Changing from Xandros to Ubuntu, Help please!

[PaddyMcNasty]

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Hey, new forum user here! I'm very computer literate but some of the more in depth stuff is lost on me so take it easy!

Here's the thing: I got Xandros as a freebie on a magazine and have been using it a fair bit, but I don't think it suits me quite right and I want to try something else like Ubuntu. My dilemma is that I don't know how to uninstall it. Xandros itself doesnt seem to provide any way of uninstalling, so I thought I should delete the partition. New dilemma: I've never done anything with partitions before. I downloaded a partition manager but it didn't recognise the Xandros partition. So I continued the search and found out how do it with MS-DOS and a programme called diskpart. When I got it to list the partitions it showed 4...

Partition 1 - Primary - 43GB
Partition 2 - Extended - 13GB
Partition 3 - Logical - 1505MB
Partition 4 - Logical - 11GB

I've read a bit and gathered that i need to get rid of the two logicals then the extended.

Now, finally, here's my question: is this safe? Or: is there an easier way to do this?

Any help would be appreciated
Patrick

[thedondj]

As with many distributions, one of the first parts of the ubuntu installation process will allow you to re-layout all your partitions.

By default I think it will suggest blanking the whole hard drive and using the whole hting for ubuntu. Do you have any other operating systems (apart from Xandros) on there? If not then you can let it do the automatic partition for you and it will set up a usable system. There are other options if you have more specific needs though which should allow you to keep the partitions you need and get rid of the others.

I think that's an easier way to do it.

As to whether it's safe, it's probably always a good idea to back up any essential data before messing with partition tables or installing new operating systems. If you're confident in what you're doing though, then there's relatively little chance of anything going wrong.

[abhishek456]

Partition 1 - Primary - 43GB
Partition 2 - Extended - 13GB
Partition 3 - Logical - 1505MB
Partition 4 - Logical - 11GB

i am assume that 11GB part is a root partion and the other 1505mb is swap file. If my assumption is right .........................

During Ubuntu installation specify the root partion used for Xandros to be used by Ubuntu as root and use the same swap file used for Xandros to be used by Ubuntu.

Ubuntu will format these two drives and uses them for installation.

If you find this thing to be messy just delete these two Logical partions and give it to ubuntu for it's installation(Ubuntu can take free space available and use it for automatic partioning during installation and it doesn't do anything with your primary[windows] partions)

and regarding swap file their is no need of creating swap file of more than 512 mb

[PaddyMcNasty]

Thanks guys, I will try the Ubuntu install and report back. Think i need to reinstall windows as well, the partition is all but 1GB full, but i can handle that myself. As forbacking up files, i don't really have anything for backing up on to unless i get myself over to my mums and use my old pc or her hard drive. Just got to hope, though i don't see anything going wrong at this stage.

Right i'll get cracking on that then.

[PaddyMcNasty]

Hey guys, thanks for all your help, that worked perfectly. I just need to get ubuntu to recognise my modem now.

Wish me luck!
Patrick