Need to remove fedora 12 and install Ubuntu to dual boot with Windows xp

[an3urysm]

Hi guys, I m completely new to Ubuntu.

I used to dual boot my laptop (very old) with Windows Xp sp3 and Fedora 12. I installed fedora around 4-5 years back, but I do not use it much.

Now the issue is, I cannot boot windows xp since yesterday, maybe the installation got corrupt. I m trying to use Fedora for my daily use, but many things such as audio/wifi etc are not working regularly. So I was thinking about removing fedora and installing Ubuntu, so that I can use my laptop till I get a new one (which ll take a few months).

I was thinking about keeping my windows ntfs partitions intact, coz I have some important files in there.
P.s. I do suspect if there are bad sectors in the hard disk, but I don't know how to check it in fedora.


My Laptop hardware configuration:
Intel Celeron 2.2GHz
2 GB RAM


So guys, what should I do next?

Which is the most stable version of Ubuntu that ll work in my laptop?
How can I remove fedora and install Ubuntu in the same partition?
Will it effect the bootloader, I think its grub2 or something.

[Bucky Ball]

14.04 LTS is the way to go. Xubuntu may be a smooth ride with that hardware.

Boot from the Ubuntu install media>'Try Ubuntu'>When at a desktop launch Gparted>Delete the Fedora partition.

Yes, it will effect grub if Fedora is running the show. Grub can be, and will be, reinstalled when you install Ubuntu and things should run as they were without you needing to do much/anything.

[Skaperen]

do you have a CD or USB memory stick or camera card (at least 2GB) that can plug into your computer and a BIOS with a boot menu you can activate? how much RAM? booting the live mode is a great maintenance tool to have.

[an3urysm]

14.04 LTS is the way to go. Xubuntu may be a smooth ride with that hardware.

Boot from the Ubuntu install media>'Try Ubuntu'>When at a desktop launch Gparted>Delete the Fedora partition.

Yes, it will effect grub if Fedora is running the show. Grub can be, and will be, reinstalled when you install Ubuntu and things should run as they were without you needing to do much/anything.


Ok I m downloading it.
How will I select Xubuntu, does the option come during install?





do you have a CD or USB memory stick or camera card (at least 2GB) that can plug into your computer and a BIOS with a boot menu you can activate? how much RAM? booting the live mode is a great maintenance tool to have.

Yes the CD rom of the laptop is working. I m downloading ubuntu 14.04 now.
I ve got 2 GB of RAM.

Any idea about any command that I can run to get more hardware info in fedora?

[an3urysm]

I believe the boot order in the bios is put to CD first.
I don't think this laptop has usb booting in the bios.

[Elfy]

Ok I m downloading it.
How will I select Xubuntu, does the option come during install?

Any idea about any command that I can run to get more hardware info in fedora?

For Xubuntu you need to grab the xubuntu image http://xubuntu.org/getxubuntu/

lspci and lshw should give you the hardware info

[an3urysm]

For Xubuntu you need to grab the xubuntu image http://xubuntu.org/getxubuntu/

lspci and lshw should give you the hardware info

Thanks for the link.

I was thinking if ubuntu will work in this configuration. What do you think?

Also, I know its kinda stupid question... should I burn the .iso in dvd or cd ? since its almost 1 GB I m guessing DVD... :oops:

[an3urysm]

This is how my disk is partitioned.

Anything in particular I need to do while installing?
I read something about EFI in another page, I couldn't understand.


# sudo parted -l
Model: ATA ST9250315AS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 52.4GB 52.4GB primary ntfs
2 52.4GB 231GB 179GB extended lba
5 52.4GB 158GB 105GB logical ntfs
6 158GB 231GB 73.5GB logical ntfs
3 231GB 231GB 210MB primary ext4 boot
4 231GB 250GB 18.7GB primary lvm


Model: Linux device-mapper (linear) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/vg_mobilehost-lv_swap: 4094MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number Start End Size File system Flags
1 0.00B 4094MB 4094MB linux-swap(v1)


Model: Linux device-mapper (linear) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/vg_mobilehost-lv_root: 14.6GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number Start End Size File system Flags
1 0.00B 14.6GB 14.6GB ext4

[Siddhartha_Kashyap]

While you install ubuntu, choose "something else, I'll choose the partions myself. Delete the fedora partion, create a ext4 "/" partition and a swap and install ubuntu on the ext4. Sometimes when one os in dual boot gets removed, the grub menu disappears. I'm also a new user of lubuntu ,hope it helps

[an3urysm]

While you install ubuntu, choose "something else, I'll choose the partions myself. Delete the fedora partion, create a ext4 "/" partition and a swap and install ubuntu on the ext4. Sometimes when one os in dual boot gets removed, the grub menu disappears. I'm also a new user of lubuntu ,hope it helps

Ok, i m now formatting the fedora partition as ext4 and selected mount point as /.

I think i had made a swap partition already when i installed fedora.

Anyways hope it all goes well... I ll update as soon as the installation is done.

[an3urysm]

How long does it take to format a partition?

It like 10mins n its not over...

Kinda tensed.. Should i restart?

[an3urysm]

It shows:
The creation of swap space partition #1 of LVM VG vg_mobilehost, LV lv_swap failed.


Any idea what causes this?

[ajgreeny]

For ease of use (and everything else) I suggest you do not use LVM but create standard partitions, however it would help if you boot to a live Xubuntu system, open gparted and show us a screenshot of the gparted window.

We can then tell you which partitions to delete in order to make room for Xubuntu, and using the "Something Else" option mentioned above you can make partitions for Xubuntu to replace the Fedora partitions deleted, but in the same space.

At the time you installed Fedora I think its default was to use LVM, which when I tried it some years ago, completely baffled me as I could not figure out how to view any folders in Fedora from my main Ubuntu installation; I knew nothing of LVM at that time, and to be honest, I have not bothered to find out anything since, so I can't really help with more info on that.

[an3urysm]

For ease of use (and everything else) I suggest you do not use LVM but create standard partitions, however it would help if you boot to a live Xubuntu system, open gparted and show us a screenshot of the gparted window.

We can then tell you which partitions to delete in order to make room for Xubuntu, and using the "Something Else" option mentioned above you can make partitions for Xubuntu to replace the Fedora partitions deleted, but in the same space.

At the time you installed Fedora I think its default was to use LVM, which when I tried it some years ago, completely baffled me as I could not figure out how to view any folders in Fedora from my main Ubuntu installation; I knew nothing of LVM at that time, and to be honest, I have not bothered to find out anything since, so I can't really help with more info on that.

I dont know what is an LVM partition. I m not sure how to use different partitions.

Now i cant boot in fedora, coz it got wiped out by earlier attempt to install ubuntu.

Right now i m usimg ubuntu live cd. I got the screenshot from gparted as you suggested.

Edit: I m using ubuntu not xubuntu... is there a difference in installation for the two?
Anyways do help me out on what to do next.

http://i60.tinypic.com/246mgxz.png



Edit 2:


ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2c0daa1e

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 102398309 51199123+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 102398310 451522889 174562290 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda3 * 451522890 451932489 204800 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 451932490 488392064 18229787+ 8e Linux LVM
/dev/sda5 102398373 308014244 102807936 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda6 308014308 451522889 71754291 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_mobilehost-lv_root: 14.6 GB, 14571012096 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1771 cylinders, total 28459008 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_mobilehost-lv_root doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_mobilehost-lv_swap: 4093 MB, 4093640704 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 497 cylinders, total 7995392 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_mobilehost-lv_swap doesn't contain a valid partition table

[an3urysm]

I kinda messed around with gparted and now the partitions looks like this:

http://i60.tinypic.com/33yqt8y.png





I was wondering if I should delete the existing lvm 17GB partition.
But this pop up windows comes up...

http://i62.tinypic.com/2061liw.png


Should I delete this and then try to install ubuntu ?

[an3urysm]

Oh well I went ahead and deleted the lvm partitions. Lol.

But I was able to install ubuntu successfully. Just booted into it for the first time.

Thanks a lot for the help guys... :)