Ubuntu 8.10 install partitioning issues

[meddler]

Hello,
I currently have a dual boot on my acer aspire4315 laptop, with Fedora 10 on 56gb and XP on 21gb. I want to install ubuntu 8.10 but when I get to the 4th step in the install process it doesn't show my XP partition.
I have installed Mandriva and Fedora on this partition and had no problems, I have my XP stuff backed up but really don't want to overwrite it as is set up the way I like it.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[oz]

I'm not sure that I follow you... can't you just install Ubuntu right over the Fedora partition(s) leaving the XP partition as is?

Or are you wanting to keep Fedora and XP, as well as install Ubuntu?

[meddler]

I want to install ubuntu straight over the Fedora partition, as I have done previously with Mandriva over ubuntu 8.04 and then Fedora over Mandriva.
But when I get to the partition screen there is no sign of my XP partition, but it shows the full hard disk space, which incorporates the XP and Fedora partitions.

[Jonathan183]

You need to select manual partitioning - unguided (I think you select it when you start the partitioner) ... the Ubuntu default is to use the whole drive.

[meddler]

Cheers for getting back to me guys

Okay I'm following you, next problem how to set up a partition manually?
I have 56gb for Ubuntu any advice on how best to do this?

[Dark_Stang]

Just give yourself some swap space (ideally, twice your RAM). Then 5-10gigs for root. And the rest for home.

[devils casper]

Installer will detect SWAP partition of Fedora and use it. Did you create more than 2 partitions for Fedora?
Lets check partition structure of your Harddisk. Execute sudo fdisk -l in Terminal of Ubuntu and post output here.

sudo fdisk -l

[meddler]

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00e884f0

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 2611 20972826 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 2612 2636 200812+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 2637 9729 56974522+ 8e Linux LVM

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000c1386

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 60801 488384001 7 HPFS/NTFS

Above are the results of the sudo fdisk -l command.
I noticed a partition editor which would allow me to delete the fedora partition. Would it be easier to delete it then use the free space for Ubuntu?

Thanks for the help.

[Jonathan183]

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 2611 20972826 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 2612 2636 200812+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 2637 9729 56974522+ 8e Linux LVM
... Would it be easier to delete it then use the free space for Ubuntu?

Thanks for the help.

Fedora is currently using sda2 and sda3, I suggest you delete these and use the free space to create root partition (10 to 15GB), swap partition (2xRAM upto 1GB maximum swap size you are likely to need), remaining free space for home partition.