change distro

davedenis · 03-10-2004, 11:17 PM

I recently installed a distro (doesn't matter which, I don't need a flame war) and want to try a different one. Problem is I moved over a bunch of files (mp3s, etc.) to this machine into my new /home dir. So am I screwed or can I preserve these files somehow and install a new distro?

rmanocha · 03-10-2004, 11:20 PM

burn them or save them on a partition other than the one on which ur current linux system is installed.
if you do not have 2 partition then yeah....you are screwed.

davedenis · 03-10-2004, 11:22 PM

well actually all the files are on hdb (I had windows on hda) so I could install to hda which is empty and leave hba alone I guess? Although it would still have all the previous distro on there right?

rmanocha · 03-10-2004, 11:24 PM

well what you can do is format hda with say ext3 FS(or anyother fs) and then copy the files over to hda and then install something else on hdb.
or else yea...you could install something on hda...copy over the files from hdb and then install something else on hdb.

J.W. · 03-10-2004, 11:26 PM

If /home lived in its own partition originally, and assuming that you want to preserve your current partitioning scheme, then you don't have to do anything during the new distro install other than to NOT reformat the partition. You obviously would want to reformat the other partitions, but there would be no need to do that the /home partition. -- J.W.

davedenis · 03-10-2004, 11:27 PM

thanks rmanocha, that'll do the trick. I eventually just want 1 install, so I assume I can mount hdb to something like /files after I've got my new distro on hda with everything moved over.

bigearsbilly · 03-11-2004, 05:11 AM

It's usually a good idea IMHO to have your /home
on a seperate partition, then whatever distro or updates
you do your home is always safe.

regards, billy