Removing Ubuntu 11.10 for fresh install

[Jary316]

Hi everyone,

I initially had two partitions on my hard drive, one for Windows and one for data. I installed Ubuntu 11.04 a while back and created a new partition for Ubuntu.

I updated to Ubuntu 11.10 using the automatic updater and now wish to install Ubuntu 12.04 but I am feeling I am in the need of a fresh install.

I have the bootable CD ready and my data has been backed up. I am wondering how I can uninstall Ubuntu or format my partition and then switch back to the live installation CD. Does the installation CD allows me to format my previous Ubuntu or will it only try to update please?

This is the current state of my disk:


Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 34812854 17405403+ 1c Hidden W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 * 34812855 279000854 122094000 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 279000916 976771071 348885078 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 279000918 644686249 182842666 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda6 644687872 968540159 161926144 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 968542208 976771071 4114432 82 Linux swap / Solaris

I believe that Ubuntu resides on /dev/sda6.

Any advice please on how I can replace my current Ubuntu for a fresh install of Ubuntu 12.04 please?

Thank you very much!
Jary

[darkod]

It's very easy but you have to use the manual install option (called Something Else). It will list all partitions on the disk.

Select /dev/sda6, click on the Change button below. Change the Use As to ext4, tick the format box, select mount point /.
Then select the /dev/sda7 partition, change the Use As to swap area. There is no mount point for swap.
Select the bootloader to go to /dev/sda.

That's it. The installer will use sda6 for / formatting it at the same time. That way all old data is gone (the previous OS).

[Jary316]

It's very easy but you have to use the manual install option (called Something Else). It will list all partitions on the disk.

Select /dev/sda6, click on the Change button below. Change the Use As to ext4, tick the format box, select mount point /.
Then select the /dev/sda7 partition, change the Use As to swap area. There is no mount point for swap.
Select the bootloader to go to /dev/sda.

That's it. The installer will use sda6 for / formatting it at the same time. That way all old data is gone (the previous OS).

Awesome darkod! That sounds great and easy.

I will try that very soon! Thank you very much!

[inashdeen]

it is easy actually. once you have installed ubuntu once, never used the install side by side to windows option again.
in that way you will create multiple swap for no reasons.

[Jary316]

it is easy actually. once you have installed ubuntu once, never used the install side by side to windows option again.
in that way you will create multiple swap for no reasons.

Thank you inashdeen. I see an option to "Erase disk and install Ubuntu". Is this the correct option please?

Thanks for your help.

[inashdeen]

WOOOW not quite. not that, the option is "something else."

[Jary316]

WOOOW not quite. not that, the option is "something else."

I see that option! Thanks a lot inashdeen :)

[inashdeen]

Have you managed to install Ubuntu 12.04 safely ? :)

[Jary316]

Have you managed to install Ubuntu 12.04 safely ? :)

I just did this afternoon! Thanks a lot, it works great! Thank you very much for your help inashdeen, and darkod help as well!

(I am not being able to change the status to "SOLVED" but wish to do so.)

[darkod]

The option is in Thread Tools above the first post.

Well done. :)

[inashdeen]

Congratulations :) . I wish you all the best in trying out linux. by the way, do add me on google talk and google+ at inashdeen@gmail.com

Happy linuxing :)