If I have to re-install ...

[mivo]

It seems that I might have messed up my system (I posted about it here), and provided there is no rescue, I might have to re-install. I have / on a small partition and /home on a large position (plus swap). If I use the Live CD to reinstall, it will ask me for mount points. If I assign /home to the second partition, will the installer format it or otherwise endanger the data on it? I would only want it to format the small 10 GB partition for /, install the system, and leave the current and future /home partition alone. Or should I not set a mount point? (Then the "new" home will be on the small partition, though...).

Is it safe? Are there other things to be aware of? I would rather not have to backup 120 GB of media files again and then play them back (bit slow with USB).

[penguin.ch]

Re: If I have to re-install ...

As for your Java troubles, sudo dpkg --configure --pending and/or sudo dpkg --audit ought to help you on (further reading).

As for your attempt to keep the </home> directories while re-installing the core system: with the Alternate Install Disk and coffee by the litre to help you concentrate (as any mistake would prove lethal ...), this could be done.

To play it safe(r), however, I'd rather install the whole system to </>, neither touch nor mount the old </home> at all and, with the new system up, "move" </home> as described in this text ...

[mivo]

Re: If I have to re-install ...

I tried the commands, and various others that were suggested in other places, but all of them resulted in the same error, even after purging, reconfiguring, etc. Whatever I did, it was rather fatal.

So I bit the bullet and just finished reinstalling. I used the regular Kubuntu Live CD and opted for the manual partition (I was curious if it would work). I already had a small partition for / before and a large /home one (plus swap), so it was as simple as mounting / to the small partition, /home to the large one (where it had been before) and instructing the installer to only format /. I wasn't sure if this would work (I had a backup of my old /home, except some larger DVD rips), but thankfully it did. The install took 15 minutes plus an hour to download 220 MB in updates, plus a few extra packages. Going to download and burn the alternate CD, though, just in case of future emergencies.

As for Java, I was able to install the JRE properly. I went with 1.5 since I read some bug stories about 1.6. Sound worked in the Java app out of the box, so 1.4 was the original trouble. I still wasn't given the option to create a shortcut, though. So I guess whatever the problem is, the solution is somewhere in my personal files on /home. I'll just make a manual one. This was a good learning experience.

[Snowhog]

Re: If I have to re-install ...

This was a good learning experience.

Learning is good, ( ) even when, at times, it is painful. Welcome to the classroom!