skip format of hdd while installing mandrakelinux

[Guest billgnu]

i have been using mandrake from 1 yr.i have installed it 3-4 times.unfortunately suppose i want to start from scratch or when my linux gets corrupted,i need to install it again.But during installation why does it always formats hard drive again and again when my /,swap and /usr partitions are already ext2.

i luv to install B) and start mandrake from scratch since i am a newbie,cant i skip that formatting part?i am afraid my hard drive will get corrupted due to it.or does linux have command like "format \q" as in windows when hdd is not physically formatted and just data is erased?

plz help.

[Ixthusdan]

You can do a "repair" by doing an upgrade. It will not ask to partition or formatg anything.

[arctic]

I think I remember that there was a checkbox asking for formatting of drives right after using the custom partitioning option in Mandriva.

[ianw1974]

Yes, there is a check box by default, so you can deselect it and it'll then not format it.

 

At least I noticed this in 2006. Not sure about previous versions, never tried :P

[Reiver_Fluffi]

Yes, there is a check box by default, so you can deselect it and it'll then not format it.

 

At least I noticed this in 2006.  Not sure about previous versions, never tried :P

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It was there in 2005 as well!

[arctic]

And in 10.0 and 10.1, too.

[ianw1974]

I've obviously always been doing clean installs :P

 

The one and only time I didn't, was when I had a load of files I couldn't move, so I left it and then I noticed :P

[aRTee]

Note that this type of formatting is not low level and will not harm your hard drive (hardware), just the contents/digitally stored information.

 

Actually, hard drives are designed to have information written and erased/rewritten many times, this is normal operation. A regular format just puts certain markers/blocks into place at required intervals within the partition. To the hardware, this is the same as any data write action, just as any file save.

[wilcal]

I almost consider playing around with different

Linux Distros a hobby. I'm eager for the nest

post on

 

http://www.distrowatch.com

 

so I can download this or that ISO, burn the CD

and give it a whirl. Strange hobby.

 

One of the principle challenges you have when you

do this is if there are still bits and bytes of

whatever used to be on the HD the new OS your

trying to load may in fact see it and do sometimes

strange things. Especially if it sees something

in the MBR (Main Boot Record). "Formating" does

not always zero (literally) all of that out.

Mandrake is no different. This is especially true

when doing "upgrades".

 

I use two programs to ensure myself there is nothing

left on the HD that will make the install of the

next OS skidderish.

 

The free to download version of:

 

http://www.killdisk.com/

 

wipes a drive completely clean to zeros from bit

one to bit last including the MBR. It takes awhile

for big drives but you can rest assured that there

is nothing left. I have never harmed a drive using

this application.

 

I also use the Ranish Partition Manager (RPM)

 

http://www.ranish.com/part/

 

to identify whatever FAT and OS file structure

a particular OS lays down on the HD. Using RPM

I can then prepare a HD for either a single OS

installation or up to 30 separate, discreet and

bootable partitions.

 

Some Linux Distros treat the HD awfully. They

insist on screwing up the MBR regardless of

what you want it to do. I those cases you always

have to wipe the HD first and the only OS you

can put on the HD is the one your playing with

at the time.

 

Mandriva 10.0 and newer are very moldable OS's

in that you can pre-prepare a HD with ext3 and

swap Linux partition(s) and install to that specific

partitions without effecting any other partitions

on the HD. This is an EXTREMELY valuable feature

as it gives you the opportunity to Play with

the same OS in multiple copies and set ups on

the same HD. I wish all Linux OS' were the same.

 

Interestingly enough WinBlows XP Pro is also

well behaved. You can install it to a NTFS

partition and it will not screw with anything else

on the HD. And even intermix it with Linux

partitions on the same drive. Also once installed

to one partition that partition can be bit copied

to another of identical size for backup or testing.

The Partition Manager in MCC is very usefull

and well behaved.

 

Do note that Ubuntu, even though a very nice

OS, is not so well behaved at install. It likes

to hog the entire HD and screw with the MBR regardless

of what you tell it to do.

[arctic]

I almost consider playing around with different

Linux Distros a hobby. I'm eager for the nest

post on

 

http://www.distrowatch.com

 

so I can download this or that ISO, burn the CD

and give it a whirl. Strange hobby.

It's not really a strange hobby. I lost count on the distros that I tested...

/me takes a look at the piles of CDs laying around...

[Reiver_Fluffi]

The free to download version of:

 

http://www.killdisk.com/

 

wipes a drive completely clean to zeros from bit

one to bit last including the MBR. It takes awhile

for big drives but you can rest assured that there

is nothing left. I have never harmed a drive using

this application.

 

I also use the Ranish Partition Manager (RPM)

 

http://www.ranish.com/part/

 

to identify whatever FAT and OS file structure

a particular OS lays down on the HD. Using RPM

I can then prepare a HD for either a single OS

installation or up to 30 separate, discreet and

bootable partitions.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Might be worth pointing out that Maxtor provides these utilities as a free download for use on their drives (man they were a godsend when I borked my winblows disk up big time, along with a generous FAT32 partition so Linux could be used to rescue the files....)

[wilcal]

me takes a look at the piles of CDs laying around...

Have you been following the progression of Damn Small Linux?

DSL.

 

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

 

that one is absolutely fascinating.

[arctic]

Have you been following the progression of Damn Small Linux?

DSL.

 

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

 

that one is absolutely fascinating.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes. I always carry a copy of it around with me. :)

[spinynorman]

[arctic]

Ooops... sorry. Will shut up now. :)