how to get started with linux? and can i install linux and "uninstall" it later?

[stndn]

I just downloaded 'ubuntu' linux to try out linux again.
(Played with it few years ago back when I was in school, never touched again until not too long ago).

Anyways, since I only have one computer I can try it out on, I need to make sure of a few things first.

To make things short, a few things I would like to know:

1. How safe is it to have ubuntu's partition manager create partitions for installing linux?

2. Can I dual boot linux and windows XP? If I set linux to be the default to boot, will I be able to change it to winXP later?

3. If I later decide that linux is for me, how easy is it to rollback to my previous state? That is, can I easily remove linux and make my computer to be the way it was before I tried linux on it?

4. Any other hints as to how to make my adventure smoother and easier?


And oh, I know some people might suggest downloading live CD.
The thing is, the internet connection here is so slow that it took me about a week just to get the full install CD. So, might be a hassle to download again..


thanks.

 

[drag]

Resizing partitions is generally unsafe no matter what tools you use. Partitions just aren't realy ment to be resized in that fasion... however Linux's resizing tools are as good as anything else. Most people will probably boot up in knoppix or similar 'live cd' (were the OS runs directly from the cdrom rather then making you install it to the harddrive first) to use qparted or similar tools.

Linux installers do try autodetect other Operating systems on your computer and create boot entries automagicly. It generally works out.

However Windows installers don't make allowances for other operating systems. If you install Linux first then Windows over it then Windows will wipe out the the Linux bootloader and replace it with a windows-only bootloader. Then you have to figure out how to boot up knoppix or a windows rescue cdrom and reinstall the Linux bootloader and then add a entry for the windows OS.

With the Linux bootloader you have generally 2 choices.. a 'lilo' and 'grub'. These are 2 different Linux bootloaders, but generally people install grub.

For grub's configuration you'd have to edit it's configuration file to make one boot entry or another the default entry.. If the installer fails to detect or setup the Windows partition properly you can manually add the correct boot menu entry by editing the configuration file, also.

To get Linux uninstalled you'd use a partitoin manager like what is aviable on knoppix to resize the windows partition to full size or convert the linux filesystem to a windows one. (not sure how smart windows is when it comes to detecting changing filesystems.. sometimes windows has a hard time dealing with that.)

If you erase the Linux partition that will wipe out grub's configuration file and render your system unbootable. To make it Windows-only again you'd have to use the Windows recovery console on the install cdrom to run a program to fix the 'master boot record' on the harddrive (realy just the first 512k of the drive), the program is called fixmbr.

So if you want to be able to get back to windows-only you're going to have make sure that you can get to the recovery console and that you know what to do. Microsoft has good documentation online about what the recovery console is and how to use it, as well as using the fixmbr stuff.

Unfortunately, some 'OEM' style cdroms don't seem to have the recovery console thing and only support 'restore'.

Unfortunately in Windows and Linux land 'restore' means different things.
In Linux 'restore' generally means to 'try to get back to usable state'.
In Windows 'restore' generally means to 'wipe out everything with a format and install a new copy of windows'. 😛

edit:

if you want to use Linux without having to uninstall or install anything, just run knoppix. I've known people to almost use knoppix exclusively on things like laptops when the harddrive gets messed up and such.

 

[stndn]

That is quite an elaborate explanation :thumbsup:

Maybe I should've mentioned that the previous two times I tried linux (back at red hat 5 or something), I always ended up deleting my windows partition. After I learned it the hard way for the second time, I decided that linux was too hard and I gave up.

But now I'm trying to get back there again and give it yet another try -D

Anyways, I have the full version of windows XP and upgrade version of windows 2000 (for home computer). So if those can be used to fix the master boot record without having to "restore the computer Window's way" (aka - wipe out everything with a format and install a new copy of windows), then I would feel much better going at it.

The reason I wanted to install the full version instead of running live CD was to make this as a learning experience in itself. I know I might screw up in the process, but hey - I'm a frustrated learner who can live with reinstall, although I can't live with losing 60+gb of ... ehm, "personal stuffs" ,p


The plan is to add Linux to my existing Windows-based machine. So with that, I guess I'll be able to have linux add the boot loader. Since you mentioned grub is more popular, I may go with that. i'll still go read up as to the differences, though. I remember all we had back a long time ago was lilo.


Anyways, I'll look up some more information on these and then I'll set up some weekends for trying out the installation and everything else.

thanks for the information so far -)

 

[lxskllr]

I just loaded Ubuntu onto a laptop I had Windows XP on. It went pretty well with the only problem being my first choice of filing systems. I tried fat32 first, but apparently Linux didn't like that, so I used the default filing system( I can't remember what it's called). The resizing of the partitions went flawlessly, and everything's working great except for my internal modem, which I'm having trouble getting it recognized.

I didn't backup first, but I could afford to lose what was on the laptop. Your situation sounds different. I'd backup your data to a new harddrive (good excuse to get more hardware 🙂 ), then run the installation. Drag pretty much covered everything though. If your fairly familiar with Windows you should be able to get yourself through a recovery if necessary.