Beginning my system migration from MS Vista to Linux / Ubuntu 9.04

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sear	Beginning my system migration from MS Vista to Linux / Ubuntu 9.04	Lead	[-]
Posts: 2066 (05/16/09 12:48 AM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None Beginning my system migration from MS Vista to Linux / Ubuntu 9.04 I've only just barely begun to see how Ubuntu 9.04 works. I dropped one of the Ubuntu CDs in my computer's DVD burner, and booted up. I didn't even have to reconfigure my boot sequence. Ubuntu came up on its own, offering a menu of choices. From hazy memory (it's ~4:AM/ET) those choices include: - Install Ubuntu - Try Ubuntu without altering the current OS - Check HDD for errors There may have been other options. I selected the option of trying Ubuntu without system modification. It was not necessary to swap CDs or anything. A GUI desktop popped up, listing my USB external HDD (Western Digital Passport, fits in a shirt pocket). I opened that (much as you would w/ MS Windows) randomly selected a document, and opened it with a Ubuntu provided Sun Microsystems word processing package. It's not over yet. But so far, it's looking like this dual boot conversion may be about as easy as shooting pickles in a barrel. My next step is tracy's thread (now sticky): Installing Ubuntu My way http://freethinkerspub.yuku.com/topic/7003 I'll try to report useful milestones as they occur. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
sear		#1	[-]
Posts: 2068 (05/16/09 3:41 AM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	One of the hard disk (HDD) partitioning options tracy mentions is downloading Gparted. Due to my low bandwidth (dial-up) Internet access, downloading this ~100 meg. software might take many hours. But in her "Installing Ubuntu My way" thread: http://freethinkerspub.yuku.com/topic/7003 there's another option listed. "Specify Partitions Manually" The process listed in the "Installing Ubuntu My way" thread leads to a dual boot, dual OS installation. That's my intention. So I may begin that shortly. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
sear		#2	[-]
Posts: 2069 (05/16/09 3:59 AM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Which file format should I pick? It seems when switching to Ubuntu, it's necessary to select a file system. Among those options are: Ext3 Ext4 Ext2 ReiserFS jFS SFS FAT16 FAT32 swap area I mostly use my computer as an Internet terminal (hours each day). I use Firefox, and prefer it, mainly because it isn't Microsoft. My other major computer use is as a DVR. DVR file sizes can easily reach 12 gigs (not megs, gigs) or more. But apart from them, most of my user files seem to be under 3 megs in size. Those are just large text files. I'm not sure which file system to select in this case. tracy, what would you recommend? "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
tracyanneb		#3	[-]
Posts: 1677 (05/16/09 1:55 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hi sear, I see you've begun without me AS I recommened in my installing Ubuntu series, I chose the ReiserFS for the System files, that's the root (/) partition and EXT3 for the user files , that's the home partition (/home). If you are doing it may way, you will need to set up 3 partitions, a root )/) partition of about 10 Gigs, you won't need more than 15 gigs ever (interestingly a basic install of Vista takes 14 Gigs without any useful applications installed). a swap partiton that is the same size as your RAM or 4 gigs (i wouldn't go over that unless I had really pressing use case for it - Linux actually runs very well with no swap files at all, some say better), and a home partition (/home), this can be as big as you like, it's where you will keep all of your personal files, and the personalised configuration files for your applications are also stored here, in hidden directories (and don't worry you can easily locate those hidden directories and even modify them should you need to or desire) If you decide to use the Ubuntu single partition install (I don't like it because the system files, swap files and home files are all in the same partiton, just like Windows, then use EXT3 for that partition, it's the default for Ubuntu and most Linuxes, at the moment. Which means you have similar, thaough not as great, problems should you wish to upgrade or reinstall from Disk, as you have with Windows, not as great, because all your personal files are still stored in the /home area, and this can be easily backed up (and restored) using a simply Copy/Paste method. If you do it my way, it is a little more tedious to start, and you waste a little disk space, but it means that doen the track you don't need to make a back up of your home files, and you can reinstall from disk, and even install as many different Linux distributions as you like without having to worry overly about your personal data being zapped. so, my recommendation. If you do it my way : 3 partitions root (/) as ReiserFS, a swap, and home (/home) as EXT3. If you choose to do it the default Ubuntu way, a single Partiton using EXT3. Free and Open Linux and Open Source Software. In a world without Walls and Fences, there's no need for Windows and Gates. Linux..... The Future..... It's here now.
sear		#4	[-]
Posts: 2070 (05/16/09 8:10 PM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	"set up 3 partitions, a root )/) partition of about 10 Gigs, you won't need more than 15 gigs ever (interestingly a basic install of Vista takes 14 Gigs without any useful applications installed). a swap partiton that is the same size as your RAM or 4 gigs (i wouldn't go over that unless I had really pressing use case for it - Linux actually runs very well with no swap files at all, some say better), and a home partition (/home), this can be as big as you like" tracy tracy, This is perfect! It looks like precisely the info. I'll need. It's past midnight here now. I'll hold off until after I've gotten some sleep. I defragged my internal HDD (both logical drives), and my work-horse external HDD. That's the 2nd defrag. in two days for the internal. I don't use that drive for storage (so far as I know; what the devil Vista does is anyone's guess). I may have a progress report in about 12 hrs. (~noon Sunday / ET). "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
sear		#5	[-]
Posts: 2071 (05/16/09 8:18 PM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	PS Oh. Friday I successfully ran Ubuntu from the CD drive, did a tad of word processing. Saturday I tried to run the DVR software from the CD drive. It loaded the software, but the software didn't pick up the tuner card. I forget the prompt I got. Something about scan for -whatever-; scan status: failed. My current TV tuner card is a Pinnacle. I'm not sure Ubuntu recognizes those. I've got my Hauppaugh card around here, but I'm not sure it works, and I'm not certain I've got a slot for it (I'm not certain it'll swap in / out for the Pinnacle. If you've got any insight on the software end of that, I could use the guidance. We don't really want me doing hardware swaps with microcomponent circuit boards. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
tracyanneb		#6	[-]
Posts: 1678 (05/16/09 11:58 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I'm not sure if Pinnacle support Linux (as in by providing drivers for Linux, or specifications so the FOSS developers can build the drivers), I know that Hauppaugh have very good support for Linux, that's the card I use in my Linux powered DVR. I guess a bit of an internet search is in order. It looks like Pinnacle may not be very Linux friendly, I found these. http://www.cyberciti.biz/...pinnacle-pctv-tuner.html http://linux.softpedia.co...ungee-Console-3753.shtml http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=128041 Free and Open Linux and Open Source Software. In a world without Walls and Fences, there's no need for Windows and Gates. Linux..... The Future..... It's here now. Last Edited By: tracyanneb 05/17/09 12:10 AM. Edited 1 times.
sear		#7	[-]
Posts: 2072 (05/17/09 4:02 AM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	tracy, This is encouraging: http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/debian-ubuntu-linux-configure-pinnacle-pctv-tuner.html I guess I should get dual-boot installed, up, & running first. Then I'll see if I have to issue the command mentioned in Step #3. Does that look like a safe command to you tracy? Step #3: saa7134 driver This card requires saa7134 driver (a video4linux module) in the Linux kernel. This driver is by default included in most distro including Ubuntu. Just run old good dmesg command to see if a driver loaded or not. $ dmesg \| grep saa7133 And this looks encouraging. I found MS Vista's keyboard controls a bit annoying. I ended up using the mouse for most video controls. tvtime Keyboard keys Here are the core set of key bindings you want to learn for using tvtime: * Escape or q : Quit * F1 or tab : Show menu * up/down arrow keys : Change channels * 0-9 and Enter : Change channels * Backspace : Jump to previous channel * m : Mute * or left/right : Volume control * f : Fullscreen * s : Take a screenshot Awesome. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
tracyanneb		#8	[-]
Posts: 1679 (05/17/09 4:24 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Those are all safe sear Free and Open Linux and Open Source Software. In a world without Walls and Fences, there's no need for Windows and Gates. Linux..... The Future..... It's here now.
sear		#9	[-]
Posts: 2073 (05/17/09 3:35 PM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	tracyanneb wrote: Those are all safe sear Good one tracy. I knew that second group is just DVR keyboard commands. My intended comment was they look more user friendly than MS Vista's Media Center software. 888888888888888888888888888888888888888 Ubuntu install update 8888888888888888888888888888 I printed out your partition instructions. I defragged a 3rd time. Then I loaded the Ubuntu disk you sent me. It booted fine. I got to the "Prepare Partitions" section. As per your instructions, I undertook to make the first partition 15 gigs. The software uses Megs as the units, so I designated 15,000 megs. Each of the first few tries I did this, my 15,000 figure kept automatically changing to 149,845 megs, before I could execute. I eventually realized before I could begin partitioning for Ubuntu, I'd have to partition off the portion of MS Vista C: that was in use, and that would be used, in Windows mode of dual boot. So I initiated yet another partition command, designating 200,000 megs. That was enough to contain the existing 149,485 megs. Windows was already using; plus allow some headroom, in the event defragmentation, or simple usage might require it. I initiated this command, and at long last, the value I input did not automatically change to 149,485 megs. But after a half hour, the progress indicator was on 0%. If it had reached 1% after half an hour, that would mean that single partition would only take at least 50 hours. It should not take that long. I clicked undo. No response. I clicked quit. No response. I'm still not sure what was going on, because the HDD poll (read/write) light was nearly steady on, indicating heavy HDD usage. But if one partition takes over 50 hours, and you recommend 3, then with the one Windows partition plus 3 Ubuntu partitions, that's ~200 hours. I'm hoping this indicates a malfunction, and is not SOP. The quit function didn't operate. So I powered the computer off. When I booted up to Windows, Vista knew there'd been skulduggery afoot. So it self-initiated a CHKDSK. I note that I've commanded this from the command line numerous times, and though there's only one account on this computer, the Administrator's account, it still tells me I don't have the authority to do even a CHKDSK! What a piece of @#%$! Anyway, as you can see, despite the half hour of "partitioning" it seems the MS Vista system is still functioning. But I can now see why you recommend "Gparted". I was eager to get the Ubuntu DVR software active as soon as possible. But I can see that's probably not realistic, unless you can pull a genie out of a hat here. I've already looked through MS Vista for disk partitioning options. I haven't found ANYthing about it. So I guess I'm dead in the water. But at least I can access the Internet; an important advantage as my Co-Admin's computer access to the Internet has been down for a week. Anybody got any ideas? PS I realize the apparent computer lock-up (freeze-up?) might have been contributed to by my ~thrice inputting 15,000 value (no comma) and having the system change it to the apparent volume of the storage consumed; 149,485. If I attempt it again, I'll initiate the first partition with the following parameters: 200,000 megs (no comma) - NTFS file system - /Windows - to contain the 149,485 megs of storage currently in that partition. note: Via Vista, clicking: Start Computer produces the screen that says there's 341 gigs free out of a total of 452 in that C: partition. 452 - 351 = 111 (not the 149,485 Ubuntu lists) So I don't quite know why the math isn't adding up. But, whatever. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
tracyanneb		#10	[-]
Posts: 1680 (05/17/09 7:44 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Sear I'll try to wok through these, It's a bit of a bugger that we are on differnt time zones. It gas never taken me that long to create any partition , so we may well be looking at a different problem. OK I've just fired up Ubuntu Cd on a Windows machine. From the System menu I selected Administration and from the Administration menu I selected partition editor, the Partiton editor thsize/move and at fired up is the same one as I showed you in the Tutorial, except it's running from Ubuntu. If I select an NTFS partiton and right mouse click on it I get a drop down menu with an option to resize/move the selected partition, I select resize/move and a window that has a graphical partition resizing tool, so I don't need to type in any sizes, I just slide the bar that represents the Partition size to the left until I have a smaller NTFS partition, then I select the resize/move button and I'm back at the main partition editor window. If I then the the Green tick (check) it will begin resizing. It has never taken me more than an hour to resize quite large partitions (500 Gig to 1 Terrabyte) I hope we are talking about the same thing here. Free and Open Linux and Open Source Software. In a world without Walls and Fences, there's no need for Windows and Gates. Linux..... The Future..... It's here now. Last Edited By: tracyanneb 05/17/09 8:01 PM. Edited 1 times.
sear		#11	[-]
Posts: 2074 (05/18/09 2:27 AM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	tracy, Pretty good! I'm not real clear on which OS is at issue here. I'm guessing you're running Ubuntu on a Windows machine. To sanity check this, I tried following the MS Vista command sequence you describe (or as close to it as I could think of in MS Vista). - Start - Control Panel - Administration Tools That's how I got this: I see no "partition editor" here. Perhaps that's a difference between MS Vista and WinXP. But I'll try my Ubuntu CD, and follow your command sequence: - System Menu - Administration - Partition Editor My objective in all this is to end up with a functional MS Vista copy via dual-boot, with a default dual-boot copy of Ubuntu, with Mythbuntu DVR software running in background 24/7. To accomplish this, I'm guessing I have to partition off the 111 gigs implied by MS Vista's report of 341 gigs free on a 452 gig logical drive (C:). Since MS Windows doesn't like to run a partition that's 100% full, I'll try to allow useful overhead, and perhaps expand this 111 gig NTFS partition to 135 gigs. Once that's done, I'll create the 3 partitions you've recommended: - ReiserFS (/) 15 gigs - swap 4 gigs - the remainder (in so far as it can be determined [if the software is user friendly] to /home At least, that's my intention. If that's not what you had in mind, please let me know. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
tracyannef		#12	[-]
Posts: 28 (05/18/09 5:39 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	No sear not in Vista. It's a tool that's on the Ubuntu/MythUbuntu Live CD. I've posted a set of images to you that describe the sequence.. Now might be a good time to contact the Ubuntu Loco in your area. Free and Open Linux and Open Source Software. In a world without Walls and Fences, there's no need for Windows and Gates. Linux..... The Future..... It's here now.
sear		#13	[-]
Posts: 2076 (05/18/09 7:15 AM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	[/quote] "Now might be a good time to contact the Ubuntu Loco in your area." tracy [/quote] I posted in two threads, and sent 3 e-mails within about an hour of me getting the info. from you on it. I've checked back. I got an admin. reply from one of my e-mails. But no system info. as yet. But no one has responded to either of my posts yet. http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=212 I followed your instructions, and got two of the 3 partitions. ( / , /home , /swap ) The / one for Ubuntu system files I picked a 20 gig size. This I designated as Primary, and selected reiserFS. For the swap partition, I picked 8 gigs (as I may upgrade RAM someday). This I designated as extended. Then I clicked the green arrow, to make them both happen. But when I then undertook to complete the final partition, the "It is not possible ..." message & window popped up. I sized the latter over the other window, in a blank spot, so you could see both. I tried partial screenshot, but could only get full screenshot to work. My intention was to make the remaining 288.92 gigs the remaining Ubuntu working disk space. By my count, I should have 2 primary partitions. - There's the MS Vista NTFS one. - There's the 20 gig Ubuntu one, with reiserFS. I have no intentions of making a third. Is Ubuntu mistaking the "FACTORY_IMAGE" partition as a primary? If so, is there any way I can get it to stop doing that? It's a partition HP includes from the factory. It's got ~12 gigs of stuff I'll probably never use. But in the unlikely event something ever happens to the computer, and I get HP help on the phone, and they try to get me to access files from there, to fix the problem, I thought I might as well leave it there. But if my choice is to do without the Ubuntu install, or lose the "FACTORY_IMAGE" partition, and conclude the three Ubuntu partition you recommend, I'll take the latter course. I'll post this. Then I'll shut down this Windows / Vista session (I haven't figured out how to make the Ubuntu Firefox system connect to the Internet. I found something to hook up to a LAN [I'm guessing], but it didn't look like a dial-up Internet initiator). I'll try a fresh boot of Ubuntu from CD, and see if the time-out has sobered it up at all. If it still insists I've got 3 primary partitions, then what? If I succeed, after the partition is complete, I'll post to let you know. The 140 gig partition took ~45 minutes. So I'm guessing a 289 gig partition should take roughly an hour and a half. What an adventure. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
sear		#14	[-]
Posts: 2077 (05/18/09 8:10 AM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	dang I tried. Here's what happened. I tried changing the "FACTORY_IMAGE" flag. I changed it from what it started out as; "boot". I changed it to "hidden". Then I tried to do the final partition. It didn't work. I changed it from "hidden" to "prep". Then I tried to do the final partition. It didn't work. Still the same "It is not possible ..." message displayed in the graphic above. Then I puzzled about the TWO 7.81 GiB partitions listed. I don't know what that's about. I only requested one. I discovered something odd though. I would have thought the slim blue rectangle adjacent to and to the left of "unallocated 288.92 GiB" was the "Extended" 7.81 in the list below the bar. But it's not. When I click that rectangle on the bar (above the list), it highlights the "Unallocated 7.81 I suspect if we can cure the dual personality of this schizophrenic 7.81 partition, this may enable me to partition all the remaining 288.92 GiB listed, as the /home partition you recommend. 288 GiB should be vastly more than enough, as I keep my internal HDD as vanilla as possible. I keep all my working files (except for unclassified pictures in Window's Pictures folder) in external HDDs. This way, I can take my computer in for repair, and have zero risk of the repair techs. having access to anything I don't want them to. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
sear		#15	[-]
Posts: 2078 (05/18/09 8:27 AM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	PS Via MS Vista, I checked on my C: & D: drives. C: is recognized, listing 24.3 /gigs free out of 136 gigs. D: is not recognized. I must leave for work. But I'll fire up Ubuntu, and try to put D: back to its original "Boot" flag status. If that doesn't make it reappear in Vista, then it's totaled anyway. In that case, I'll just try to delete it, merge those ~12 Gigs with the ~288 already open. Then perhaps it'll allow me to complete the ~300 Gig /Home partition. QUESTION: In Ubuntu, how do you COPY an icon from the folder it's in, directly to permanent residence on the desktop (default screen)? I do this in Windows. It's a magnificent labor and RSI saver. I tried to get it done w/ Ubuntu, but I could not figure out the command sequence. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
tracyannef		#16	[-]
Posts: 29 (05/18/09 12:50 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The Factory image partition IS a partition. It's OK you can make the last Ubuntu partition in an Extended Partition. It will work just fine. You are aware that what you are doing, by setting up a dual boot machine is the hard way to get Linux on your computer. Free and Open Linux and Open Source Software. In a world without Walls and Fences, there's no need for Windows and Gates. Linux..... The Future..... It's here now.
tracyannef		#17	[-]
Posts: 30 (05/18/09 12:57 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	To get an icon on your desktop from the menu in Ubuntu to a location on the desktop (::Shudder:, just drag and drop, it will pu the icon exactly where you drop it. Of course doing that in the Live CD won't be permanent. I never mess up my desktop by putting icons all over, not even my windows machine has icons on the desktop (yuck) The Menu System is nicely categorised, so it's actually easy to find the launcher for programs in a Linux Menus System, I simply create software categories in my Windows Menu System, so thati't more like my Linux Menu Systems, rather than clutter up my desktop with icons. Each to their own I suppose. Actually come to think of it, it's a Windows user thing to have icons all over the desktop, I don't know many Linux users that do that. Probably a standard practice in Windows brought about by the crappy Menu system. I do use the Quick start section of the taskbar extensively on my Windows system, in fact it extends most of the way across my 1680 pixel wide screen. On my Linux systems I rarely use the qucik start bar, the menu is just as easy. Free and Open Linux and Open Source Software. In a world without Walls and Fences, there's no need for Windows and Gates. Linux..... The Future..... It's here now. Last Edited By: tracyannef 05/18/09 1:05 PM. Edited 2 times.
sear		#18	[-]
Posts: 2079 (05/18/09 1:23 PM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	"The Factory image partition IS a partition." tracy Obviously. The questions are: a) Is it a "PRIMARY" partition? b) If so, can that be changed? "It's OK you can make the last Ubuntu partition in an Extended Partition. It will work just fine." tracy Excellent!! Let's get that done right now. How? I keep issuing the command to partition the remainder of the HDD space. But Ubuntu doesn't ask: - Would you like a primary partition, or an extended partition? Instead, it simply presumes the wrong thing; declares it "impossible", and refuses to go further. Let's fix it tracy. #1: Why does it list TWO 7.82 GiB partitions when there is only one? #2: How can we fix that, so it doesn't cause system problems later, as it tries to populate that partition with addressable data? (two addresses for one destination is huge trouble for binary data) #3: How can we get it to partition the remaining space into one last great big /home partition? "You are aware that what you are doing, by setting up a dual boot machine is the hard way to get Linux on your computer." tracy I didn't know it as a certitude. But it's extremely logical. However, I thought dual-boot was what you recommended, as for example, here: Installing Ubuntu My way [then, from the last post in the thread:] "At this point, after you reboot, you will have a perfectly functional Dual Boot Windows/Ubuntu Linux set up." http://freethinkerspub.yuku.com/topic/7003 In any case, for my applications / computer use patterns, the redundancy is a complication justified by its numerous advantages. I'm eager to TRY Ubuntu. But they don't pay me any extra to burn my bridges behind me. With dual-boot, if this promising new Linux OS just isn't quite yet ready for prime-time; I won't have to pay Microsoft another $240.oo for the software I've already paid the licensing fee for; and already have resident on my HDD. Dual-boot makes sense here. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
sear		#19	[-]
Posts: 2080 (05/18/09 1:40 PM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	"To get an icon on your desktop from the menu in Ubuntu to a location on the desktop (::Shudder:, just drag and drop, it will pu the icon exactly where you drop it. Of course doing that in the Live CD won't be permanent." tracy Oh. When I tried that in Windows, I learned, much to my horror, that it not only moves the icon. It ALSO actually altered the path of the file; essentially moving it from where it belongs, to some titanic "Windows/Desktop" catch-all folder I want absolutely no part of. I categorize my files, folders, and applications as I do for a reason. Why Windows / Gates vandalizes that; I don't know. "I never mess up my desktop by putting icons all over, not even my windows machine has icons on the desktop (yuck)" tracy Cool. My computer is a customized tool. It's custom designed to the uses I put it to. I've shaved tedium and much time off my boot time, simply by putting all the apps and files I need open, along the bottom row of icons on my screen. At boot-up, I just click them off one at a time from left to right. And as fast as that, they pop up, in proper sequence, on the task bar. I can do it the Windows way: Click Start Click All Programs Dial down the list, and cull out each of the apps, etc. It adds minutes, and tedium & RSI. Short of a single batch file or macro, I know of no better faster way to set the desktop up. "Probably a standard practice in Windows brought about by the crappy Menu system." tracy TOTALLY! "I do use the Quick start section of the taskbar extensively on my Windows system " tracy Me totally too! I've got one icon which makes the desktop pop up. That's extremely valuable and extremely useful! Next to it is the icon which opens the Internet connection. Next to that is the one that, with one click opens Firefox. It's a breeze. "in fact it extends most of the way across my 1680 pixel wide screen. On my Linux systems I rarely use the qucik start bar, the menu is just as easy." tracy Cool! I'm eager to check it out. Thanks for the tip on populating the desktop (whether I end up doing so or not). This partition thing is killin' me. "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)
sear		#20	[-]
Posts: 2081 (05/18/09 4:32 PM) Fairly Regular For His Age Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	PS tracy, I fiddled with it for about an hour. It simply refused to obey the command, for utterly illogical reason. But there are some complications. As you can see from the graphic above, the ONE reiserFS partition is clearly listed as having 19.53 GiB capacity. BUT!! It lists 32.75 MEGS (not Gigs) of usage. But I haven't deliberately put anything in there. I have booted from CD a few times. Might it have dumped 32 Megs of stuff onto this partition already? And I'm not aware of me having formatted any of these new partitions. I thought I'd first get all the partitions in place. Are they already formatted? Also, it says: "If you want more partitions you should first create an extended partition. Such a partition can contain other partitions. Because an extended partition is also a primary partition it might be necessary to remove a primary partition first." This is unclear. First of all: "If you want more partitions you should first create an extended partition." Ubuntu or GParted I already have! It's 7.81 GiB in size, listed on the GParted partition list. In what way will that enable me to partition the last ~288 Gigs? "Such a partition can contain other partitions." Ubuntu or GParted That seems illogical. The partition defines (limits the locus of) a portion of the HDD. How can a separate portion of the HDD be contained by a different portion of the HDD? "Because an extended partition is also a primary partition " Ubuntu or GParted ?! Then why the distinction? "it might be necessary to remove a primary partition first." Ubuntu or GParted If that's what it takes to get the entire HDD properly partitioned, so be it. How do we make it happen? "Who put the bee in Cheney's bonnet?" sear (who cracks himself up sometimes)