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NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:09:59 -0600
From: Josiah Jenkins 
Newsgroups: alt.os.linux.ubuntu
Subject: Re: Problems after installing Ubuntu (fairly long)
Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 01:09:54 +0000
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Whilst perusing Usenet on Sun, 25 Feb 2007 22:53:58 +0000, I read
these words from Cushie  :

Another (Linux) newbie's experiences.
>
>elaich I've got to sympathise with you! I've been trying various 
>combinations to get Ubuntu Install past the formating stage.  I did not 
>trust the sparse/lack of info on installing a new partition in the spare 
>space so I opted for Partition Magic outside of Linux.

I had partitioned my drive previously using PQ Magic (back when
I was running W2K). I now have XP Pro on the drive and the
version of PQM I have doesn't support the later M$ OS.

So, basically you're starting from the same position I did
(except I had Mandrake on there and I wanted rid of it
because I had never managed to get it to work for me.)
>
>Ubuntu installation (GpartEd) kept telling me I needed a root partition 
>and could not see there was one there, and would not make one for me.

AFAIR. Choosing the 'manual' partition option takes you to the
next screen which shows your current drive partitions.
(including the Windows one).
Set one as 'swap', the other as '/', tick the re-format box
for both the Linux partitions and that was it. 

Several days later, before getting too heavily involved,
I decided to shrink my Win partition somewhat and set up
two Linux root partitions (Ubuntu and probably Debian at
a future date) and a seperate '/home' partition.

I used 'SystemRescueCd' which contains 'GParted',
from : http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page
(It's a Linux system on a bootable CD-ROM)
which meant I wasn't working with a *live* file system.
(Been there, done that, got the (mental) scars to prove it !)
>
>I got eventual success by deleting the new partitions (outside of Linux) 
>so providing unallocated space (in the same areas as the previous 
>partitions) and then GpartED got moving and it installed.
>
>Now I have to research how to boot up onto the USB external drive that 
>contains my new installation. (The Bios settings are OK but the bootfile 
>obviously isn't.)  I hope to get it working someday, but can't rely on 
>it.  I think a lot more development is taking place all the time and 
>hope the feed back from novices like me help to get it right.

To be honest, as a long time Windows user (DOS 6.22) I've been
'dabbling' with Linux installs since the last century (1998) and have
*never* managed to get one to work to my satisfaction.

I've taken the 'bootable CD' route with Linux and, to date, have
tried half-a-dozen (with probably more to come). The only major
problem I've had is connecting to my wireless network and Ubuntu
was the first I've tried that even *saw* the PCMCIA card in my laptop.

Now, I don't regard the lack of hardware recognition as a purely
Ubuntu problem, it's a general Linux problem caused by the
manufacturers but if, like me, your current Win set-up does what you
need you begin to wonder if it makes sense in switching to "free"
software if you have to buy and replace hardware in order to do so.

The other argument is as follows; instead of paying £x (or $x) to the
likes of Micro$oft and/or $ymantec for their latest "update",
I make a one-off payment for a piece of hardware with suitable
Linux ' Windows drivers and that's it ! Sounds good to me. 


 
Cushie, excuse my asking but why are you trying to boot a new
(unknown) system from USB rather than CD ?
(I'm a great believer in 'KISS')

-- jjj
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