Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

[susanpenter]

At the moment I have Kubuntu 7.10 and Kubuntu 8.4 both installed to seperate ext3 partitions on my hard drive. When I log on the grub menu displays the 8.4 first and the 7.10 underneath.

I am wanting to get rid of the 8.4 and use the space to play with different distros etc. I wasn't sure whether to just delete the partition in GParted as I don't want the Grub to be broken so that I can't log into the 7.10 anymore. Is there a specific process to make sure I do this correctly.

Thanks
Susan

[Qqmike]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

It sounds like the GRUB boot menu that you see when you turn on the PC comes from the 8.04 OS (I'm only guessing this, since 8.04 is on top of the boot menu). So, you should re-install GRUB to point at the 7.10 Kubuntu partition.

When you are ready to do this, go as follows:

Boot into Kubuntu 7.10.
Open Konsole. Type
sudo grub
to get a GRUB prompt: grub>
Type
grub> find /boot grub/ stage1
and that will return two choices (hd0,x) and (hd0,y).
Pick the one that corresponds to Kubuntu 7.10 (the OS you want to keep and use).
Note that (hd0,0) = the first partition of the hard drive hd0; (hd0,1) = the second partition of that hard drive; (hd0,2) = the third partition; etc.
Let's say it is (hd0,W) that corresponds to Kubuntu 7.10 partition. Then:
grub> root (hd0,W)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
exit

Now, the boot menu you see when turning on the PC will come from Kubuntu 7.10.

Then you can re-boot with GParted Live CD and delete Kubuntu 8.04 partition and re-partition your drive. Note the rules for partitioning:
You can have only 3 primary partitions, say sda1, sda2, and sda3.
Then you need an Extended partition as the fourth primary partition (and you can create the Extended in GParted just as you do any partition—look for the dialog in GParted that lets you specify Extended).
Then within the Extended partition you may create more partitions called Logical partitions (that act like primary partitions), I believe you may create up to 11 Logical partitions within the extended partition (in Linux).


Now, when you re-boot after messing with partitions, you MAY get a message
“Unable to resolve UUID=etc etc”
If so, press Enter, then Control+D, then Enter again (if necessary) and your PC will continue to boot past that error and into your OS.
You should then edit both /etc/fstab and /boot/grub/menu.lst to include CORRECT UUIDs for all your usable partitions.
You can get your UUIDs from the Konsole command
blkid

How to partition – Rog131:
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3090704.0


(If you are not sure if your current boot menu comes from 7.10 or from 8.04, it doesn't matter: If you are going to delete 8.04 and use 7.10, go ahead and re-install GRUB as explained above so that GRUB points to 7.10 * for sure * !)

[v_override]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

Also.....

If you're planning on playing around with different distros, why not install them in a Virtual environment such as VMWare or Virtual Box ?

That way, you don't have to resize (delete, create or whatever) your partitions on your harddrive anymore.
And above all, you want have a problem like this anymore either

[susanpenter]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

Type
grub> find /boot grub/ stage1


grub> find /boot grub/ stage1
when I type this in Kubuntu 7.10 I get

Error 15 file not found

so I'm not sure where to go next,

with regard to the second reply from v_override thanks that sound like a smart move I'll definitely do that

[Qqmike]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

"grub> find /boot grub/ stage1"


There should be no space after boot (note the slash)or before stage1:

grub> find /boot/grub/stage1

You must have this file in both Kubuntu installations.

[susanpenter]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

Thanks that all went fine. I've burned the live CD and went to run it but I panicked because it gave lots of options and I worried when the first options included "auto..." I didn't want it to go ahead and reformat all the partitions.

Sorry, I am up and running as a day to day user but hard disk drive work scares me still since loosing everything when I moved over from windows.

Do I pick the first option on the live CD?

Thanks

[MoonRise]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

Hey! I can understand that fear of loosing everything. Had that happen once. Now I have so many backups it's not funny. Well, a little it is. Just find yourself a good back up routine that fits you and that fear will kind of go away.

[Qqmike]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

That's the live GParted CD, right?
If so, to be sure, I would cursor down and select "Force Vesa Driver."
That way, you know you'll have a graphical interface.

[susanpenter]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

OK I tried to do that but after scrolling through loads of text it asked me to choose a key set I tried typing both 40 and then UK but my keyboard wasn't been recognised. I see that I can use GParted from within Kubuntu to remove the partition but then I won't be able to resize this one so I'll be no better off.

Is there any reason why you can't alter a partition when you are within it. In general I have found most Linux software to be better than Windows stuff and yet within Windows you could amend the current partition from within it. Just a thought!

[Qqmike]

Re: Uninstalling Kubuntu 8.4

No, you won't be able to resize the Kubuntu partition you are in when you call up GParted from K > System > Partition Editor. You could resize it from GParted in 8.04, and you can delete 8,04 from GParted n 7.10, though, but I'm not sure that will work for you (re the sizing needed).