ubuntu 8.04 install help

[Blazer]

trying to install ubuntu i get to the partition and installation directory where i am asked what filing system to use!, the installation stops there as i am unsure what to put into the 2 boxes.

wanted to install to a hd that has 3 partitions.

1st is XP
2nd is unused and labeled "New Volume" = where i wanted the ubuntu installation.
3rd is where i keep my data.

i deleted the 2nd partition and its listed during the installation as unused.

 

[SleepWalkerX]

The most common filesystem is ext3. Its extremely reliable and fast enough. Some people like other filesystems like ReiserFS and JFS because they are usually quicker, but I would recommend you to just stick with ext3 if you're new to the Linux world.

Make sure to set aside a gig for your swap partition. Windows keeps its swap file inside the ntfs partition, but Linux distributions like to mount that outside of the filesystem.

 

[Crusty]

I would not touch ReiserFS with someone elses 50ft pole.

 

[Blazer]

as stated! wasnt sure about the filing sys, the swap partition i had not planned for OR was aware of, the Linux forums dont seem to have much info about the 8.04 release, if theres a forum with info about the latter release i would like to know, until then ill wait to do the install.

 

[Crusty]

Well, the minimum you need for a Linux install is a root partition and a swap partition. I usually put my Linux installs in a extended partition, and create separate partition for /, /home, and a sometimes a /var depending on the purpose of the install.

A hard drive can have a total of 4 partitions, with 1 being an extended partition allowing more then 4 total partitions.

For information, check out http://www.ubuntuformus.org They usually have howtos, and answers for more of the questions with Ubuntu.

 

[SleepWalkerX]

Why not try Wubi? It basically allows you to install Ubuntu from inside Windows and manage it like a normal Windows application. You don't have to worry about partitioning because Ubuntu is installed as a file on your existing Windows partition. It then modifies your Windows bootloader and you can choose to boot either Windows or Ubuntu. There's a slight performance degrade, but it shouldn't be too bad.

Or you can just try virtualizing Ubuntu and playing around with partitions.

 

[Blazer]

sounds like its not as straight forward as some state, just how many partitions does the install need?

 

[BlueAcolyte]

You need one partition for ubuntu and another for its swap file.

1+1=2

 

[Blazer]

i thought i had created the swap partition, and the ubuntu partition, on reboot i got error 22, apparently the grub bootloader didnt work cause the error 22 came up when i tried to boot to the ubuntu partition, also when i tried the xp partition i got ntldr is missing!

i dont want to loose my xp installation [acronis saved me there], can the bootloader be installed first then create the swap partition, then the ubuntu partition naming the partition ubuntu, run the installation cd from boot and have xp still bootable?

 

[Blazer]

found the installation guide for ubuntu 7.10

https://help.ubuntu.com/7.10/i...e-details.html#partman

hope its still the same for 8.04

can the boot loader be installed before ubuntu to avoid "NTLDR" is missing with xp on reboot after the ubuntu install?

 

[SleepWalkerX]

The NTLDR is missing problem is not related to Linux. Its a Windows error. When you choose the boot Windows XP boot option in Grub it points to the hard drive/partition where Windows resides. Windows is looking at boot.ini within its partition, but can't find where itself is so it can't continue to load the kernel. Are you changing the boot priority at all?

Try setting the boot priority how you want it, run your Windows install disk and get into the recovery console, run the fixboot and fixmbr commands, then try reinstalling Ubuntu.

 

[Blazer]

i thought the bootloader from the ubuntu installation would allow me to choose what OS to load, when i choose XP as the OS to load xp states NTLDR is missing!, if i run the recovery console and run "fixmbr & fixboot" xp i would loose the bootloader and the choice what OS to load correct?, also when i choose ubuntu it states the partition is missing!!

i donot want to spend hours upon hours with this ubuntu install!!

would it be eaiser to load a boot manager first then ensure xp will still boot, then install ubuntu.

 

[Alienwho]

Dude, Wubi was made for people just like you.

OR,

If you hard drive has the 3 partitions already, take note of the size of the partition that you want to install to. Then when you get to the installation screen, choose the "Guided" option and select the correct sized partition. It will do it all for you.

 

[Blazer]

using wubi from windows [even safe mode] leaves me with a blinking cusor on reboot and choosing "ubuntu" / start install in regular OR limited graphics mode, although xp still boots.

from the boot disk i get to step 4, set my choices and the installation tells me i have not chosen a "file system", "ext3 journaling file sys" isnt a file system?

i simply wanted to install "Ubuntu" to D: partition [there is nothing on that partition]

cant seem to find an online guide for ubuntu 8.04, but i am waisting plenty time!!!!!!

 

[SleepWalkerX]

Originally posted by: blazer
i thought the bootloader from the ubuntu installation would allow me to choose what OS to load, when i choose XP as the OS to load xp states NTLDR is missing!, if i run the recovery console and run "fixmbr & fixboot" xp i would loose the bootloader and the choice what OS to load correct?, also when i choose ubuntu it states the partition is missing!!

i donot want to spend hours upon hours with this ubuntu install!!

would it be eaiser to load a boot manager first then ensure xp will still boot, then install ubuntu.

Yes, once you run fixboot and fixmbr you will restore window's original bootloader and windows will not detect your linux partition. You can install grub first, tell it to point to windows, and then install linux, but its insanely harder that way.

Just fix the boot.ini for windows and then reinstall Ubuntu.

Originally posted by: blazer
from the boot disk i get to step 4, set my choices and the installation tells me i have not chosen a "file system", "ext3 journaling file sys" isnt a file system?

i simply wanted to install "Ubuntu" to D: partition [there is nothing on that partition]

You probably didn't mount your file system. Once you make an ext3 partition you have to set the mount point for it. If its your root partition then mount it to / .

Before you dive head first into this I recommend that you read up some tutorials or documents first. You need to see how everything works.

 

[Blazer]

according to the guide for ubuntu 7.10 to do a complete install to a single partition it should be mounted as " /,swap " so thats how i set it, didnt work, so i unstalled ubuntu, i guess ill try again when i get another hard drive.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: blazer
according to the guide for ubuntu 7.10 to do a complete install to a single partition it should be mounted as " /,swap " so thats how i set it, didnt work, so i unstalled ubuntu, i guess ill try again when i get another hard drive.

That comma means two partitions...

/ is one
swap is another

As it has been said in the thread multiple times already:

You need one partition for ubuntu and another for its swap file.

1+1=2

Try it again. Make TWO partitions. Make one 2 GB and make it "swap". Make the other fill the rest of the space, make the filesystem "ext3" and make the mount point "/" (everything without quotes). Install ubuntu to the "/" partition.

Waiting for another hard drive will not change anything if you don't set up the partitions this way.

 

[wiin]

Copy and paste the following link dude:


http://news.softpedia.com/news...u-8-04-LTS-84314.shtml

 

[BZeto]

I tried installing Ubuntu 8.04 using Wubi and I get the NTLDR missing errors as well. I've only tried booting into Ubuntu once and it failed (missing file or something), then it took me to a boot menu where i could select XP. That's when i got the ntldr message. I rebooted and it went into XP fine. I don't have time to mess with it right now, but Wubi seems like failure to me.

 

[Blazer]

i have tried following the links provided with varied results, with xp installed and running fine i donot want to loose that installation, so i choose to use the manual steps during the partitioning, today the install went fine and completed without errors, i removed the disk as requested and rebooted, the pc rebooted into xp just fine, i was never prompted for which os to load and ubuntu was never mentioned.

i have a partition of 36gb that i would like to use for the ubuntu installation.

on the first partition [/] step what size should it be? [set as primary in the guide]

the second partition [/home] what size should it be? [set as logical in the guide]

the third partition [swap] i set it to over 4 gb because of my system ram = 2 gb
[the third partition created as swap doesnt offer a primary or logical partition type choice]

is there a limit of how many partitions a single hard drive can have?