Too many partitions

[hauns]

No it cycles through and flashes a message briefly that reads somethig like "Invalid Boot Sequence" and then starts over again so fast that it's hard to read. I can only boot with the Windows XP Re-install CD in it. I tried the Ubuntu CD but both of the OSs stop me at the partitioning saying that it's the wrong format even though I formated

In case you were wondering, This is all taking place about as far into the Sierra Nevada Mountains as you can get before you start coming back out again.

I'm guessing that I need a new hard drive. When I get it all set up, what would you recomend to use as an Ubuntu fire wall ? I have been using FireStarter.

 

[tpwman]

You can just nuke the old hard drive if you can get all the data off. If it cannot boot, you still should be able to hook up and external drive and use the Ubuntu live cd to copy over what you need. After you are 100% SURE THAT YOU GOT EVERYTHING OFF THAT YOU NEED, you can go into GParted using the Live CD and delete all the partitions to get an empty hard drive. After that, your hard drive will be clean and you can reinstall XP and Ubuntu and remember not to pull the plug during partitioning BTW I do not have any Ubuntu firewall recommendations. I don't use 'em.

 

[hauns]

One last time

About that 'Live CD'...I tried that last night. I even took pictures of the screen to show you but that's moot ! I have to ask though: The sda 2 and all it's partitions had pad-locks on them and grayed-out the deleat comands, amoung others. 'know anything about this ?

 

[tpwman]

You might have to unmount them first. Go to Apps -> Accessories -> Terminal and type "sudo umount /dev/sdaX" for all of your partitions where X is the partition number as in the 2 in /dev/sda2. After that, try again. You will have to do this again after every restart of the live cd as long as the partitions still exist. Are you sure you are ok nuking the XP install? If not, do not delete the NTFS partition.

 

[hauns]

I am ready to wipe out Xp and All the rest of the partitions. I have all of my data backed up. The problem is, that the last partitions are all locked up. They show padlocks in the Partition managersda 2 and all the rest of the partitions. That's why I've been trying to do this with the XP disk. BTW what's GParted ?

that the whole point of the title of this thread, How do I get ride of all the partitions so that I can start clean.

I'm real stupid when it comes to ' comand prompt'

 

[tpwman]

GParted is the partition editor you were using. Right click on the partitions and there should be an 'Unmount' or 'Unlock' option. Select that and see what happens.

 

[hauns]

I booted up the Ubuntu live CD and there was only one ntfs partition left. It deleted without a hitch. I then restarted with the XP install and it wont let me agree with the eula. I think that I will try to install just Ubuntu later on tonight and save myself from all this guilt for taking up your super helpful time. I thought that you were locked in a dungeon full of Servers some where. When I read that you had to go to classes I realized that even though you might wind up in a dungeon full of Servers some day, you have things to do right now, so I'll get out of your hair and poke around with Ubuntu's install. I'll write you a thread in the morning letting you know how it went.

(also, my friend is throwing me out of his room)

Thank's again !

 

[hauns]

To tpwman,

This is a follow-up from hauns:

The full, clean, installation of Ubuntu 8.10 went perfectly !
I wasn't ready to give up Windows yet, but then again, I was heading that way anyway. Now I'm going to be forced to learn Gimp.

I can't thank you enough for sticking with me through this learning experence.