Ubuntu

Partitioning XP hard drive in setup

Asked by Peter Holmes

I have a 400Gb hard drive split into two partitions, the first partition is 117.2Gb and currently has Windows on it and a second 255.4Gb partition with all my files and folders on it.
When I run the installer and get to the prepare disk space I get three options.

Guided resize SCS15 (0,0,0), partition #2 (sda) and use free space, it has a slider and it is set to 74% (187.4Gb)
Guided use entire disk I know I don't want this one!
Manual

What I want to do is to delete the first partition with windows and install Ubuntu on it leaving the second partition alone.
when I go into the manual setup I assume that I delete the first partition and then make up the root, swap and other? drives? But it then comes up wanting mount points for my existing partition?

What sizes should I make the root, swap and what are the other drives and sizes?
Or should I ask how should I be doing this?
Thanks for any help.
Peter

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Ralph Janke
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Best Ralph Janke (txwikinger) said : 		#1

Thanks for the question.

In general a good rule of thumb for your swap space is a size of 1.5 - 3 * your memory size. The rest you can use for your root partition, which would then contain everything. Some people like to separate out their /home directory in a different partition. This allows you either to (re-)use your home directory if you do new installs. Some also put /var in a separate partition, in order to allow the system to still load up in a stable way, if /var uses more space the available. However, do to all those live CDs, this is not essential anymore, since you can always boot from them, and make necessary deletions before booting in your system again.

You can also add your second partition for access. the mount point would be /media/sda2 if you use the default conventions. just make sure you do *not* format it, and select the right type (i.e ntfs or whatever you have for this partition).

Does this answer your question?

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Peter Holmes (holmes-peter-p) said : 		#2

Thanks Ralph Janke, that solved my question.

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Peter Holmes (holmes-peter-p) said : 		#3

Thanks Ralph
Yes that all makes sense, I will give it a go.
Peter

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GODSMACK (godsmack-dmx) said : 		#4

Hi my name is Mahmoud i have have 160GB hard drive include four partitions ( 20GB - 15GB - 10GB - 101Gb ) i want to install ubuntu in 10GB partition without formating all the hard desk , just format the 10GB partition and leave the rest partitions without formating .
Is this possible ?
And if it possible i want you to write the steps for me . All of it please .

Another question , is ubuntu can run programs that it's extensions .exe ?

please e-mail me with the answer , <email address hidden>

Thanks Ralph and please don't forget

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Sven K (svenkuhs) said : 		#5

Hi my name is Sven and I just built my own PC with a 320gb harddrive in it!!!
I installed linux/ubuntu on it buut accidently only made on partition!!!!!
Is there any way of spliting that partition??????
Please answer ASAP or e-mail me <email address hidden>!!!!!

Thanks beforehand already!!!!!!!!!!!

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#6

@Sven K

Please don't append a new question on a marked as solved question.
Please make new question from here: https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+addquestion
you will get better chance to get right answer on a fresh tagged "open" question.
Solved question are usually not read from answering people.

Thank you

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Sven K (svenkuhs) said : 		#7

OK tnx!!!!