Hi,

I had a dual-boot system: Ubuntu and Debian. I've been wanting to see what Kubuntu is like, and I finally got it installed. I then had a three-boot system until I managed to wipe out Kubuntu (doing something stupid, as usual when I wipe something out.) I would now like to know how to delete Kubuntu (I know how to format that partition, but I don't know how to deal with the Grub boot,) to get back to my nice dual-boot system. Can someone make this simple?

The only thing that you have to worry about is which system you have your working GRUB on. If it is on Ubuntu or Debian then you can wipe Kubuntu without worrying about GRUB.

If GRUB is on Kubuntu then you have to install GRUB on either Ubuntu or Debian if it is not already installed there. Then you have to set up /boot/grub/menu.lst on the distribution you choose. Then you boot into that distribution and run the grub-install command so that the MBR of your boot disk points to the new /boot/grub/menu.lst.

-------------------
Steve Stites

I have /boot/grub installed in both Ubuntu and Debian partitions. The Ubuntu /boot/grub/menu.lst is :

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
## password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash vga=795

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=true

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-9-generic
uuid 3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-9-generic root=UUID=3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-9-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-9-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-9-generic root=UUID=3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-9-generic


title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
uuid 3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 (on /dev/sda3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 (single-user mode) (on /dev/sda3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 root=/dev/hda3 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486
savedefault
boot

and the Debian /boot/grub/menu.lst is :

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
## password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash vga=795

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=true

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-9-generic
uuid 3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-9-generic root=UUID=3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-9-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-9-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-9-generic root=UUID=3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-9-generic


title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
uuid 3fc84cbc-f614-41a5-98e1-0baea77b7043
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 (on /dev/sda3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 (single-user mode) (on /dev/sda3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 root=/dev/hda3 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486
savedefault
boot

So, what do I do, now?

You don't need a triple boot system to do this; just add kde to Ubuntu (or debian, for that matter) from repositories (probably packages called things like kde-base, kde-essentials are, err, the essentials, but you'd probably want some extra bits and pieces too).

To Late. I cleared my Kubuntu partition, restarted and everything went to hell. I played with things for a while and wound up installing PCLOS (a distro that I've always liked and keep coming back to,) and I'm getting ready to reinstall Debian (I still haven't decided which I like better, Debian or Ubuntu; but, I think that Debian is more stable and I have always been able to recover from my mistakes with it.)

Ta Ta.