Queries?

Chris2030

Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:09:26 pm

Hi,

I have a few questions:

1.With a dual boot of W7 & Zorin, (W7 installed 1st) can either be uninstalled cleanly for some reasons later, as if it was never installed in the 1st place?

2. After performing a clean install of W7, System Reserved Partition & W7 backed up, drive defragmented, partitioned using GParted Zorin installed. Can windows be updated, apps installed later or have to be done before installing Zorin?

3. After installing Zorin changes will be made in the System Reserved Partition (100MB size used 28.1 MB initially with W7 install) /BOOTMGR/GRUB........is that correct & can those be undone?

4. Can the changed System Reserved Partition/BOOTMGR/GRUB be backed up?

5. How to make either of the OS to be the default?

6. Is it smart to have a dual boot on the same drive?

Thanks.

Chris2030

Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:47:53 am

Thanks swarf for your reply.

1. My laptop has only 1 drive, so shall have to forgot about dual boot, either W7 or Zorin Ultimate.

2. I use Macrium Reflect & it's Rescue CD built in W7 envoirment.

3. Don't have SystemRescue CD, UltimateBootCD & Super Grub CD.

4. MD is smart has Zorin only on his machine.......

5. It's risky for an old man to try a dual boot of 7 & Ultimate.

6. Let me clean install 7, update, add apps & make back ups at each stage by than things might get clear.

7. My Zorin Ultimate DVD might go waste...........

Thanks again.

Regards!

Chris.

Auldyin

Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:00:20 pm

Hi Chris2030

It's no problem to dual boot on a laptop with a single hard drive as long as the drive is large enough and you can free up enough free space.

I have Vista and Zorin 5.2 dual booting on the 250GB hard drive of my laptop. I did so following the instructions from this web site http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/05/22/ho ... ntu-11-04/ it has plenty of pictures and i found it easy to follow.

For disk imaging I use Redo Backup & Recovery http://redobackup.org/ this is also easy and straightforward to use

I don't know how old you are but I'm 64 and my future plans are to replace my hard drive with a SSD drive and because I rarely use Vista to single install the update version of Zorin that I consider is as good or better than Zorin 5.2 hopefully Zorin 6.1 or 6.2 .

So go-on go-on give it a go you have nothing to loose but your "SANITY"

Cheers Auldyin

:idea:

Chris2030

Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:06:20 pm

Thanks Auldyin & swarf for your posts.

1. My laptop's drive is 320 GB & my age is 65.......

2. The reason I want a dual boot is some apps like Yahoo & Windows Live IMs, webcaming, MS Office.

3. Do I neeed to have all 4 CDs in my arsenal before I start & a Ubuntu CD/DVD too?

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

http://www.sysresccd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage

http://www.supergrubdisk.org/

http://redobackup.org/

4. Wine doesn't run all windows apps..........& code weaver doesn't support them too.

5. Would have installed Zorin only if it did.

6. At times feel that should install Zorin only & see how it runs & handles the laptop's hardware & compare with W7......

7. Of course have Zorin Ultimate DVD, GParted CD & Macrium W7 Rescue CD.

Thanks again & hoping to hear your thoughts.

Regards!

Chris2030

Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:24:38 pm

Partition sizes.

1. W7= 40 GB Primary NTFS.

2. Data= 100 GB Primary NTFS.

3. /Boot= 256 MB ext2.

4. /swap = 4 GB.

5. /root = 30 GB ext4.

6. /Home = The rest approx 100 GB ext4.

How does that look , any recommendations?

Regards!

Chris2030

Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:26:57 pm

Can't Zorin do what Ubuntu has done in this link http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/05/22/ho ... ntu-11-04/ ?

Chris2030

Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:29:25 pm

Is /Boot 256 MB a prerequisite if it's a Zorin/Linux ONLY OS?

Do I need all 4 of these both for a Dual & SINGLE OS?

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

http://www.sysresccd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage

http://www.supergrubdisk.org/

http://redobackup.org/

Regards!

Auldyin

Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:33:25 am

Hi again Chris2030

First I would backup your present set-up using Macrium Reflect or Redo Backup just in-case.

Then you don't need a boot partition my partitions are ------

You don't need a Ubuntu disk any instructions that apply to Ubuntu can apply to Zorin also. Follow that link I gave you but apply it to Zorin not Ubuntu.

Take your time double check and don't rush it.

looking at your windose apps " The reason I want a dual boot is some apps like Yahoo & Windows Live IMs, webcaming, MS Office." these can all be replaced with Zorin software from the Software Centre especially MS Office with LibreOffice which comes already installed.

Good Luck Sir

Cheers Auldyin

Wolfman

Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:49:30 am

Chris2030 wrote:Partition sizes.

1. W7= 40 GB Primary NTFS.

2. Data= 100 GB Primary NTFS.

3. /Boot= 256 MB ext2.

4. /swap = 4 GB.

5. /root = 30 GB ext4.

6. /Home = The rest approx 100 GB ext4.

How does that look , any recommendations?

Regards!

Hi Chris,

your W7 is too small and your root partition is too big, I would say for W7 at least 100Gb and for root 20GB; would be enough, I would swap the data and W7 partitions (100GB) around and your data partition (40GB) should either be NTFS or FAT32. Or, split the difference and give them 70GB each.

Regards Wolfman

Chris2030

Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:17:11 pm

Thanks Auldyin.

With your experience & after reading my post you feel that there is no need for a dual boot? Zorin Ultimate alone is good enough?

With Zorin only, would I need a /boot 256 MB partition or only 3, /root 30 GB ext 4, /swap 4 GB & the rest /Home ext 4?

All 3 should be primary?

GParted CD to create them?

Kind Regards!

Chris.

Chris2030

Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:56:17 pm

1 more question Auldyin, do you create back ups of Zorin, if yes what sort of i.e Full backups, using redo?

Thanks again.

Chris2030

Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:45:07 pm

Thanks wolfman for your suggestions regarding partition sizes.

You, swarf & madvinegar might be thinking why am I asking such simple questions. The reason is am confused specially when googling & reading how difficult & trouble some is to have a dual boot specially at my age.

Don't have the luxury of having 2 drives on my laptop.

Like you having Zorin only on 1 drive have finally decided to have it & no W7.

How do I proceed......drive size is 320 GB.

Same questions that I posted for Auldyin, he must be busy or on a different time schedule............

With Zorin only, would I need a /boot 256 MB partition or only 3, /root 30 GB ext 4, /swap 4 GB & the rest /Home ext 4?

Is this order correct of creating them........../root 1st, /swap 2nd & lastly /Home?

All 3 should be primary?

GParted CD to create them?

Hoping to hear from you.

Regards!

Chris.

Wolfman

Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:34:50 pm

Hi Chris,

see part 3 here:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2601

Regards Wolfman

Auldyin

Thu Aug 30, 2012 11:01:24 pm

Hi Chris

If you want to install Zorin on the whole drive the easiest way would be to let Zorin automatically install itself, this is the first option on the installation disk.

If not for Zorin you need only the root "/" ,swap and "/home" partitions you don't need a boot partition. They can be primary but remember you can only have 4 primary partitions on your hard drive it is better to create an extended partition which can then be sub divided into many logical partitions and create your Zorin partitions there.

I would definitely have a GParted CD to create your partitions.

Using Redo Backup, monthly I backup my entire hard drive to a 500GB usb external hard drive, due to the compression this is approx 95GB in size, also I backup my Zorin partiitions to a 32GB usb flash drive this is about 23GB in size.

Hope this is useful to you.

Cheers Auldyin

:!:

Chris2030

Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:48:11 am

Thanks wolfman for posting the link, appreciate it.

Chris2030

Fri Aug 31, 2012 12:52:18 pm

Wolfman wrote:Hi Chris,

see part 3 here:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2601

Regards Wolfman

Hi wolfman,

From where does part 3 start?

Regards!

Chris2030

Fri Aug 31, 2012 12:52:51 pm

Auldyin thanks for your reply.

When you create a back up of Zorin do you image all 3 partitions or only /Home?

Regards!

Auldyin

Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:36:17 pm

Hi Chris

I backup both the root and home partitions of Zorin.

I see it's marked as solved. :geek:

SO WHAT DID YOU DO :?:

Bursting with curiosity Auldyin

Wolfman

Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:39:20 pm

Hi Chris,

it starts here:

"Part 3. Linux Returns.

Okay, so now we have decided that we only want Linux on our drive and we want to remove Windows completely and create partitions for Linux systems only.

Your current layout should look something like this.

Pic 27"

Scroll down to pic 27, you'll find it!!.

Regards Wolfman

Chris2030

Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:49:54 pm

Hi Auldyin,

Marked it as solved accidently, senile dementia, had to do it after I heard from you & wolfman.

Thanks again.

Chris.

Chris2030

Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:51:40 pm

Thanks wolfman.

Regards!

Chris.

Chris2030

Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:56:03 pm

Hi wolfman,

On 320 GB.

1. /swap = 4 GB

2. /root= 30 GB

3. /home= rest is fine.

Regards!

Chris2030

Fri Aug 31, 2012 5:34:30 pm

Wolfman, swarf, madvinegar................i'm going for it........ hope the partition sizes are fine for Zorin Ultimate ONLY on a 320 GB drive.

Shall keep you updated..........

Thank you all & Auldyin too.

Regards!

Chris.

Wolfman

Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:46:25 am

Hi Chris,

those sizes are fine, good luck!!.

Regards Wolfman

Chris2030

Sat Sep 01, 2012 11:32:36 pm

Thanks wolfman fof your reply & confirmation. 1 more question the Full Zorin backups can be placed on /home or do I need to create a 4th partition......A Lpgical one to create / restore nack ups using Redo? Thanks agin & hoping to hear from you. Regardsl Chris. PS: Apolobize for the poor typo using my cell.

Wolfman

Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:34:49 am

Hi Chris,

I think we talked about a 4th partition on one of your other threads, yes it is a good idea or you can simply use an external drive for your backups!!.

Regards Wolfman

Chris2030

Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:27:41 pm

Thanks swarfendor for your reply.

1. The way you have suggested is bit different fro viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2601 pic 27 own wards.

2. "/" root 1st, that says swap 1st ?

3. Is giving label name to partitions like Zorin root, home necessary & important?

4. You suggest " Create 4 Gb 'linux swap' - at end of Drive (4096)" how does one do that?

5. " If however you intend to create a partition for back up, leave yourself a 120 Gb FAT32 Data partition then on the inbetween bits, 4 Gb Linux swap at the end of the blank partition and the remainder '/home' " didn't get this.......could you care to post a screenshot of such a drive partitions?

Regards!

Chris.

Wolfman

Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:35:56 am

Hi Chris,

pic 35 is more less what you would have as free space after a linux install, it doesn't really matter where swap goes per se, I have swap , root then home, you can do root, home then swap.

If you want to label the drives you can, this is just more or less for reference!!.

In the pic there is unallocated space which you could format as your reserve backup partition

Regards Wolfman

: pic.35.png (32.86 KiB)

Chris2030

Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:43:19 am

Thanks a ton wolfman.

Btw the pic isn't opening on a new tab?

Regards!

Chris.

Wolfman

Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:56:40 am

Right click it then on reload or view image!!

Chris2030

Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:01:26 am

Thanks swarfendor437 for your reply.

1. I appreciate your expert opinion about swap.

2. But has confused me a bit. Should I go your suggested way or wolfman's........He suggests swap at the start & you at the end. He recommends all 3 Primary & you suggest "/" only Primary all rest in Extended.......using your way shall /home & swap be in Extended only or would I have to create Logical in the Extended?

3. Your method makes sense, but as you have posted Gnome 3 is different let's see what wolfman suggests?

4. How can I post screen shots of GParted partitions.......or will I need to install Zorin ultimate & than let you see how it looks, each time?

5. How important is backing up using Redo?

Regards!

Chris.

Wolfman

Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:14:56 am

Chris2030 wrote:Thanks a ton wolfman.

Btw the pic isn't opening on a new tab?

Regards!

Chris.

Right click and save as!!. You can view it at your leisure.

Follow Swarfs advice about partitions but it really doesn't matter much, swap first, last or in the middle, I have it first with no problem!!.

Regards Wolfman

This is a static archive of the old Zorin Forum.