[SOLVED] Leaving Windows Vista

[jheaton5]

I currently have a dual boot of Windows Vista and Ubuntu 64bit. Everything runs great. I am thinking about removing Vista and setting up an ubuntu only system. If I do that, there is no way to reinstall vista if I have regrets. I can't think of any reason to go back to vista, but I thought I'd ask here if there are any vista enthusiasts who might think otherwise. I paid good money for the vista license when I bought the machine. It seems like throwing that money away.

[Sand & Mercury]

I'd recommend keeping it around on a separate partition after you've got Ubuntu set up as your main OS, even if after a few months you think things are running great. I had Ubuntu as my only OS for quite a while and there were one or two small snags in the past that made me wish I'd kept Vista around.

Even now I still have a measly 20GB partition set aside for Vista, even though I've only booted it once and that was just for playing around.

[ugm6hr]

If I do that, there is no way to reinstall vista if I have regrets.

How come? Most computers have either install DVD or restore partition.

I have never used Vista in the 2 years I have had the laptop, but kept the 4GB restore partition, cos I have paid for it. Thought about backing it up to a DVD with partimage, but cant be bothered (yet).

Remember if you ever decide to upgrade, it will be easier to sell on your computer with Vista.

[namdung]

Is there any software/application that u extensively use and cannot do without in Windows that has no alternative in Linux?

[jheaton5]

How come? Most computers have either install DVD or restore partition.

I have never used Vista in the 2 years I have had the laptop, but kept the 4GB restore partition, cos I have paid for it. Thought about backing it up to a DVD with partimage, but cant be bothered (yet).

Remember if you ever decide to upgrade, it will be easier to sell on your computer with Vista.

My computer did not come with an install DVD. I do have the 4GB restore partition. Is this partition activated by BIOS? That would be the only way to access that partition if I remove the vista system.

The only use I have for vista is using remote desktop to access the network at my office. I don't see that as enough reason to keep vista on my home computer since I can bring my work laptop home if I decide to work from home.

I boot vista once a week to keep the system and the live onecare up to date. That is a pain and takes about two hours of my Saturday computing time.

I love ubuntu. I am just having trouble cutting the cord to MS. I have been an MS user since 1985.

On the other hand, my home laptop has two hard drives. I have vista on the primary drive and ubuntu on the secondary drive which is a 80GB drive, more than I'll ever need with ubuntu.

[ugm6hr]

My computer did not come with an install DVD. I do have the 4GB restore partition. Is this partition activated by BIOS? That would be the only way to access that partition if I remove the vista system.

The only use I have for vista is using remote desktop to access the network at my office. I don't see that as enough reason to keep vista on my home computer since I can bring my work laptop home if I decide to work from home.

My Acer's restore partition was picked up by GRUB automatically when I installed Ubuntu as "Windows NT/2000/XP" on (hd0,0). I would expect yours to be the same.

Ubuntu supports most remote desktop protocols and VPNs (although my experience is limited). You might not need your work laptop at all.

[albinootje]

I boot vista once a week to keep the system and the live onecare up to date. That is a pain and takes about two hours of my Saturday computing time.
I love ubuntu. I am just having trouble cutting the cord to MS. I have been an MS user since 1985.


If you're not using Vista anymore, and since you have a Vista recovery partition anyway (Which you might want to back up to DVD for sure!) you might as well, for fun, spend a little time having it run through an emulator in Ubuntu with physical access to the Vista partition.
Then those Vista updates can run in the background in ... Ubuntu :)

Boot an existing Vista (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox ->
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=984437

P.S.
The newer Network-manager versions support connecting to VPNs.

[sakthidaran]

I currently have a dual boot of Windows Vista and Ubuntu 64bit. Everything runs great. I am thinking about removing Vista and setting up an ubuntu only system. If I do that, there is no way to reinstall vista if I have regrets. I can't think of any reason to go back to vista, but I thought I'd ask here if there are any vista enthusiasts who might think otherwise. I paid good money for the vista license when I bought the machine. It seems like throwing that money away.

I am happy to note that 'everything runs great. I have a DELL laptop. I was fed up with my Vostro 1400 & Vista combination. Lot of problems for 1 year. Finally, I decided to abandon Vista and load Ubuntu. I loaded 32 bit version have problem with webcam and wireless. For more detail refer:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1017375

I would like to know, whether 64 bit would solve all my problem? I have totally migrated to Ubuntu. No dual partition. I have totally reformatted and destroyed all the partitions and made fresh. All my previous hard ware failures have vanished. I am confident Ubuntu will be my lasting companion. Any help, would be most welcome.

With THANKS in advance.

[Maxxtsch]

I find keeping Vista around useful, For games and other applications that have no Linux support. The more OS's the better?

[jheaton5]

Thanks to all of you. I think, for now, I will stay with the status quo.

[mips]

Thanks to all of you. I think, for now, I will stay with the status quo.

Backup your restore partition regardless of what you do. You should be able to do that from Vista or the restore partition itself.

[wolfen69]

I paid good money for the vista license when I bought the machine. It seems like throwing that money away.

alot of people pay good money to get cancer from smoking also. but it does not mean they want it (cancer) to hang around.

besides, you'll always have your restore partition if you ever need it. wipe away!

[ranch hand]

A new Hdd is fairly cheap. I would get one, install Ubuntu and keep the other Hdd around for some emergency.