I tried out PCLinuxOS back in 2011 as a dual-boot using GNU GRUB 0.97 loader with WinXP as the default OS. After all this time, I don't remember how I did it. There were some pros and cons in my experience with the 2011 version, but the most important 'con' was the requirement of trashing the entire OS just to update it. Now that I am beyond fed up with Microsoft, I revisited the PCLinuxOS site and discovered that that has changed.

A second 'peeve' was the ridiculously long time it takes to boot up into PCLinuxOS 2011. I hope that has changed with this latest 2014 version released this month. If it hasn't, I'll live with it.

I intend now to completely scrap MS from my Sony Vaio VGN SZ780 and have PCLinuxOS 2014 be the only hard-circuited OS on my laptop. I need guidance to do so, especially is this true since I have not a clue how to handle the existence of GRUB.

The main partition C: currently housing WinXP is 40 GB. There are further partitions between it and the 2011 version of PCLinuxOS, and still further one or two partitions after it, in service to PCLinuxOS. I used EASEUS Partition Master Home Edition to create partitions before installing the 2011 version.

Preference: Expedient transition to PCLinuxOS 2014 within the first 40 GB partition, dividing it up according to the needs of the installation DVD. Formatting the partition currently used for PCLinux 2011, and then re-capturing the associated smaller partitions into neighboring larger partitions.

But is Grub a problem? By the way, I will want to make full use of the 'Virtualbox' feature to run some of my favorite Windows-based applications.

Will I instead have to completely restore the HD, obliterating partitions, with WinXP? On that, WinXP's current state is unstable. It shuts down, often immediately. I tried the chkdsk and defragmenting, but it still occurs. An early scan of Avira turned up 3 hidden objects. Instead of stopping there to have Avira remove and reboot, I continued with the scan. Musta been the wrong move. I also managed a complete scan of Malwarebytes. The upshot is that there was no other evidence of virus or malware infection beyond hidden objects. I am not interested in solving this issue. I want NOT NOT NOT to deal with the pony show any longer.

Using the nifty access through PCLinuxOS 2011, I managed to move all of my files and folders into an external drive.

If restoring the basic WinXP OS just within C: (the first partition) with the Restore Disks would then subsequently facilitate the installation of PCLinuxOS 2014 from the burned installation disk, I'll attempt it, but how would the GRUB Loader interfere?

By the way, I long ago did away with the Windows Restore partition, having occasionally backed up WinXP system into an external harddrive using Paragon Backup and Recovery. However, since the Windows OS is so unstable, I can't do a restore of that first partition, especially because I can't be sure of what to expect out of the existence of the GRUB Loader. I believe I would have been able to restore C: without touching the MBR at all, but it's all academic now.

As screwed up as your XP is, you still might want to do an image backup "just in case". I don't know specifically about PCLinuxOS, but most liveDVDs provide a straightforward way to install, with options to dual boot or wipe the drive and start over with just Linux. Just make sure you completely understand the options. If you aren't sure, make notes, research the questions online and go again. Research the options for things like partitions and sizes and choices of file systems. Make sure you have a functioning way to boot into some working OS with working Internet, even if it is a LiveDVD (verify that the BIOS is set to use the optical drive as the first boot device, which will come in handy if grub gets messed up). I have run into problems with grub getting corrupted by a newer install when you keep old components there for a dual boot. Create a bootable grub repair disk ahead of time, just in case. See this link: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair. If you learn about the issues ahead of time, you will be prepared for the potential problems. BTW, if you are going to start over with a fresh Linux install, it is a perfect time to explore the distro options just to see if there might be any other distro you want to try (not that there's anything wrong with PCLinuxOS). If you plan to wipe the hard disk and start over with just Linux, it should be very simple and straightforward (unless it isn't).

I've been using PCLinuxOS for five years and rarely have had problems that were not of my own doing. It is a rolling release which means if you use Synaptic you can reload and mark upgrades and keep it updated without having to reinstall. They generally recommend doing this every 2-3 weeks. The link to the PCLinuxOS site below explains it in detail.

http://pclinuxoshelp.com/index.php/U...Your_PCLinuxOS

My currently updated PCLinuxOS boots as fast as the other Linux distributions I have and faster than some. It's not a big priority for me however and ridiculously long probably means different times for different people.

I'm not sure why you would expect problems with Grub or what problems they would be. If you install Grub during the installation of PCLinuxOS, it will detect your windows installation unless all its boot files are messed up. Never had a problem with that.

Installing and running VirtualBox should be fairly simple from Synaptic. Type VirtualBox in the Synaptic Search box and it should bring up the installer and you can install.

You should be able to install PCLinuxOS to the partition on which you now have it. Do you still have the old version? and is it bootable? If it is, boot it and run these commands as root to get information to post here:

fdisk -l(Lower Case Letter L) and df -h

If it's not bootable, boot the installation medium of PCLinuxOS and run the fdisk command and also: parted -l(Lower Case L again) and post that info here.

I don't think you would have been able to restore xp without touching the mbr because it restores to factory defaults. I guess it doesn't matter though as you are not planning to xp, correct?

Thanks for the replies.

Before taking up the offer to have the results of those commands viewed here, let me say that, upon reflection, I see that I may be regarding this entire transformation as being more complicated than it really is or has to be, mostly because I am under-informed.

Ultimately I want to end up with a HD partitioned to my preference and with PCLinuxOS as the only bootable OS in the first partition, and so then with no GRUB for dual booting.

So here's the question:
Can I rest assured that included in the process of installing PCLinuxOS 2014 (or thereafter) is the capability to ...

1) Reformat the entire disk ... to the end that ...

2) I can have my full discretion as to the quantity and size of new partitions, and that ...

3) the existence of the GRUB loader is of no issue and will be removed ...

.... OR .... am I laboring under the mistaken impression that no "dual-boot" mechanism such as GRUB is needed for a straightforward installation of PCLinuxOS? Is GRUB a/the counterpart of the MBR?

Can I get guidance from this Forum on partitioning, either during or after the fresh install of PCLinuxOS 2014? Does the OS include the capability to effect the creation of new partitions after installation?

And just to confirm: with PCLinuxOS 2014, I won't have to trash/install-afresh the 2014 version to update the OS itself in the future, RIGHT?

I am so over Microsoft.

No specific knowledge on PCLinuxOS, but all automated Linux installation routines I've seen start with preparing the hard disk the way you want (playing with partitions, reformatting, etc., typically by calling a tool like gpart as part of the process). That's why I suggested familiarizing yourself with the options ahead of time. Depending on the size of the HDD, some people like one big partition, some like to split the installation into a partition for the system and one for your user files. If it will be a dual boot, you need to play with the Windows partition and if there will be any Windows user files stored on the hard disk, you need to use a format that Windows can read (which can affect how you deal with the extended file attributes that Linux uses for its files).

Someone with more knowledge of boot configurations will need to definitively answer your questions about grub. My understanding is that it is not required on a Linux-only system but that it can be used to provide more flexibility in how and where all of the boot-related stuff is stored (a benefit in special cases). Grub does work well. The only issue I'm aware of is that new releases of grub have been known to not always be backward compatible, causing a "one-time" problem after the new version replaces an old one on the system (it happened to me). However, that grub repair utility works like a charm to fix it if that happens, and it isn't a recurring problem, at least, potentially, until the next time grub is changed in an incompatible way and re-installed). The only time it ever gets changed on your system is if you install a new version of Linux in which it is part of the installation process. It is not routinely updated.

With any OS, you are better off deciding ahead of time how you want to configure partitions. You can do it after the fact, but it always carries some risks. So, you need to prepare and take precautions, like having image backups of the existing partitions and a bootable restore provision, with tools available to change the partitioning. I'm sure there is extensive information online, including the forums, on how to repartition. Repartitioning is trivial; if you have an empty hard disk, you can change partitions in minutes to your heart's content. Doing it safely so you don't lose everything on your working system is what is more complicated. And, there are myriad easy ways to accidentally screw up and then have to start over re-installing everything. The tools to repartition are provided with every Linux distro I'm aware of and are also readily downloadable. I believe PCLinuxOS provides tools to remaster a LiveDVD based on your system, which would be a handy tool for backing up prior to repartitioning.

It looks like PCLinuxOS uses rolling releases so you would not normally need to replace it to update/upgrade.

"I am so over Microsoft." Been there. Done that.

I would suggest that when you install, you create a 15-25GB partition for root depending upon how much additional software you think you might install later. You can then create additional data partitions for personal data. You can either do this during the install or later. The same partitioner is available in the installed system as on the installation medium. Creating just the root partition with a swap partition is the simplest installation. And yes, the number and size of partitions is limited only by the size of your hard drive and you can create them during the install or after.

After you select your partitions, you will see a window showing PCLinuxOS is being installed. When that completes, you will get a window asking where you want the bootloader installed. The default is /dev/sda which is the master boot record pointing to the PCLinuxOS boot files and that is what you want. If this is going to be your only system you need to leave that option or the system will be unbootable. Grub is a bootloader and is needed whether it is a single system or dual/multi boot and selecting this option will overewrite the old Grub.


Yes you can create partitions and format them after the install.
No need for a fresh install if you keep the system up to date and the method for doing that is explained in the link in my earlier post.

The link below has a tutorial with images of each step of the way and is quite detailed.

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/i...linuxos_2.html