I want to get a second HDD to install Linux on!

[pqwoerituytrueiwoq]

you can remove grub if you choose but you will not be able to boot ubuntu
google grub customizer for the second part

[cybrsaylr]

I cannot remember the last time I performed a defragmention. I just use CCleaner. Does it affect HDDs at all? Glad I'll be switching to Linux if it's so efficient that it does require defragmentation.

By default Windows will defrag your PC once a week if you leave your PC on 24/7, unless your turn that auto feature off.
Some businesses and banks used to defrag their PCs every night!
I use BleachBit instead of CCleaner with Linux. BleachBit serves the same function as CCleaner on Linux with no ill effects to any drives.
And yes Linux require NO defragmentation.

Can GRUB be removed? What if I just want to set the Linux HDD as the default HDD and not wait 10 to 30 seconds for it to be selected? Can that be done?

No need to remove GRUB but it can be, shall we say, turned off and on as you desire.

darkod explains how in post #7 of this thread:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...5#post12420175

[oldfred]

Most motherboards with Intel i-series chips have UEFI/BIOS. I think Gigabyte was one of the last to offer UEFI. Is your motherboard UEFI?

Windows only boots in UEFI mode from gpt drives. Ubuntu will boot in BIOS or UEFI mode from gpt drives. And if drive is over 2TB you have to use gpt.

Also Ubuntu installs often default to gpt on drives somewhere over 1TB. And to easily dual boot both Windows & Ubuntu have to be UEFI or both BIOS.

Make a small 25GB / (root) partition and separate /home and data partitions. Probably if dual booting with Windows you will want a NTFS shared data partition. Even if Windows (except XP) is in BIOS mode it will read NTFS data on a gpt drive.

[Zeven]

you can remove grub if you choose but you will not be able to boot ubuntu
google grub customizer for the second part

I see. Thank you for the information!

By default Windows will defrag your PC once a week if you leave your PC on 24/7, unless your turn that auto feature off.
Some businesses and banks used to defrag their PCs every night!
I use BleachBit instead of CCleaner with Linux. BleachBit serves the same function as CCleaner on Linux with no ill effects to any drives.
And yes Linux require NO defragmentation.

No need to remove GRUB but it can be, shall we say, turned off and on as you desire.

darkod explains how in post #7 of this thread:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...5#post12420175

Just checked out BleachBit and it says that it's free and open source. I'm switching! I moved from uTorrent to Deluge for the very same reason as well. Thanks! In a way I am finding out more and more how Linux is more user friendly than Windows as I wouldn't expect my parents to maintain a Windows based computer which seemingly requires far more maintenance than Linux does.

Most motherboards with Intel i-series chips have UEFI/BIOS. I think Gigabyte was one of the last to offer UEFI. Is your motherboard UEFI?

Windows only boots in UEFI mode from gpt drives. Ubuntu will boot in BIOS or UEFI mode from gpt drives. And if drive is over 2TB you have to use gpt.

Also Ubuntu installs often default to gpt on drives somewhere over 1TB. And to easily dual boot both Windows & Ubuntu have to be UEFI or both BIOS.

Make a small 25GB / (root) partition and separate /home and data partitions. Probably if dual booting with Windows you will want a NTFS shared data partition. Even if Windows (except XP) is in BIOS mode it will read NTFS data on a gpt drive.

I check my motherboard's page and found no trace of UEFI. I also found out what a GPT drive is but really wish I did computer science to understand it fully. Luckily the drive is not over 2TB but the rest goes over my head.

[cybrsaylr]

Just checked out BleachBit and it says that it's free and open source. I'm switching! I moved from uTorrent to Deluge for the very same reason as well. Thanks! In a way I am finding out more and more how Linux is more user friendly than Windows as I wouldn't expect my parents to maintain a Windows based computer which seemingly requires far more maintenance than Linux does.

BleachBit 0.9.5 is the latest version and it works great. I run it once a month.
You have to get:
1. BleachBit
2. BleachBit for Administrator, to clean your PC best. Best to get both which may be a bit tricky to find. I recently updated to the latest version but forgot where I got BleachBit for Administrator from. Try Google, as that's how I found it, unless someone can come up with a link or info.

This is the beauty on Linux that it requires far less preventive maintenance than Windows.

That said with Windows, I've used XP, Vista and Win7 and think they are all solid OSs as long as you do all the preventive maintenance M$ requires to run well. Many folks don't bother with this PM which causes all sorts of problems in Windows.

[Zeven]

So I got the new HDD, connected it, disconnected the one with Windows 7 on it, booted up Linux via a USB stick, installed Linux on the new HDD, then restarted, and all I am getting is "Loading Operating System...Read Error...." so I decided to connect the Windows 7 HDD again and there is no second HDD in the Master Boot Record. Not sure what's going on.

[oldfred]

Did you install in UEFI or BIOS mode? And is Windows in same mode. This will show us details.

Post the link to the BootInfo report that this creates. Is part of Boot-Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info
Boot Repair -Also handles LVM, GPT, separate /boot and UEFI dual boot.:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
You can repair many boot issues with this or 'Create BootInfo' report (Other Options) & post the link it creates, so we can see your exact configuration and diagnose advanced problems.
Install in Ubuntu liveCD or USB or Full RepairCD with Boot-Repair (for newer computers)
http://sourceforge.net/p/boot-repair/home/Home/
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuSecureRemix

[Zeven]

Did you install in UEFI or BIOS mode? And is Windows in same mode. This will show us details.

Post the link to the BootInfo report that this creates. Is part of Boot-Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info
Boot Repair -Also handles LVM, GPT, separate /boot and UEFI dual boot.:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
You can repair many boot issues with this or 'Create BootInfo' report (Other Options) & post the link it creates, so we can see your exact configuration and diagnose advanced problems.
Install in Ubuntu liveCD or USB or Full RepairCD with Boot-Repair (for newer computers)
http://sourceforge.net/p/boot-repair/home/Home/
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuSecureRemix

Thanks for the quick response. Here's the link!

[Zeven]

If anyone here can help, I'd be very grateful! Take a gander.

[oldfred]

You have a very large drive with just a / (root) and swap. I normally suggest only 25GB for / and create other partitions on drive for /home or data and a shared NTFS data partition if dual booting with Windows.

=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

 492.135719299 = 528.426704896  boot/grub/grub.cfg                             1
 492.141628265 = 528.433049600  boot/grub/i386-pc/core.img                     1
 492.134727478 = 528.425639936  boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic                  1
 492.134727478 = 528.425639936  vmlinuz                                        1
   0.982410431 = 1.054855168    boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic               3
   0.982410431 = 1.054855168    initrd.img                                     3

Note that some files are near start of disk and others at 528GB. Boot-Repair usually suggests a separate /boot. But you can test if the large root is an issue just by using gparted from the live installer you used (& right click swap off) and shrink root to less than 100GB. If that works then we can review alternatives.