Possible Backup Partition?

[running_rabbit07]

1. Is there a way to install and have a backup partition that is mountable to add and remove files, but is untouched by the system otherwise?

2.When a full disk install is done, does it remove all MS from the MBR?

Thank you to all that help.

I am backing up files now to prepare for a full HD single boot install. Time to send MS and Fedora packing.

[presence1960]

raz@raz-desktop:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for raz:

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0000d179

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 5222 41945683+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda2 5223 19843 117443182+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 19844 25064 41937682+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 25065 30401 42869452+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda5 1 2350 18876312 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 2351 2872 4192933+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 2873 5222 18876343+ 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa7a57e45

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 16193 130070241 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 16194 19457 26218080 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdg: 81.9 GB, 81964302336 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9964 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00079662

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdg1 * 1 115 923706 b W95 FAT32
/dev/sdg2 116 9964 79112092+ 83 Linux
raz@raz-desktop:~$

Yes!
sdg is my USB hard disk. sdg1 is USB bootable Live CD of Jaunty, sdg2 is backup. I keep sdg powered down and unplugged when not needed.

sda2 and sdb1 are linux data partitions not auto mounted at boot.
sda5 is Jaunty, sda7 is Mint 5, sdb2 is Sabayon 4.1, sda4 is Windows 7 RC & sda3 is a NTFS data partition.

The only partitions auto mounting at boot are the OS I choose to boot & swap. All the other partitions are mountable from Linux.

As you cab see you can have quite a few partitions that are mountable from Linux.

[presence1960]

use entire disk should wipe all trace of MS off your disk including MBR as GRUB will be written to MBR.

[running_rabbit07]

The only partitions auto mounting at boot are the OS I choose to boot & swap. All the other partitions are mountable from Linux.

As you cab see you can have quite a few partitions that are mountable from Linux.

Sweet, so I just do the /, /home, and swap then make the "backup" any format?

Thanks for the swift info.

I never realized it but my MS files were a mess, junk everywhere with duplicates and even triplicates of folders. Not to mention having one of each Music, Pics, and Docs for all three operating systems.

[presence1960]

Sweet, so I just do the /, /home, and swap then make the "backup" any format?

Thanks for the swift info.

I never realized it but my MS files were a mess, junk everywhere with duplicates and even triplicates of folders. Not to mention having one of each Music, Pics, and Docs for all three operating systems.

Yepper, I keep my back ups as ext3, some prefer NTFS but then you have to deal with fragmentation. But nevertheless NTFS or even FAT will work.

[running_rabbit07]

Yepper, I keep my back ups as ext3, some prefer NTFS but then you have to deal with fragmentation. But nevertheless NTFS or even FAT will work.

Thanks again.

Does the .Mozilla folder contain the FF bookmarks?

[presence1960]

Thanks again.

Does the .Mozilla folder contain the FF bookmarks?
yes, your profile folder has everything you have set up in firefox. it will be named something like this
09egmirjf.default.

You can place that folder back in your .mozilla directory. if FF doesn't use that profile when you start FF, close FF and open a terminal and run
firefox -P Choose the create profile option, follow the prompts and choose the profile folder in .mozilla you wish to use. Once the new profile has been created you can safely delete the other profile if you wish.

P.S. Thunderbird works the same way except the command to open thunderbird profile manager is
thunderbird -profilemanager

[running_rabbit07]

Cool, Thanks for the help.

[running_rabbit07]

Finishing up upgrades then my system will be completely functional like it was before. APTonCD makes life easier when reinstalling.

Definitely can't do a full reinstall of Windows that quick.