set up you have, maybe you did it via the 'Something Else' option
--- Quote --- Please note: The grandpa never stored his data on the Sys-Boot device (even so it was partitions on the same HD only)
which saved my life more than once !!
--- End quote ---
I think this would be option 3 if I understand correctly.
steve
W-Exit:
@stevef
Hi Sir,
sorry to bother you again mate.
If I understand correct I can “delete“sda7 and sda6 (both ext4) ??
which should leave sda2 (extended) intact ??
Or do I need to format sda2 as ext4 (??)
here it comes, my I don't know what to do. :imsorry
will sda2 still be available (for data storage) after deleting sda6 and sda7 ??
in other words: Deleting sda6 and ada7 will create free, unused space ??
Which i can assign to sda2 ??
I would imagine the actual LL-Sys (booting with no USB) resides on sda1 (ext4) ??
Or was it better to do a complete re-install (trying to recollect the complete SSD) ??
Meaning: Delete sda1 as well ??
If so YES, how would I force this after the USB - boot ??
I am asking, because I tried this before and ended with the mess I am currently facing.
Please note: The grandpa never stored his data on the Sys-Boot device (even so it was partitions on the same HD only)
which saved my life more than once !!
best regards, many thanks and all the best ;)
Gunter
stevef:
UEFI was started in 2006 but I think your machine will be BIOS only so any advice about UEFI won't apply.
I guess there was something wrong with the CD.
Now you can boot off USB Live media, you can tidy up the partitioning as described in earlier posts 7 and 10
Basically right click on each partition's pictogram in turn and select 'delete'
Once all the partitions are queued for delete click 'apply' and gparted will remove them to blank the disk.
Once you have blanked the disk, please install a supported OS.
W-Exit:
@stevef
hi again.
Will try to write a brand new Boot-CD (or even try a USB).
To the other question of a SSD in the ancient sys ??
Me I am a civil engineer (with main focus on POWER, online since CPU type 8086) and I had an electrical engineer colleague (unfortunately not with us any more) who saw this SSD lying around my table when the HD in the LT was broken.
So he mounted it (I guess he altered the BIOS, I have more boot options than original). I would not know the details how he achieved this, but he did.
It was flawlessly working for many years, astonishingly fast (for it's HW) and served me well with few old Win-XP programs not working fine under more actual Win versions - or a VM.
I am emotionally very attached to this piece of Hardware, otherwise I was not here on my crusade to rescue it.
It will take some time for the next reply / question
However, my-CD's are spinning, the LED are flashing and I can hear the read attempts.
I can manually adjust the boot-order in BIOS and set the internal CD-drive first.
It takes ages to get anywhere, but in the end it will always boot from the SSD.
(Hence I have no chance to manipulate anything with gparted)
Just today I read somewhere that UEFI might have something to do with not booting the life-media.
I read quote: 'disable Secure Boot' and set UEFI enabled, however I can't find these options.
I still have the iso and would want to try making an bootable life USB to try ....
(need to go out and get some HW first !!)
Also I will try to furnish a ScreenShot of my Bios Setup Boot Order (but this is little difficult to achieve)
many thanks again and all the best
Gunter
p.s.: I managed to create a boot-able USB (??)
Had to go with RUFUS (old version) since Balena-Etcher won't work on my system (don't know why)
managed to boot from usb
and to start gparted from terminal
I am enclosing another ScreenShot (SS) at this point ...
This means I have reached the point where I need advice on how to straighten out my SSD partitioning mess - and how to do so !!
Maybe someone can step in at this point ??
Any guidance appreciated !!
best regards
Gunter
stevef:
@W-Exit
Gunter
As you have had the live media CD working before and the system BIOS has been set to allow booting from the CD (above booting from the SSD) then the CD should boot.
Do you hear any sounds when booting as the CD drive gets up to speed or perhaps the sound of the head seeking across the disk ?
Are there any activity LEDs on the CD drive ? They should flash as the drive is accessed.
If the CD appears to be accessed (sound and LED) and the system later boots off the SSD then it suggests the system couldn't find boot code on the CD. It could be scratched, dirty or even upside down in the drive. The only thing I can suggest is trying the live media CD on another system if you have one available.
If the CD isn't being accessed during boot up (no sounds or LED) it suggests something wrong with the BIOS settings.
It would be good to resolve what is happening, but as mentioned before, if the system boots ok from the SSD the untidy partitioning is not a worry.
Out of interest, how did an XP machine dating back to the mid 2000s get fitted with a 500GB SSD ? If I had a 500GB SSD I wouldn't even think to be using it on a 20 year old system.
As always - please use a supported OS.
steve
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version