Leave windows xp

[Guest justenjoyin]

I would like to undertake a journey of significant concequences - that of removing Windows XP!!!!!!!!!!! Here are the facts. I have 2 hard drives, my primary drive of 80 gig has Windows XP installed on it. My slave drive of 30 gig has Mandriva 2006 free install on that. I have the Lilo boot loader dual booting on the MBR of the primary disk (hda) with the slave (hdb)-- hence Mandriva -- loading first. Here is what I would like to do:

1. Remove Windows XP from the primary drive (hda) and possibly transfer my Mandriva on to it. My question is -- how would I remove Windows XP without disabling the boot loader and my ability to open the slave drive (hdb), and is there a way then to transfer the Mandriva system over to the primary drive (hda)?

2. Failing that, just to be able to remove Windows XP and keep Mandriva where it is on the slave drive (hdb) and use the primary drive (hda) to try other disto's or whatever I would decide. Again, my main concern is that of the boot loader and not being able to boot into Mandriva.

Anyone like to take a stab at what I have to do and how?

 

[moved back to Hardware by spinynorman :)]

[nchancock]

Install lilo into the MBR of the secondary, change the old secondary to the new master and the old master to the new secondary. Then format the new secondary. That's what I would do. Messing around with image copying and all that other jazz seems like a big mess.

 

Nate

[polemicz]

First you can remove the Windows stanza from Lilo from MCC. At that point Linux will know nothing of Windows other than what you have mounted in /etc/fstab. If you have no data on your Windows partition(s) that you need to save you can use MCC -->Mount Points to remove the Windows partition(s). So far all we have done is to change Lilo and possibly removed a partition(s). If you need data on the Windows partition(s) the first question is what file system(s) are you using there. Back up whatever data is there that you need. At this point it would be helpful to know whether you can back up onto a Linuix partition. If all backups are taken care of, if needed, you can safely remove the partitions via MCC and create new ones. Make sure that /etc/fstab is correct. Then create new Linux partitions (give mount points and format, call mount points whatever you wish for now). With new Linux partitions created you are ready to roll. You can copy your Linux partitions to the new ones using the command cp -ax as root, i.e. # cp -ax / /new_root ; cp -ax /usr /new_user etc. This will give you a copy of your Linux partitions on the HD Windows used. You can use Lilo to create a new stanza to these while maintaining your current working Linux. In the new set of partitions you need to fix /etc/fstab, i.e. etc/fstab is /new_root/etc/fstab. There you have to change the places where things are mounted (say from hdb1 to hda1 for / ,i.e a line dev/hda1 / reiserfs ... (or whatever fs you use) where it may have been dev/hdb1). You should be able to boot when fstab is set to mirror Linux systems. When you feel certain that everythig is fine you can do what you wish to the other Linux partitions on the other hard drive and redo Lilo by removing that stanza.

I know this seems pretty complicated, and my too much wine with dinner probably worsens it, but it's really straightforward:

1. remove windows partitions and references in Lilo

2. create new linux partitions where windows once lived

3. copy linux system (/, /usr,/home, etc) to new hd

4. edit /etc/fstab on new partitions, set Lilo to boot from new /.

5. boot up to see if you have a mirror of your system.

[Guest justenjoyin]

Thank you for your help and you are right it does seem difficult. I suppose after years of having windoze doing things for me -- or messing things up for me. The thought of changing partitions and such is a little intimidating but while I'm not worried about screwing up my windows disk I am concerned about my Mandriva. I have it working as near perfect as one could hope for.

[polemicz]

I know I made it seem complicated, but try to think of it conceptually. As long as you do not touch your Linux partitions all you can mess up is Windows. As a start while in Linux remove the Windows entry in Lilo using MCC. You will no longer be dual booting and the Windows HD will just be taking up space. You can then plan how to use the space. The nice thing about using the cp command is that you can move all your Linux files to the other HD without affecting your running Linux system. You can mount them and use them if you wish. They simply are mirrors of your Linux system Continue using your current Linux system and feel comfortable with it after the copying. When ready you can move over to the new HD by setting up a dual boot Linux on hdb and "new Linux" on hda. You can go back and forth as you wish in order to feel comfortable. At some point you can remove the hdb system. Just remember to use the hda system you have to edit /etc/fstab.

 

Lastly, there is no reason why you can't have your main system boot off of hdb. Maybe someone has good reasons to have your system on hda, but I don't think it is necessary. Think of it as a way to set up a dual boot Linux system. I currently dual boot: Mandriva on hda and Debian Sid on hdb.

 

The key is don't mess up hdb until you are happy that you got the transition right. Good luck and go for it.

[Guest justenjoyin]

Lastly, there is no reason why you can't have your main system boot off of hdb. Maybe someone has good reasons to have your system on hda, but I don't think it is necessary. Think of it as a way to set up a dual boot Linux system. I currently dual boot: Mandriva on hda and Debian Sid on hdb.

 

The key is don't mess up hdb until you are happy that you got the transition right. Good luck and go for it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ok, I believe I am going to use hdb as the main system -- it was my own thinking that wanted to put Mandriva 2006 on hda. My hda has 80 gig and hdb has 30 gigs. Now I can use hda to try other distros and not have to keep loosing the setup of hdb. There is one thing that I would like information on and that is how do I change the mbr (LILO) from hda to hdb. Also, some distro's use GRUB and I am not sure how to make the changes to keep hdb remaining the Master. Again, thank you for your help.

[polemicz]

I believe that the mbr has to be on the master drive, i.e. hda.

While some distros use Grub as default they all can install Lilo. I happen to use Lilo with my dual boot Mandrive and Debian system. I've always used Lilo and have no reason to change, but many people find Grub superior, and in many ways it is, and if you are starting out Grub may be the best way to go.