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Thread: Rollercoaster ride of a Linux newbie..:)

  1. #1
    A shadowy flight. MSIC's Avatar
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    Rollercoaster ride of a Linux newbie..:)

    About me / setting the scene
    I consider myself something of a PC type person, i'm the guy who gets asked to 'sort out' family members various computer woes etc.
    I build machines as a hobby. I read anandtech etc etc and keep very up to date on the latest hardware & stuff.

    I am, however in truth, completely brainwashed by the Windows world....or at least until I began downloading ISO's of Knoppix and Ubuntu and running Live CDs, beginning to familiarise myself with the ways and means of using it.
    No actual installs though.

    Then last night
    Half past midnight, i sent a text to a very good friend of mine in America (who is a network expert and several levels of computer expert above me) saying
    "Funny story. I just tried to install Linux. Now nothing boots"
    "Oh dear" the reply comes. "Can you go back into windows?"
    "No" says I. "Nothing boots. 'Error loading boot' something or other. I got 95% into an Ubuntu install before it crashed, and now i dont have grub or onything".
    "You're knackered mate! Try and get your documents, then wipe the whole thing".

    Oh balls. Panic sets in.

    Clearly, being the computer expert I am, i didn't do a recent backup of documents, mp3s, videos etc etc. Why would I? I am a computer expert - i don't need to backup.

    Time to go to bed, and have a restless night.
    Up at 6.30 today, still upset.
    Decide to try to re-install Ubuntu (the 95%-then-crash was the new 'Ultimate Edition') but it can't partition properly. It just tries, then hangs, and requires a reboot. I think the disc might not be great... panic level rising...
    I try a previously downloaded ISO of Kubuntu (64 bit) 6.10, which loads the Live CD, and although the partition manager doesnt work automatically, it does allow manual configuration.

    So now I am hectically trying to learn about the Linux naming system for hard drives. I am used to C D and E. It's talking hd0 and sd5. I am thinking (in my best Vickie Pollard impersonation) sd whaaat? Read, absorb, read, absorb.... ok i think i've got it.
    I now need to try to install Linux without buggering the Windows partition, despite all the warnings everywhere telling me that if i get it wrong I'll lose all data on the partition or even the whole drive.... stupid complicated ..%#$^....
    Install...yes...yes.... fingers crossed, wait 10 mins.....

    One good Kubuntu install later, I have a working grub installation.
    And it tells me that I have a number of windows partitions still present
    Reboot
    Grub -> Select Win XP Pro
    error ... hda.dll missing
    Google this error, MS tells me what to do.
    Boot Win install disc -> recovery console -> rebuild
    Fingers crossed
    It says it worked, so reboot
    Grub -> Win XP -> Working!!!!!!!
    It's all there. I've deleted nothing, all mp3s there, all documents, all of everything.
    And one fully working Kubuntu install also, that can fully access all NTFS drives etc.

    Relief and happiness.

    [sarcasm]I am a computer expert![/sarcasm]
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    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
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    "ubuntu ultimate edition" is an unofficial, third-party product which doesn't undergo anything like the testing and verification of the real thing

    and resizing ntfs takes bloody ages - i.e. hours

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    Senior Member this_is_gav's Avatar
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    Can I suggest a backup before you break it again, or given the 95% problem, it breaks itself?

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