Ubuntu

[delcecchi]

I have an old laptop I want to put ubuntu on. How should I set up the disk? I can't find anyplace with good advice as to the volumes or mount points or whatever. The first time I ended up with too small a primary and now have to fix it.

[Shack]

Del,

Assuming you are obviously going the advanced install route, how are you looking to install Ubuntu, what are the specs of the machine your are installing Ubuntu on and what is your hard drive(s) set up like?

I will just toss up this image of the first half of setting up two 40g drives using Ubuntu's software RAID method on an advanced install. It may give you an idea of how to set up a single disk. Obviously the large disk you have the more allocation to the primary you can give.

If you are just installing the desk top on a single disk and want just Ubuntu desktop, I am almost positive if you do this via a live CD Ubuntu configures everything automatically for you. I am thinking maybe you have a non-live download or the server edition. If you go to this page: Click Here and download to another PC and use a program such as PowerISO to create a boot-able Live DVD or a Live USB you should be able to slap the DVD or USB in and enter some basic info and Ubuntu does everything for you.

If this is an older machine and it has no DVD player I feel ya. The boot-able USB may be an option that will get you a Live something something to make installing much easier.

[delcecchi]

It has a DVD player and used to have Vista. If I recall, it has a 160GB drive (or maybe 80). I did the Ubuntu live DVD thing and ended up with partitions too small due to me in all likelyhood. So it has Ubuntu on it but the disk is messed up. I think I will see about starting over.

[aanderud]

At this point I'll assume that you fit into one of the following categories:

a) you will likely stick with ubuntu for future upgrades or

you have somewhere else (another PC) that you could us to temporarily back up your '/home' if you had to do a complete upgrade to a different version of linux or whatnot down the road

In this scenario (a laptop with a desktop OS that has sufficient upgrades of its own, and little to no reason to migrate to some other linux flavor), there's little use in having a separate /home and /boot partitions. The only reason to keep /home its own partition is for upgrade agnosticism. You can install a new linux OS without touching /home. However, given (a) or ( above, you shouldn't need to bother with this. Instead, I would just create a 4 gig 'swap' partition and then a monolithic partition for the rest (boot and home), and you'll never have to worry about home or booth partitions being 'undersized'.

Also, if you're using ubuntu, I highly suggest using the LTS releases (long term support). Otherwise you run into issues downloading packages later (which you can work around, but might as well avoid in the first place if you can). I think the lastest is 12.04 LTS which has support out through 2017.

[upnorth]

It has been a while since I have setup a Linux box, but for just a plain desktop you won't go to far from wrong accepting the default disk partitions. Wouldn't worry too much about unless you are setting it up for a server. At that point you want to be sure to set aside space for apps or files/print services apart from the root, etc/var/home and the like.

[Moose]

I also have a Vista laptop. I have tried to switch to Linux but have had problems getting the wireless to work. I have a Compaq C500 with 32gb hd and 2gb ram it has a single core processor just can't remember which one right now. I was wondering if anybody knows of a version of Linux that will run the wireless card on my laptop and not be a resource hog like Vista? I use this laptop for some presentation stuff and to run video to my HD TV and a projector.

I have used the live usb versions of puppy and pc linux. Does it matter if I run the live version or do a full install for the wireless card?

[Whoaru99]

I've run USB sticks with Linux-based stuff and had working wireless. Mainly depends if there is a driver available that will work with that particular wireless.

[lotsofish]

I agree with going with the default disk setup if you just want to get it working. I believe Ubuntu defaults to putting everything together on one partion, and maybe a second partition for SWAP if it's needed.

[Whoaru99]

Does it matter if I run the live version or do a full install for the wireless card?

I confirmed last night that my HP laptop wireless worked without a hitch running either Linux Mint 13 or Precise Puppy from USB stick.

[Shack]

For over the last year all my experience working with Ubuntu has been mainly remote spin of the server edition but yes, I have run into the wireless issue when setting Ubuntu desktop. My son just over came this same issue last week building a Compaq for his friend with Ubuntu desktop and as soon as he gets home later tonight I find out which driver he installed via command line to fix the issue he had.

[Whoaru99]

I think they have some options for installing different drivers without resorting to command line, but perhaps it could be necessary in some cases.

[Moose]

Thanks Whoaru 99.Can I use command line on a live usb version? Shack were you able to get the information from your son? I would like to keep Vista on the machine as my son uses itunes on this computer. Does Android offer an operating system for laptops that is smaller than the windows OS and still runs itunes?

[Whoaru99]

I'd think so but I'd maybe try some different versions to see if the wireless drivers are built in those, or if you can select different drivers through the desktop interface.

[Whoaru99]

I'd think so but I'd maybe try some different versions to see if the wireless drivers are built in those, or if you can select different drivers through the desktop interface.

[delcecchi]

Thanks Whoaru 99.Can I use command line on a live usb version? Shack were you able to get the information from your son? I would like to keep Vista on the machine as my son uses itunes on this computer. Does Android offer an operating system for laptops that is smaller than the windows OS and still runs itunes?

I believe there are open source linux compatible programs with many of the same functions as itunes, at least with respect to getting media on to a device. Probably not when it comes to buying media from apple....