Hi Alan, If you have Partition Magic you can install on the XP and then you can look the Linux what ever flavor you have installed on the harddisk. Advantage of using the Partition Magic is GUI interface. Which will actually tel you which type of the partion/size in which sector the partition is split I belive,If I am correct depending on the Partition Magic version you can actually Burn the whole partition on to the DVD/CD. GUI will give you more information rather than the Command line based. Here is the link you can try Partition magic http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Partition-Magic-Download-2118.html Hope this showes you some direction to start with ..... Regards Balaji.V.P 0212390181 On 11/2/06, Brian McVicker <b.mcvicker at xtra.co.nz> wrote: > > Alan Nicholson wrote: > > I have a spare PC that I have been using to install various Linux > Distros to > > try out. It also has a legal copy of WIN XP installed. > > > > My wifes PC (running XP)has finally expired with a WORM despite running > > Antivirus updated everynight, Zone Alarm, Adaware & SpyBot. So she has > agreed > > if I leave XP on my spare machine for her "just in case" she will allow > me to > > install either Suse10.1 or Kubuntu. I also intend to install Crossover > Office > > to make it as painless as possible for her to move away from XP > > > > It appears there are the following Partitions:(checked in Kubuntu) > > > > Partition Size Mt > Point Type Dev > > > > 1 17.6Gb hda1(assume > this is XP) > > 2 1Kb > hda2 > > 3 6.3Gb / ext3 hda3 > enabled (assume Kubuntu) > > 4 996.2Mb hda5 > > 5 12.1Gb hda6(suspect > Suse10) > > 6 313.7Mbnone hda7enabled (suspect Kubuntu Swap) > > > > I have made some assumptions on what each partition is but really may be > > wildly astray. I have no idea what hda2 on partition 2 is. > > > > My wife is a contractor and frequently works in companies that have > software > > that will only run under XP- or will only allow MS products to connect > to > > their network she has to have XP available .. This is a legal OEM copy > but I > > have no CD to use for a reinstall. > > > > Problem...How do I uninstall existing Kubuntu and Suse 10 so that I can > do a > > fresh install BUT LEAVE XP INTACT!!!! > > > > This is a MAJOR advance in convincing her to try Linux so I need help. > > > > Alan > > > > _______________________________________________ > > AuckLUG mailing list > > AuckLUG at linux.net.nz > > http://www.linux.net.nz/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aucklug > > > > > Got a few options, only one I know that definately works however is time > consuming, mostly letting it do its thing though. > > This trick has saved my XP (god only knows why I wanted to save XP, > must've had some games that I'd 'lost' the disks to on it ;-) ), too > many times to mention, all from my own stupidity of wiping out the MBR > on hda1. Only works if its FAT32 though (don't know why mine was > formatted FAT32, thats just how it came from the shop:-) ) never tried > it with NTFS so no idea if it would work with it. Also does require an > XP disk (don't need to activate it though, just want it to setup your > MBR) and a spare harddirve with enough space to hold your current XP > install. > > Use SUSE (must be Suse, I've tried Fedora, Ubuntu and DSL for the same > trick but they seem to miss something somehow albeit I do it through the > GUI) to copy ALL your XP files as they are in one go (folders and all) > to a FAT32 partition on another hard drive. > > Do whatever you need to the old harddrive, repartition to make more > space and reformat it as you need. Reformat hda1 (assuming this is the > partition you're going to use) as FAT32. > > Install another copy of XP onto the harddrive (any should do, you're not > going to activate it or bother installing any programs) to get the MBR > setup how XP likes it. Don't bother activating it or anything, don't > need to. > > Use Suse to copy your "backed up" copy of XP over the top of your fresh > install. > > Restart your computer and Windows won't even realise anything has > happened, except for the fact that Avast antivirus (if installed) will > require a reinstall and it puts stupid desktop.ini files in ...lots... > of your folders (just search for them with that stupid dog and delete > whichever seem fit,...normally pretty much all) > > Or without the XP disk may be able to backup the boot part of the MBR in > Suse and when you copy the files and reinstate this when before you copy > the files back over. (Don't quote me on this haven't tried it only had > it suggested as the best course of action next time it happens, yes I've > backed up my MBR now!) Windows Fixmbr command never seems to work once > I've trashed the MBR on hda1 so don't rely on that. > > > > Probably far easier to copy the partition with partitioning software, > however I haven't used any for this so unsure how to advise further on > that although its probably the recommended method. > > > Or make an XP boot disk and use the fixmbr (can't remember the exact > command, pay to google it) command to reinstate the windows bootloader. > Then wipe your ext3 partitions and repartition your empty space to suit, > just be careful doing this though. > > Cheers, > Brian > > > _______________________________________________ > AuckLUG mailing list > AuckLUG at linux.net.nz > http://www.linux.net.nz/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aucklug > -- V.P.Balaji.,B.Sc.,GradDipInfSci.,(B.L).,
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