Ubuntu
ubiquity package

How to replace boot disk

Asked by Wesley Michael

I am running Ubuntu 10.04 with a 40 Gb internal drive an a 1 Tb external USB drive. I am using the external drive for the /home partition.

It was working generally ok, but I have started having trouble with the external drive and I know my time with it is limited. So, I've ordered a replacement internal drive. However, my machine is one of those slim models and only had room for a single disk drive inside. This means that I am going to have to replace the boot drive.

Are there any instruction on how to go about replacing the boot disk? I really don't want to have to go the route of installing Ubuntu again. I've spent a lot of time getting all of the necessary software installed and I really, really don't want to have to do it all again. That, and the fact that I didn't write everything down, so I would have to figure out stuff all over again.

Now, I have lots of room on the external drive that I could make a backup of the internal drive. I can hook up both drives at the same time on a temporary basis, so I could move an image of the 40 Gb drive onto the new drive and then take out the 40 Gb drive and leave the new drive in the machine by itself.

So, if you have go through this, or can point me in the right direction, it would be a great help.

Thanks in advance.

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actionparsnip
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Best actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

http://forum.soft32.com/linux2/Copying-Ubuntu-drive-newer-larger-hard-drive-ftopict57689.html

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Wesley Michael (wam-zoominternet) said : 		#2

Thanks for the link. The replacement drive has been shipped and as soon as it arrives I will be able to give this a try. I will look through it now, and if I don't understand something, I will post another comment. Assuming all goes well I will mark this a 'Problem Solved'.

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Wesley Michael (wam-zoominternet) said : 		#3

Ok, I booted my computer from the Ubuntu 10.04 CD that I used to install the system.

In the post by ray it says to use 'partimage' to back up the partitions to the external USB drive. When I try to run it, this is what I get:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ partimage
The program 'partimage' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing:
sudo apt-get install partimage
You will have to enable the component called 'universe'
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install partimage
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package partimage is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package partimage has no installation candidate

I am not going to be able to have both drives running at the same time. Is there another option?

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Wesley Michael (wam-zoominternet) said : 		#4

Spent a bit more time on this. I found that I needed a SystemRescueCd, which is a bootable CD with partimage and a bunch of other stuff.

So, I believe that I have the tools that I need. When the disk arrives (sometime today) I will give it a shot.

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Wesley Michael (wam-zoominternet) said : 		#5

Thanks actionparsnip, that solved my question.