Afternoon Everyone:

I want to delete Ubuntu from my HDD and install another Linux distro in it's place WITHOUT "wiping" the entire drive. I'm sure this can be done, so PLEASE, direct me to the proper tutorial OR PLEASE give me a step-by-step "how to". Also,would it be helpful to "flash" my laptop before any installation? MUCH APPRECIATED:
(HP 2000-210us Ubuntu 12.04 LTS)

RICK

There is no need to 'delete' Ubuntu in the scenario you describe. You simply install the new Linux to the same partition on which you have Ubuntu and select to format at the beginning of the install.

When you get to this step

http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thum...p-7Bullet1.jpg

You should be able to choose the bottom step (Something else) and choose which partitions to format.

To yancek:

OK, that's what I want to do. Now, perhaps you missed the part about a tutorial or step-by-step guide I could get?
THANX:
Rick

To anonymo:

Checked out both 'sites"....ahhhh... Neither seemed to pertain to my question? Are you sure those are the ones you wanted me to see?

THANX:
RICK

Hey All:

Went to this site:

http://www.ehow.com/how_8660700_linu...-deleting.html

My understanding is that any Linux install WILL just overwrite the "installed" O.S. and therefore, no need to partition and or delete/re-install partition. Does this sound correct?

RICK

Well, that isn't actually a safe way to do it. You don't need to actively delete the old system, but if you overwrite without at least reformatting the partition you are installing to then you will leave stuff behind from the original install might be harmful, or at least confusing.

So, if your drive is already partitioned, as it would be if you have Ubuntu already installed, then when you install the new system and it asks for the partitions you should select whatever option there is to reformat the partition at least.

I would not follow the instructions from ehow - not a good GNU/Linux resource - but follow the instructions on the site for the distro you are installing.

It's easy!

Morning Astrogeek:

OK, this just gets more in depth AND frustrating the deeper I delve into it. So, let me get this straight: I DO have to 'reformat" the partition? But not the entire HDD? If this is correct, then I'll have to read up on deleting/formatting just a partition! Correct? If so, does Linux have a GOOD tutorial on that? While we discussing formatting, I looked up how to format a disc (pendrive and I assume, HDD). My gawd, what a long, drawn out procedure!! Surely, there must be a simple 1-2 step process, like MSWin has? Where, if it exists, could I find those instructions? Thanx for the help/instructions!! OH, and if I succeed in formatting just the partition, will the install of the new Linux O.S. load into that particular partition only? What procedures must I execute to insure that happens. KRYST, I thought Ubuntu/Linux was supposed to be "simple".

Later:
RICK

Someone here could give more detailed step if we knew your drive/partition information. Do you have one hard drive? multiple hard drives? one partition? multiple partitions? Is the new Linux distribution the only system you will have? Do you have another operating system installed? If so, do you want to keep it?

Using the example of Ubuntu which you are familiar with, you would first boot the installation medium and select the option 'Something Else' which gives you more control. You should get to an Installation Type window where you can see the partition(s) on the computer and just select the partition on which you have Ubuntu currently installed by clicking the mouse on that line in the main window. Then click the 'Change' tab below the window. There is a check box to select to format, so check the box and select the filesystem type (ext4 is default for most current Linux) and proceed.

You could read the tutorial at the Ubuntu site below to get an idea of the steps involved. Also, both Mint and PinGuy are Ubuntu derivatives and the Mint installer is pretty much identical to Ubuntu. I've never used PinGuy so I don't know. Answer the questions above if you want more detailed help.

http://askubuntu.com/questions/34326...g-installation

To All:

GEZUZ KRYST!!! I'm not trying to rebuild the Roman empire! It's simple...I want to know if I can install new a Linux distro in the same partition where my present Linux O.S is? I read I can do this...that, as long as it's a Linux distro, it will just OVERWRITE the present Linux(UBUNTU 12.04LTS)O.S. Is this true? If not, then screw it all. It's just too damn much EFFORT to do something simple w/Ubuntu. I'll just wipe the entire HDD and start over. LET'S keep it simple!!!
[HP 2000-210us- 80Gb HDD - 12.04LTSUbuntu]
Thank You:
RICK

Simple answer is 'YES', as I said in my first post. You would need to format that partition either before or during the install. Since you are looking at Mint or PinGuy, they are Ubuntu derivatives and though I've never used PinGuy, about the only difference in the Mint installer is the green background as opposed to the purple, or whatever color that is.

To yancek:

Ahhh....at last, a simple "YES or No". Thank you so much for replying. I'm sorry that I missed you saying I could install over previous Linux O.S. This makes it so much easier. You see, the reason for me wanting to 'overwrite" was that I would have had to move a lot of files off the HDD, then wipe and install preferred O.S., then move all those files back again...and I really didn't have enough "storage space" on other pendrives or another HDD to accommodate the entire gamut of files. See, I guess I really knew the answer to my question, I just wanted someone to verify that I was correct. (Someone who HAS more experience w/ Linux) Now, got a poser that I haven't been able to find the answer I want. I want/need to 'format" a couple of my pendrives and in trying to do so with Linux/Ubuntu, the procedure is so long and involved(according to the forums that I sought out). Isn't there a simple 1-2 step procedure to format pendrive w/Linux (like with MSWin)? As always, your help/info is appreciated!!

THANX:
RICK

The problem with a simple yes or no to your question is that there are a lot of unknown variables that people were trying to take into consideration to help you. From the information you have posted, you have one and only one operating system currently installed and that is Ubuntu. Also, as far as we can tell from your information, you have one and only one partition and that is the partition with Ubuntu. From your posted info, you have no other partitions and no other data on the drive or drives you have. These are some of the things people wonder about when trying to respond to a question of this sort as they don't want to give advice and find out the situation wasn't what they thought initially.

Also, I didn't respond to the second part of your initial question about tutorials because you apparently have experience installing Ubuntu, Mint and PinGuy both use the same installer as Ubuntu. There are also probably thousands of tutorials on installing Ubuntu/Mint online, some good and some not so good so I could not see the point in writing another.

As for formatting pendrives, GParted is commonly used for that and if you have an Ubuntu/Mint CD/DVD, it will be on it. In either, just type " sudo gparted" in a terminal and the GUI should open. You would need the pendrive plugged in 'before' you open GParted, so when the window opens, in the upper right you will see the devices and the default will be /dev/sda. There are up/down arrows to change drives. The sda will be your internal hard drive in most cases and the size of the drive is shown so it should be easy to tell if you have selected the pendrive. In the main window below this, you should see the partitions on the pendrive, left click to highlight it then click the Partition tab at the top and then select Format to in the drop down and select the filesystem type.

It's pretty simple once you've used it a few times. Don't know how it compares to windows as I haven't used it since W2K. Just remembered, I have windows 7 on this machine but haven't booted it since September.

You should be able to use google to find GParted tutorials also as it is very widely used software.

To yancek: To Everyone:

I had no intentions of calling anyone out. Let me explain this way: My first introduction to Linux/Ubuntu was 10.04. I used it until 12.04 arrived. I feel I made a mistake going to 12.04. You see, with 10.04, whenever I had questions, I could find the answers within Ubuntu tutorials and/or forums. SIMPLE. Since installing 12.04, I can't seem to do ANYTHING without getting on here or a few other forums, youtube, a search engine or linux tutorials. Even the good tutorials I got concerning 10.04, seem to have vanished with 12.04. Thus, I'm now moving on to either pinguy or Linuxmint. From the onset, I basically fought 12.04 at almost every endeavor I tried. Now, I'm dealing with media players and audio programs quitting at will. They work well for awhile, then they start doing all sorts of wierd stuff. Tonight,for instance,PAROLE nor MPlayer would play a commercial DVD. Yet, VLC did. My answer to that has been to "remove" them, then after a few days, reinstall and they work fine...for awhile. Now, I've been TRYING to download LiLi and guess what... a Linux program that won't open in Ubuntu 12.04. I download it, but have no idea where it goes(it doesn't show up anywhere in any of the files) I've used LiLi many times, however, that was w/ MSWin. To say the least, I'm completely dissatisfied w/12.04. I've spent more time posting threads for answers/help than I care to admit. In my opinion, they never should have tried to fix(10.04) that which was not broken. So, here's the $64,000 question: Will the next generation LinuxMint/Pinguy or Fedora 20 solve the problems I experienced w/Ubuntu 12.04? I guess I'm about to find out. NO ONE should be offended at my threads or responces. I never tried to to purposely slight anyone (ahh..I lied, there was one person who so got on my nerves over many posts that I did, eventually, tell him to perform an act which, for the most of us, would be physically impossible) Should anyone have taken exception to anything I've said, then I must apologise. It is not my intentions to alienate anyone here(with 1 exception) because I do need the help/advice/experience I've been afforded. THANK YOU!!
RICK

I have Ubuntu 12.04 installed but rarely use it. I only have it because a close friend uses it and sometimes needs assistance so I keep it. I haven't had any problems with it and the media player (vlc) works fine and I've installed Skype and pipelight/wine for Silverlight video and it all worked and was pretty easy to do.

That being said, I preferred the older versions of Ubuntu, 10.04, 10.10 and although I haven't really had problems with the Unity Desktop, I'd agree with your statement about why change something that works fine. Not much we can do about it. There have been too many changes in Ubuntu recently for tutorials you used with 10.04 to work with the newer releases. One thing to look for on tutorials is the date written, lots of outdated stuff out there.

If you're switching distributions, Mint has a lot of users and good support. I'd stay away from Fedora unless you just need the latest bleeding edge software because it has very short term support and frequent new releases.

LiLi, the Linux Live USB Creator is windows software and won't run on Linux. If you look at the name of the download file, you can see that it has an .exe extension meaning it is a windows executable.

The default for most Linux systems for downloads is the users Downloads directory.

If you want to create a bootable usb, I would suggest unetbootin. If you still have Ubuntu installed, you should have its usb-creator. Just open a terminal and type: gksudo usb-creator-gtk. If the creator window opens, you've got it. If not, you should be told how to install. If you have Mint, they have the same program but it uses a different name which I can't remember right now.

To yancek:

Well, here's egg on my face. I was under the impression LiLi was a unix program. Thus, no wonder it worked well with MSWin and not Linux. OK, no big problem...I can access comps with MSWin and obtain the desired Linux O.S. via LiLi. I have used Unetbootin previously, but had some difficulties getting certain O.S's to load into it, thus the reason I prefered LiLi. I did obtain LinuxMint 16 from a CD and have the iso on file. Yet, I'd still like to try Pinguy and have not yet gotten to download it's iso. I should be able to do so now.Thanx for the 'heads-up" on Fedora20. Curious, has your friend mentioned any difficulties with 12.04? And I do understand about the differences between 10.04 and 12.04 and how 'support" for either O.S. would be different. I do not understand the intermittent failures of the PAROLE and MPlayer media software. I know, just shut up and use VLC!! Now, as far as the 'latest" O'S's and softwares...NO I do not need all the latest bells and whistles, unless those are essential to what I want to do. Really, all I want/need is an O.S/software that works/performs to said specs and remains STABLE. Much like what I had w/10.04. After reading many articles about Pinguy, this is their claim---Reliability and Stability!! So, thus, my interest in PINGUY. Now what I'm confronting is the issue of whether or not I can "load" a newer Linux distro into the same partition as 12.04 without having to "wipe" the entire HDD prior to install. What I mean is, I wish to put either LinuxMint or Pinguy in the same partition and not disturb any of the rest of the HDD. I read in a forum that a Linux O.S (distro) would just "overwrite" that particular partitiion. Now, I'm getting controversy on whether or not this is correct. Well so, very soon, I'm going to ditch 12.04 and move on to, HOPEFULLY, another O.S. that's more to my preference/expectations;once I figure out the issue of "installation into the same partition"!
THANX yancek; As always, I appreciate your time and efforts and helpful information!!!
RICK