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Thread: Upgrade from 12.04 to 12.10 made system non-bootable

  1. #11
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    Re: Upgrade from 12.04 to 12.10 made system non-bootable

    Use Something Else and choose partition. Also choose to install grub2 boot loader to sdb and set BIOS to boot sdb.

    My second install screen is to my SSD which using gpt partitioning. First install is to a partition on sdc that had an old install so it shows the old install that I am overwriting. It also shows at bottom a combo box with drive sda. You want to change that to drive that is sdb.
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    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  2. #12
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    Re: Upgrade from 12.04 to 12.10 made system non-bootable

    @sudodus Haven't heard anything for several days. Have I been abandoned?

  3. #13
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    Re: Upgrade from 12.04 to 12.10 made system non-bootable

    Oldfred is our best expert on installing and booting at the Ubuntu Forums, so when he is helping you, so you are not abandoned.

    Follow the instructions in post #11. Do you want help which partition to use?

    Code:
    Model: ATA WDC WD5000AAKX-0 (scsi)
    Disk /dev/sdb: 500GB
    Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
    Partition Table: msdos
    
    
    Number  Start   End    Size    Type      File system     Flags
     1      32.3kB  210GB  210GB   primary   ntfs            boot
     2      210GB   218GB  8000MB  primary   linux-swap(v1)
     3      218GB   488GB  270GB   primary   ext3
     4      488GB   500GB  12.4GB  extended
     5      488GB   500GB  12.4GB  logical   ext4
    I assume you want to install into partition 3, /dev/sdb3, because partition 5 is rather small (more suitable for a test installation).

  4. #14
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    Re: Upgrade from 12.04 to 12.10 made system non-bootable

    Yes, exactly, thank you. If I could simply copy the 14.04 install from partition 5 to partition 3 and make Grub work with it, I'd be good to go. Though shouldn't I upgrade the partition's file system from ext3 to ext4 first? (I'm still puzzled how the 14.04 installer simply chose to use partition 5, without any direction from me that I can recall.)

    I still have the 14.04 installer on a USB stick, if that's of any use.

    Preserving the work in my user directory in the 12.11 install on partition 3 would be a bonus, though not essential.

    A big fear is that I'll accidentally do something to kill the Windows XP install in partition 1.

    Final question: when I partitioned the drive I created the 8GB partition 2, thinking I'd use it for swap space. Is there any advantage to this? How do I enable it? (This machine is basically a learning tool for ubuntu, and not a day-to-day workstation or server.)

  5. #15
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    Re: Upgrade from 12.04 to 12.10 made system non-bootable

    If you use auto install it finds unallocated space and installs to that. It also tried not to use all 4 primary partitions without creating the 4th or often swap in the extended as a logical partition.

    You can just reinstall using something else to sda3, if you change format from ext3 to ext4 it will erase all your data. You should back up all of /home no matter what you do. If you can boot the old install, export a list of installed apps, so it is easy to reinstall all the one's you may have added.

    Screen shots in post #11 show the important settings, and the combo box at the bottom to change to install grub2 boot loader to sdb, not default of sda.

    More examples. Even if older versions, install process is still the same, screens have not changed much over the years.
    Install to external drive. Also any second drive.
    Also shows combo box with location of grub2 boot loader
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/Installing
    Does not hightlight changing boot loader to sdb, but shows other install screenshots:
    http://askubuntu.com/questions/31278...in-a-dual-boot
    http://askubuntu.com/questions/27437...up-boot-option
    And you want this screen to choose where to install the grub2 boot loader which is only available with Something Else or manual install
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr...ing_Else.22.29:
    Installer version has not changed much so still a good guide except I do not recommend the separate /boot for most systems. Older systems may need it. And some with very large / (root) partitions. BIOS/MBR not for UEFI
    http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2012/07/23...2-hard-drives/
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  6. #16
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    Re: Upgrade from 12.04 to 12.10 made system non-bootable

    Warning 0: Read the whole post including the warnings near the end before you start doing anything!

    Quote Originally Posted by GRobLewis View Post
    Yes, exactly, thank you. If I could simply copy the 14.04 install from partition 5 to partition 3 and make Grub work with it, I'd be good to go. Though shouldn't I upgrade the partition's file system from ext3 to ext4 first? (I'm still puzzled how the 14.04 installer simply chose to use partition 5, without any direction from me that I can recall.)

    I still have the 14.04 installer on a USB stick, if that's of any use.
    1. Boot from the 14.04 installer on a USB stick

    2. Start gparted and format partition 3 to ext4.

    3. Mount the two drives, assuming it it still device b, /dev/sdb. Check this !!!

    Code:
    sudo mkdir -p /mnt/sdb3
    sudo mkdir -p /mnt/sdb5
    sudo mount /dev/sdb3 /mnt/sdb3
    sudo mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt/sdb5
    4. Copy the content of partition 5 to partition 3 with rsync

    First a DRY RUN (with the option n to see that it works correcly)

    Code:
    sudo rsync -Havn  /mnt/sdb5/ /mnt/sdb3  # the trailing slash '/' in /dev/sdb5/ is important
    Then run the real thing

    Code:
    sudo rsync -Hav  /mnt/sdb5/ /mnt/sdb3  # the trailing slash '/' in /dev/sdb5/ is important
    5. Fix the bootloader, so that it points to sdb3 according to this link

    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr..._Broken_System


    Preserving the work in my user directory in the 12.11 install on partition 3 would be a bonus, though not essential.

    A big fear is that I'll accidentally do something to kill the Windows XP install in partition 1.

    Final question: when I partitioned the drive I created the 8GB partition 2, thinking I'd use it for swap space. Is there any advantage to this? How do I enable it? (This machine is basically a learning tool for ubuntu, and not a day-to-day workstation or server.)
    Warning 1:

    If you want to preserve your work in the home directory, you should not work along the previous tips, but keep the home directory in sdb3 and let it become a separate home partition. Shrink the partition and use the other part as the root partition. This is more complicated but certainly possible. I am not sure which method would be the best. Maybe a fresh installation onto a system including a blank root partition and your home partition.

    Warning 2:

    In all cases, there are many risky moments both for mistakes and power failure, so be sure to have a good backup before you start.

    -o-

    It is good to have swap. If you intend to hibernate, you need at least the same amount in gibibytes as the RAM. Otherwise it is probably enough with one or two GB swap.

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