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How do I perform this particular XP/Zorin tango?

murofniroz

Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:00:52 pm

I tried to find a posting on this problem — I really did! — but in vain. My problem is that I am on a trunk (I'm speaking metaphorically here) with a limited number (3) of branches, and I'll need to hop around on those branches (hence the tango metaphor) a bit before I end up where I want to be (with only two HDDs, set up as RAID 1, with Zorin 7.1 installed on them).

For starters, I have XP on one of the 80Gb WDigital HDDs that I want to use in the final phase, and it has lots of files on it that I wish to preserve. I also have an old 20Gb Quantum Fireball HDD that is blank, so I was thinking of installing XP on it, transferring all of my files from the 80Gb XP/ WDigital HDD, DBAN the latter, add in the two erased 80Gb WDigital HDDs and install Zorin 7.1 there (in a RAID 1 setup), transfer the files from my XP/Quantum Fireball to my new Zorin RAID 1 drives, THEN erase (DBAN) the XP/ Quantum Fireball drive and remove it, leaving only my Zorin 7.1 RAID 1 setup.

My question is how do I eliminate the dual-boot Linux file elegantly, once I have my Zorin 7.1 RAID 1 setup humming, with all of my Word documents and pics transferred there? [I am assuming that when I add in the two twin 80Gb WDigital HDD (actually two different WDigital 80Gb HDD: one a WD800JD; the other a WD800AAJS), then install Zorin 7.1 on them (like this: https://help.ubuntu.com/10.04/servergui ... ation.html), Linux will automatically create a dual-boot file.]. Also, given that I want to protect these files, would it make sense to set up a large HOME partition on the RAID 1 setup, so that if a reinstall becomes necessary, I don't format my files away (I guess I answered that question myself!)?

Note that my Quantum Fireball is an IDE/ PATA drive and that the machine (a Dell Optiplex 320) only has "wiring" for two SATA drives, though, in principle, I could convert one of the PATA wirings to a SATA wiring, via an adapter, but I'm, broke, XP is expiring soon, and anyway, using the XP branch (I'm back to the tree metaphor here) is only part of the transitional-phase "tango"; when the music stops, I'll only have the Zorin 7.1/ RAID 1 setup (but she's pretty, so I won't miss XP, I'm sure!).

My experience with Linux is confined to having installed Zorin 7.1 Core on the Quantum Fireball HDD last week and running it for awhile in dual-boot with the 80Gb XP/ WDigital HDD.

Thanks!

Swarfendor437

Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:20:13 pm

Hi, just remember to disable any networking in your XP install and you should be safe. I cannot comment on RAID installations as I have never done this. You need to be aware though that support has ended for Zorin 7.1, jus like its Ubuntu counterpart of 13.04. I would advise that you consider using Zorin 6 instead or waiting for Zorin 9 but this will be two to three months after Ubuntu 14.04 LTS comes out. Sorry I cannot be of further help!