Ubuntu

Overwriting one Linux distro with a different one

Asked by ChrisCS

Hi,

I would be very grateful if someone would help me with the following. I have a dual boot Windows/Suse machine and I would like to replace Suse with Ubuntu.

My hard disc had been partitioned into logical drives C: and D: after Windows had been installed and Suse was installed wherever it wanted.

I have run the Ubuntu 9.04 live CD and selected "Install". at the "prepare disk space" window I get several options:

1) Install Ubuntu side by side with the othe OS
2) Use the entire disc
3) Use the largest continuous free space
4) Specify partitions manually

There isn't enough free space and I don't want to use the entire disc so I have chosen "Specify Partitions manually" and got a window like this:

Device Type Mount point Format? Size Used
/dev/sda1 ntfs 209 Mb 70 Mb
/dev/sda2 ntfs 47237 Mb 11897 MB
/dev/sda3 ext3 69586MB 1342MB
/dev/sda5 fat32 14336MB 1207 MB
/dev/sda6 swap 2149 MB 0MB
/dev/sda7 ext3 21476MB 3878MB
Free space 5042 MB

I have put ticks in the "Format?" column to format /dev/sda3 and /dev/sda7 which I assume are to do with the Linux installation already there. On clicking "Forward" I get a message "No root file system is defined. Please correct this from the partitioning menu". In the above window there is nothing under "Mount point" and "Format?" but this does not show in my question after it has been submitted. The figures at the end of each line refer to the size of the oartition and how much space has been used.

What I am not sure about is whether it is the correct thing to format /dev/sda3 and /dev/sda5 and I don't know what to do about "No root file system is defined". I have clicked on "Undo changes to partitions" in the hope that someone will be able to help before I make the Windows section unbootable and don't succeed in installing Ubuntu as well.

Can anyone help, please?

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Daniel Milde
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Daniel Milde (daniel-milde) said : 		#1

I would advice you to install root to /dev/sda7 (20GB) and /home to /dev/sda3 (70GB).

"No root file system is defined" means that you haven't selected any of partitions as a root filesystem.

So:
1) /dev/sda3 and /dev/sda7 have to be formated.
2) Change /dev/sda7 to be mounted to / (mountpoint).
3) Change /dev/sda3 to be mounted to /home.

Revision history for this message
ChrisCS (chriscro) said : 		#2

hello Daniel,

Thank you for your message. I have just one last question before I follow your advice: I still want to be able to use Windows for the moment so will following the steps you gave still enable Windows to run? That probably seems a silly question but Linux seems to have a very steep learning curve and what is obvious to Linux experts isn't always obvious to some of the rest of us.

Revision history for this message
Best Daniel Milde (daniel-milde) said : 		#3

Yes, you will be able to boot in Windows. Ubuntu will detect Windows during installation process and include Windows into boot selection (grub).

If something goes wrong and you will not be able to boot into Windows, there is still easy way to fix it:
Insert Windows installation CD and open console for restoration (or something like that, there is only one console).
Then start program fixmbr. But this will disable Ubuntu to boot :)

Revision history for this message
ChrisCS (chriscro) said : 		#4

Hello Daniel,

Sorry to be so long getting back to you but we have had visitors and I haven't been able to do anything about installing Ubuntu until today. I have just followed the steps you mentioned and am writing to say that I have now installed Ubuntu in place of the other distro and that all is fine. The dual boot with Windows 7 as the other OS is still OK

Thank you for your help. I had been wondering for several weeks how to install Ubuntu in place of the other version of Linux and it has proved to be not as daunting as I thought, thanks to your instructions

Regards,

Chris

Revision history for this message
Daniel Milde (daniel-milde) said : 		#5

You welcome! Glad to hear it helped.

Regards
Daniel