Problem re-formatting C prior to Ubuntu install.

[tdm850rider]

First, Hello everybody.

I have an old laptop that I can not 'restore' with the WinXP cd.
Seems the loaded XP is newer than the cd that came with it.
Since it was almost toast I tried anyway and the product code is invalid.

I want to load ubuntu (cd on its way from on-disk.com) and I want to know if I need to re-format or will running install with the ubuntu cd just overwrite the XP?

I made a MSDOS boot disk on my desktop (also XP) but I can't remember how to get from the A promp to the C prompt and then the command(s) to reformat C.

Any point in the right direction would be appreciated.

TY, Thomas

[jbennet]

yeah you can get ubuntu to either shrink the xp partition, or take over the whole disk. It can all be done from the ubuntu cd.

The problem of it complaining that the cd is older is because the cd is probably sp1 or the original xp, and the installed system is probably sp2. You can integrate sp2 into the disk and make a new one using a slipstreaming tool called "nlite".

whats the problem with the product key?

[tdm850rider]

yeah you can get ubuntu to either shrink the xp partition, or take over the whole disk. It can all be done from the ubuntu cd.

The problem of it complaining that the cd is older is because the cd is probably sp1 or the original xp, and the installed system is probably sp2. You can integrate sp2 into the disk and make a new one using a slipstreaming tool called "nlite".

whats the problem with the product key?

That's exactly what I want, a laptop with no Micro$soft on it. :-)
You nailed it, the OS was sp1 orig but I upgraded to sp2 at ms upgrades.

I lost the envelope and have 2 disks (lap and desk), they are marked ver 1.0 and ver 1.1 so I assumed the older laptop was 1.0 (nope... invalid product key on the bottom sticker).
Didn't work with disk 1.1 either.
So I was stuck with the laptop picking up in the middle of setup every time I turned it on.
msdos boot floppy got me to the A prompt but I can't seem to cd to C
(cd\ c:, cd\ c, every way I can think of to 'syntax it')

But if ubuntu will take over the entire drive I should just have to boot from the D drive.
Thanks for the info, particularly this...

yeah you can get ubuntu to either shrink the xp partition, or take over the whole disk. It can all be done from the ubuntu cd.

[jbennet]

yeah ubuntu is a livecd (it runs in ram) - you can boot the whole OS from the cd and try it out before installing - the icon for the installer is on the desktop.

I used it to shrink my XP partition and create a linux partition in the free space made.

512 of ram is reccomended. You want version 7 by the way (gusty gibbon) not version 6 (long term service edition) as it has better multimedia and driver support.

[caperjack]

cd\ c:, cd\ c

you don't need to change from A:\ to c:\,just type, format c:\

having said that ,you don't need to use it anyway as was said above the ubuntu cd will boot and install and format the drive anyway.

[antioed]

What's all this "cd"...if you are at the a: prompt and you want to go to the c drive just type c: and then enter. Maybe I'm missing something here. Either way - you'll enjoy the live file system...pretty cool stuff.

[tdm850rider]

Oh I do like that www.pugetsystems.com link... I do I do I do... :*

[tdm850rider]

yeah ubuntu is a livecd (it runs in ram) - you can boot the whole OS from the cd and try it out before installing - the icon for the installer is on the desktop.

I used it to shrink my XP partition and create a linux partition in the free space made.

512 of ram is reccomended. You want version 7 by the way (gusty gibbon) not version 6 (long term service edition) as it has better multimedia and driver support.

Getting ver 7.10, ram is no prob, I am running 2GB of it.
It should be interesting running a 'new' OS after 3.1, 95, 98 and then XP.

This problem is solved as far as I can see, please add another 'solved' to your tally. :)

[jbennet]

:)

should run perfectly then

if you had less than a gig i was going to warn you that the livecd mode may seem sluggish but with 2gb it will be able to load the whole CD into ram so it should run at at a similar speed to an installed system.

Google "ubuntu restricted formats" to get media codecs etc... set up

[caperjack]

What's all this "cd"...if you are at the a: prompt and you want to go to the c drive just type c: and then enter. Maybe I'm missing something here. Either way - you'll enjoy the live file system...pretty cool stuff.

Im sure you know this but will post it anyway ,cd is use to change directory ,used if windows was installed on the drive like," cd c:\win98" then you could run commands in the win98 folder like setup.exe !! so if you were install win98 on a computer you could first copy the win98 folder from the cdrom to the hard drive and run setup from the harddrive instead of the cdrom ,faster data transfer ,and you will never be asked to insert the win98 cd at any time after the install !!

[tdm850rider]

Oh I do like that www.pugetsystems.com link... I do I do I do... :*

Except for 'Spybot Search & Destroy'.... Never know what to delete and what to skip.

Is there a more user-friendly (read moron-friendly) spywear remover out there?

[caperjack]

Except for 'Spybot Search & Destroy'.... Never know what to delete and what to skip.

Is there a more user-friendly (read moron-friendly) spywear remover out there?

I been using spybot for years and its safe to ,and recommended to ,remove all it finds ! don't think you will find one as good as, or as user friendly as SpyBot S& D.just scan and fix selected,so just select all.

[jbennet]

yeah spybot is generally fine, only bit you need to be careful with is the registry scanner (system internals)

[tdm850rider]

I just ran Spybot... had it 'fix everything'...
I'm still here, don't see any smoke coming from the computer...

Could you expand on this?

only bit you need to be careful with is the registry scanner (system internals)

I do notice my webpages are loading faster.... must have been all those cookies. :)

[jbennet]

its just sometimes reg scanners can remove things you need

[tdm850rider]

its just sometimes reg scanners can remove things you need

'I see' said the blind man...

Problem is, I can't tell what I need from what I don't need. :'(

Hopefully, S&D is good at 'restoring' :-/

[caperjack]

'I see' said the blind man...

Problem is, I can't tell what I need from what I don't need. :'(

Hopefully, S&D is good at 'restoring' :-/

I always fix everything it finds and have not destroyed a customers or my own computer in 9 yrs with spybot ,
have fugged up a few with reg-mechanic/cleaners type programs though

[tdm850rider]

Well.... Whats that saying? 'If it wasn't for bad luck I would have no luck at all.'

The ubuntu cd's are ok.... seems I have a problem with my cd r drive.
Laptop keeps thinking there is no cd in it.

There is 'boot from network' but I have absolutely no idea how to go about that.
Guess I will have to pay someone to repair the cd-r.... grrrr

That will probably cost more than the laptop is currently worth.

[jbennet]

my laptop is like that , it doesnt like certain brands of cdr

on my one (old ~1999 thinkpad) i clean the disk and stick it in and out a few times and leave it for ages and eventually i get lucky

[tdm850rider]

my laptop is like that , it doesnt like certain brands of cdr

on my one (old ~1999 thinkpad) i clean the disk and stick it in and out a few times and leave it for ages and eventually i get lucky

It wouldn't read the cd I got from on-disk.com or the 2 cd's I made myself
(downloaded from ubuntu.com). My desktop would read and boot from all three.

I think my Solo 1200 (which I think is made of lead) is going to Good-Will and becoming a donation /refund on next years taxes.

[caperjack]

It wouldn't read the cd I got from on-disk.com or the 2 cd's I made myself
(downloaded from ubuntu.com). My desktop would read and boot from all three.

I think my Solo 1200 (which I think is made of lead) is going to Good-Will and becoming a donation /refund on next years taxes.

so it ready no disk you put in the drive ,even regular disk like music and hardware drivers cd and the like !

[tdm850rider]

No OS on the laptop.
I only have access to boot options, don't think a mucic cd will boot.... I could try though.

(hold on a second...)

Nope... no music cd either.

[caperjack]

No OS on the laptop.
I only have access to boot options, don't think a mucic cd will boot.... I could try though.

(hold on a second...)

Nope... no music cd either.

don't mind me ,long day of course it will not boot ,anyway ,when you downloaded ubunto did you download the ISO file ,what program did you use to burn the iso to the disk ,i used iso buster, once and nero the other times .
http://www.isobuster.com/isobusterdownload.php