Time to remove suse 11....but how?

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Sridhar_Rao

In the zone
Well...with your help I got to partition the disk and install Ubuntu as well as Suse. The latter is buggy and I keep getting internal errors. I found it no superior than ubuntu with the little experience that I have. Nonetheless, I want to get rid of it.

I have three partitions on my 40 GB (~37 GB) hard disk, 28 for XP, 9 for ubuntu, 9 for suse and remaining for swap. After installing suse, there have been changes in boot loader. I had installed XP, ubuntu and Suse...in that order.

On booting, I get a menu with boot options for suse, ubuntu and windows. If I select ubuntu, i get another menu, three for ubuntu and one for xp.

Now, I want to "uninstall" suse and merge that 9 GB with partition where ubutu is installed. How can I do that without damaging the boot loader and the ubuntu installaiton?
 
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NucleusKore

TheSaint
The problem is with the bootloader. It's a big headache which I do not know how to solve directly.
My experience tells me:
1. Boot into Ubuntu
2. Insert Ubuntu CD
3. Install boot loader using grub-install (see my tutorial) to the root partition (Ubuntu)
4. Install and save (people forget to save it to the MBR, the last step) GAG to the MBR and point it to the Ubuntu root partition and windows (first) partition; save settings.
5. Boot and check whether you can boot Ubuntu and Windows.

Now you can merge the two partitions with GParted, or make the 9 GB SUSE a /home partiiton for Ubuntu (incase you already haven't assigned a separate /home). In case you have made your Ubuntu home in the / partition, and wish to migrate it to the 9GB partition use this tutorial
*www.funnestra.org/ubuntu/hardy/#backup-home
 
OP
Sridhar_Rao

Sridhar_Rao

In the zone
Here is another solution suggested by forestpixie, what do you think of this? Which of the two is easier and less risky to follow? Please provide the link to your tutorial that you mentioned in your post.

It is likely that suse installed it's bootloader so removing the partition will cause a boot problem. That can easily be dealt with using the livecd

You can also use the livecd to accomplish the partition resize, so in order

Use the partition editor on the livecd - system >admin menu to delete the suse partition, then you should be able to resize the ubuntu partition. Before you do that turn off the swap otherwise you will not be able to work on the partitions

Code:
sudo swapoff -a
Once you have resized the ubuntu partition, use the above link to reinstall grub for ubuntu.
 
Last edited:

NucleusKore

TheSaint
Here is another solution suggested by forestpixie, what do you think of this? Which of the two is easier and less risky to follow? Please provide the link to your tutorial that you mentioned in your post.

The dual boot install tutorial. See FAQ in Open Source section.

It is likely that suse installed it's bootloader so removing the partition will cause a boot problem. That can easily be dealt with using the livecd

You can also use the livecd to accomplish the partition resize, so in order

Use the partition editor on the livecd - system >admin menu to delete the suse partition, then you should be able to resize the ubuntu partition. Before you do that turn off the swap otherwise you will not be able to work on the partitions

Code:
sudo swapoff -a
Once you have resized the ubuntu partition, use the above link to reinstall grub for ubuntu.

Is this EASY !!! No comments !!!!
Stick to my suggestion :)
 
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Sridhar_Rao

Sridhar_Rao

In the zone
Thanks, but I am sorry...I don't understand how to go about it. Could you kindly give me a step by instruction? I'd be very thankful to you.
 

NucleusKore

TheSaint
Do you know your Ubuntu root partition number, meaning /dev/sda?

If not, in Ubuntu, open a terminal and type

sudo cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

and press ENTER.

Paste the output here for me to see.
 
OP
Sridhar_Rao

Sridhar_Rao

In the zone
Here is the output you asked for

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$g098U0/$aW78kHK88ioyt3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=2081d296-3a8c-42a7-8588-1c1792c1a6ca ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,4)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=2081d296-3a8c-42a7-8588-1c1792c1a6ca ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=2081d296-3a8c-42a7-8588-1c1792c1a6ca ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, memtest86+
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
 

NucleusKore

TheSaint
Your root is hd(0,4) or /dev/sda5
Now give me the output of sudo fdisk -l
I assume that when you say,"28 for XP, 9 for ubuntu, 9 for suse and remaining for swap", you are mentioning them in order, anyway just want to check
 
OP
Sridhar_Rao

Sridhar_Rao

In the zone
Here it is
Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40060403712 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4870 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x10191018

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1044 8385898+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 2351 4870 20241900 5 Extended
/dev/sda3 1045 2350 10490445 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda5 2351 3525 9438156 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 3526 4700 9438156 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 4701 4870 1365493+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Also remember there is two tier of boot menu, in fact both bearing open suse logo. The second one is the same that was installed with ubuntu but with suse looks.
 

NucleusKore

TheSaint
Boot your Ubuntu Linux.

Download GAG from here

*www.mediafire.com/?q1hhft5azyi

Right click on the file and select Extract here. Open a terminal and browse to the folder using the cd command. In that folder enter the linux folder using the cd command. If you are using KDE just go to the linux subfolder by single/double clicking on it and once your in it press the F4 key to open a terminal in the current folder location.

At prompt type

sudo ./copy-file.sh

and press ENTER

Then type

sudo ./gag-install /dev/sda

and press ENTER.

At each of the above steps note if you get any error messages. If you get errors stop and come back here.

After the last command you will be reminded to install GRUB to your linux root partition. Now put the Ubuntu install cd into your drive. In a terminal type

sudo grub-install /dev/sda5

as sda5 is your linux root. After it installs close the terminal.

Restart your PC, and follow the GAG configuration steps here
*thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=96132#23
from the first thumbnail in that post.
 
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Sridhar_Rao

Sridhar_Rao

In the zone
So, I follow these steps:

1. Download gag4.10 and extract to a folder
2. Burn the iso to a CD and keep it ready (*read below)
3. Navigate to this folder in terminal using cd commands and type
sudo ./copy-file.sh and press ENTER
Then type
sudo ./gag-install /dev/sda and press ENTER
4. After these I insert Ubuntu install cd into the drive and type in the terminal:
sudo grub-install /dev/sda5
5. Close the terminal, restart the PC and follow instructions as suggested by you.

*I think since the first two commands install the GAG, there is no need to write the ISO to a CD. Am I right?
You have described to overwrite the boot record, but what about the partition? Would you suggest that once the boot records are modified to display only Windows and Ubunutu, I could then use GParted to delete the Suse partition?
From the partition structure I provided, how would you NOW recommend me to do it.
Now you can merge the two partitions with GParted, or make the 9 GB SUSE a /home partiiton for Ubuntu (incase you already haven't assigned a separate /home). In case you have made your Ubuntu home in the / partition, and wish to migrate it to the 9GB partition use this tutorial
*www.funnestra.org/ubuntu/hardy/#backup-home
 

Ecko

Wandering In Tecno Land
Never Got any problem with Suse
Ubuntu 8 was a headache as they changed it so much
Even installation was crappy
I still feel the partitioner of Ubuntu is excellent but rest is poor
Even for Suse I expect less of Linux terminologies & more ease of use
 

NucleusKore

TheSaint
Sridhar_Rao there is no need to burn the iso
Just install gag and grub as I have outlined above. We'll see about the SUSE partition after you successfully accomplish that.
 
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