Will be busy reinstalling XP :-)

[Magnum]

I decided to install Linux Mint onto the hard drive alongside Windows XP.

I told it to install on one of 3 partitions.

It apparently formatted the whole drive as I am getting a "No boot disk message."

And it didn't install either.

I don't Microsoft has much to worry about. :-)

Since I am installating the whole enchilada, I seek any tips.


Andy

[Magnum]

I am installing Win 98 and at the point where it is copying setup files to the hard drive, after 10 minutes of waiting and the drive light indicator is dark,

I gave up after a second attempt.

Does anyone remember if takes a real long time ?

[dedndave]

yah - get it going, then go watch TV   :P
i remember it taking up to 40 minutes on older machines

[japheth]

It apparently formatted the whole drive as I am getting a "No boot disk message."

That's a premature and almost certainly wrong conclusion. I was tempted to advise using a HD editor and make the disk bootable again, but I have the very strong feeling that would just result in an even more serious fiasco.

[Magnum]

It really did format the drive to the newer GPT format.

I used to have 3 partitions.

I am good to go now.

Andy

[Magnum]

One difficulty with the different Linux versions is that they differ so much on what procedures they use to prepare the hard disk for their operating systems.

And being used to Windows makes it harder to learn their system.

For example, Windows uses A: B: C: for drives while Linux uses sda1, sd5 etc.

But it's a learning process.

I think one reason it's faster is that they don't use a clunky register system
and their entire O.S. is less than 100 files.

And security is much better -- you don't start off with their version of an admin account.

I learned to only ask questions at forums specifically for the exact version of Linux that I am using.

I will still use Linux Mint and am happy with it.

Andy

[drifter]

on: March 12, 2013 at 12:49:15 AM Magnum wrote:

it's a learning process.

I just receintly dove into Linux via a Raspberry Pi - currently have it running my amateur radio D-Star DVAP.  It serves as a very low power, digital VHF/UHF repeater between my handheld and computer which then links to similar set ups all around the world via the internet.  Linux is a lot like Unix, which I learned many years ago.  So far, I like it!

http://www.raspberrypi.org/
http://www.dvapdongle.com/DV_Access_Point_Dongle/Home.html

[Gunther]

Hi drifter,

Linux is a lot like Unix, which I learned many years ago.  So far, I like it!

http://www.raspberrypi.org/
http://www.dvapdongle.com/DV_Access_Point_Dongle/Home.html

yes, of course. Linux is the free Unix for the PC. BSD is another good alternative.

Gunther

[Vortex]

Hi Magnum,

Is there a specific to switch to GPT? MBR supports partition sizes up to 2 Tb.

On my old IBM Thinkpad laptop, I installed Windows XP and CentOS Linux. The first partition hosts XP. The second for Linux and the third is for the swap partition.

[Magnum]

I was told that Linux preferred it and was faster, but my experience showed that it caused more problems.

I went back to NTFS.

Now I am trying to get more disk space for Mint.

Even though there is more than 2 Gbs free.

Linux has some oddities.

Like needing a new partition for that extra space ?

I will probably go back to Puppy Slacko.

Andy