also @ TechSpot: Nortel's internal network "owned" by hackers for almost a decade
Welcome to the TechSpot OpenBoards. Please read the FAQ if you have any questions. Sign up or Login to participate.

Go Back   TechSpot OpenBoards > Software > The Alternative OS

Download Now:

Moving from XP to ubuntu?

Thread Tools Search this Thread
  #1  
Old 12-19-2007
TechSpot Member
 
Member since: Jul 2007, 31 posts
Moving from XP to ubuntu?

okay after surviving on a p*ss-*ss slow windows XP 256 RAM 1.6GHz desktop since forever, i've decided to take out the XP and just install ubuntu onto it, since i use it primarily for internet purposes. however, i have a couple hundred GB worth of music, videos, and pictures over there. i only have one hard disk in there, so i'm planning on using gparted to create a separate partition on my HD, dump all my music, videos, and pictures there, wipe everything else, and install ubuntu. will that work? will i still be able to access my files and everything after i do this?
  #2  
Old 12-19-2007
TechSpot Member
 
Location: Vermont
Member since: Dec 2004, 122 posts
Go for it

I am a Ubuntu novice but can tell you about my experience. I installed 7.10 on an AMD XP3200 with 512mb ram and XP Pro. 1 hard drive with 80gb.
With the Ubuntu partition program (during install) I allotted 50% of the drive to Ubuntu. Installed without a hitch. On reboot received a menu to select the OS I wanted to boot. Can boot to Ubuntu or XP as slick as you please. XP is using NTFS yet I have been able to read files on the windows partition.

In general I'd be backing up anything I didn't want to lose before proceeding. It's just safer that way.

I hope that was helpful or at least encouraging!
  #3  
Old 12-20-2007
Nodsu's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Location: Estonia
Member since: Feb 2002, 9,431 posts
System specs
With 256MB or RAM, you are better off installing Xubuntu - a lightweight version more suitable for your machine.
  #4  
Old 01-02-2008
fenderguy2112's Avatar
TechSpot Member
 
Member since: Jan 2008, 32 posts
You might want a different Linux distro such as Xubuntu, Puppy,or DSL. Getting more RAM might help too...

FenderGuy2112
  #5  
Old 01-04-2008
captaincranky's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Member since: Oct 2006, 7,584 posts
Depends on What you call the drive....

If you have a drive designated as a "Volume" Ubuntu will read and I believe write to it with XP's NTFS file system. I'm assuming the latest Xubuntu will do the same. < Verify anybody?

Ubuntu is the easiest install, about a dozen clicks. But, they're claiming it needs 384MB of memory for use installed in a desktop.
Unless the copy of XP you have is a retail version , you cannot migrate it to another machine.
Memory prices are bottomed out at the moment, and I suggest looking into that first, instead of, (IMHO) trying to work backwards by installing an operating system because it has low memory requirements
  #6  
Old 01-11-2008
TechSpot Booster
 
Member since: Jun 2006, 538 posts
You can read NTFS but not write to it unless you have ntfs-3g installed, and that still has some issues and IIRC can't reset permissions as yet. You can get it through apt-get or synaptic just make sure the universe/multiverse repositaries are all enabled in your sources file.
  #7  
Old 01-17-2008
Phantasm66's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Member since: Feb 2002, 6,504 posts
please make a backup of the contents of any hard drive before using hard disk partitioning software of any kind on it.
  #8  
Old 01-17-2008
Didou's Avatar
Bowtie extraordinair!
 
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Member since: Feb 2002, 5,895 posts
System specs
My Ubuntu install came with read/write support for NTFS out of the box.
  #9  
Old 01-17-2008
captaincranky's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Member since: Oct 2006, 7,584 posts
E_P_A_K was here, but now he's gone, he left this thread to carry on....!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantasm66
please make a backup of the contents of any hard drive before using hard disk partitioning software of any kind on it.
Would you also agree that the best chance for success here also comes from a fairly empty HDD and a couple passes with the defragger first?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Didou
My Ubuntu install came with read/write support for NTFS out of the box.
You're not going to keep us in suspense by not telling us which version you're talking about, are you?

E_P_A_K posted this Dec. 19, 2007. Do you think he still cares? I'm cool with with the thread becoming more of an academic discussion, if everyone else is.

Last edited by captaincranky; 01-17-2008 at 04:19 PM..
Closed Thread

Similar Topics
Topic Replies Forum
Dual Boot Vista and Ubuntu 9.10: No Internet Connection in Ubuntu 10 The Alternative OS
Moving OS to another HDD 3 Windows OS
Ubuntu is the best: Asus G1S works well with Ubuntu 6 The Alternative OS
Moving from one HD to another? 8 Windows OS
Moving fan ? 2 Overclocking, Cooling and Modding

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:12 AM.