Switching Linux Distros Without Losing Windows Data

[fourteenlines]

Hey all,

This is my first post, so hope everything goes ok :-p.

I installed Backtrack 2 using this guide, so now I have a dual boot with Vista on my machine, using the Lilo bootloader. I want to now remove Backtrack 2 without touching the data on my Windows Vista partition. I am assuming that I need to do the following (and feel free to correct me if I am wrong):

1. Restore the Window Vista bootloader (I probably need the Windows restore disk for this, right?)
2. Erase and restore the Linux partition and swap partition, and then merge them back with my Windows partition (or can I just erase the partitions and use them with my new install?).
3. Install Slackware (the new distro that I want).

I have no idea where to start, and any help would be appreciated!

Thanks a lot,
~fourteenlines

[Dapper Dan]

If you are going to install Slackware, just install it to the partitions formerly occupied by Backtrack, leaving the partitions where they are. At the end of the Slackware install, install Lilo normally and you should then have a nice dual boot system between Vista and Slackware.

[fourteenlines]

Thanks a lot for your reply, I decided to give it a try, but no luck.

I reboot from the ISO image I just burned to DVD. Slackware install starts just fine, but it stops after these lines...

Intel machine check architecture supported.
Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#1.
CPU1: AMD Turion(tm) 64 x2 Mobile Technology TL-64 stepping 01
Total of 2 processors activated (8780.05 BogoMIPS)
ENABLING IO-APIC IRQs
. . TIMER: vector = 0x31 apic1=0 pin1=2 apic2=-1 pin2=-1
_ <--- this is where it freezes, with a blinking cursor...

This is only a few seconds into the install process, any ideas? Could it have anything to do with my previously installed distro of Linux?

Thanks,
~fourteenlines

[abhishek456]

try noapic as boot parameter when booting

you need not even delete swap partion you can just assigh swap partion used by backtrack to be used by slackware

[fourteenlines]

try noapic as boot parameter when booting

you need not even delete swap partion you can just assigh swap partion used by backtrack to be used by slackware

Ok, I will do this once I can get install to work. Thank you very much, it will save me time. Any ideas why it isn't working now though? Do I need to redownload and reburn the ISO? My ISO burning verified the burn disk just fine .

I will try that boot parameter. Just for my knowledge, what does that do?
EDIT: screen looks as follows....
boot: noapic
Could not find kernel image: noapic
boot: _

[fourteenlines]

UPDATE:
Allowing Slackware to idle without any boot parameters actually allows it to get several lines farther in the boot process (because it eventually autostarts)... seems strange.
Screen looks like this...

ENABLING IO-APIC IRQs
..TIMER: vector=0x31 apic1=0 pin1=2 apic2=-1 pin2=-1 <-- place it got stuck before
Brought up 2 CPUs
migration_cost=4000
NET: Registered protocol family 16
ACPI: bus type pci registered
PCI: Using MMCONFIG
PCI: No mmconfig possible on device 00:18
Setting up standard PCI resources
ACPI: Interpreter enabled
ACPI: Using IOAPIC for interrupt routing
_ <--- new place it gets stuck

EDIT: So I went to turn off my computer in frustration, and I accidentally hit the sleep button. Apparently that made it work, because now the installation seems to be working like normal... I quit the installation, tried it again. It hung up like last time. Sure enough, hitting the sleep button caused it to proceed again. Strangest thing I have ever seen...

[fourteenlines]

Another question, figured it was better to post again here than to clutter the forum with another thread.

I am in the middle of Slackware installation, I have set the swap partition and the root partition and instructed the installer to do a full installation. It has been installing components just fine, however now it is stuck on LILO. The installer has been saying that it is installing LILO for the past 15 minutes. A full installation proceeds without prompts so for some other reason it is hung up. Is it possible that since I had LILO previously installed that it might be giving the installer problems?