adjusting BAD partitions/USBstick install/Ubn 9.04 "upgrade"

[Mr Mojito]

Howdy!

first post ever. I've been hearing a lot of good things about mint so I thought I'd give it a shot. However, I've run into a few obstacles before I've even begun

been using a dual boot of XP SP2/3 and Ubuntu 8.10/9.04 for over a year now. only use XP to update my iPod Touch. I know very little code, so if you have advice try to "dumb it down" as much as possible. Thank You

OK here's my dilemma(s)
when I first switched from XP only to an XP/Ubun dual boot, I try'd to be smart by turning my 80G laptop HDD into 3 partitions:
C: Windows XP OS
D: XP Programs, Documents, and other media
unmounted partition: Linux partition [Ext3]

Set this up in Partition Magic 8 (PC) w/ no problems. I can still see the partitions fine on both OS's. But as I look at my partitions in PM8 after my Linux install, it says I have a "BAD Partition" taking up the entire 80gb space (can't edit it). problem is my XP OS partition and my Linux OS partitions are getting too small. and I need to expand my C drive.

Can anyone give me tips for any of the following?
A) deleting my old linux Ubuntu partition with a BAD partition (w/o getting rid of my xp partition)
B) giving a little more space to my C drive partition
C) Shrinking or deleting my D drive partition (I can put it on a 2nd internal HDD)
D) create a new "unmounted" partition for LMint7 with a BAD partition
E) all with only using an 2gb USB stick and the LMint7 ISO file

Also I'd like to do all of this without a CD-rom drive. I have a T61 thinkpad with a BIOS that lets the comp search for OS's in "+usb HDD", which I'm assuming will let me boot/install from a thumb drive(I've already programed it to look there first).

If I have to clean my entire HDD and reinstall everything, I have the XP CD and have backed up everything, but I'd prefer to avoid that route. all that stuff is at my house (CD/CDROM drive), far away from where I currently am.

also, I doubt it, as I've tried to google it already, but is there anyway I can "upgrade" from Ubuntu 9.04 straight to Mint 7 directly? I know Mint 7's based on Jaunty Jackelope.

One way or another I'll figure it out!

[ddalley]

E) all with only using an 2gb USB stick and the LMint7 ISO file

Also I'd like to do all of this without a CD-rom drive. I have a T61 thinkpad with a BIOS that lets the comp search for OS's in "+usb HDD", which I'm assuming will let me boot/install from a thumb drive(I've already programed it to look there first).

If I have to clean my entire HDD and reinstall everything, I have the XP CD and have backed up everything, but I'd prefer to avoid that route. all that stuff is at my house (CD/CDROM drive), far away from where I currently am.

Welcome to the world of mint, Mr Mojito!

Since you seem to have backed things up already, I'm not 100% sure how else the 2Gb mem-stick will help you.

If you wanted to use it on its own, to experiment with Linux, then 2Gb may end up being a bit tight for space once you load a few programs onto it, to check them out. Even with an 8Gb stick, you can quite easily end up with little free space with all of the goodies available, but 2Gb is certainly still usable when using a bit of restraint.

Just a thought...

[Mr Mojito]

you mean I can't just put the iso file on my USB stick? that sucks. I also have a Dameon Virtual drive on XP but I don't think it will work for boot purposes. Has anyone tried UNetbootin I think that might work for me

[ddalley]

you mean I can't just put the iso file on my USB stick? that sucks.

The ISO still has to be installed in some manner, though, and as with many things in life, you have options as to just how you want to go about doing it.

Has anyone tried UNetbootin I think that might work for me

Yes, of course. That's what Unetbootin is all about - it's just one of your options.

[emorrp1]

you mean I can't just put the iso file on my USB stick? that sucks.

I agree, as do many others. Thankfully this is being rectified with grub2, which should come as default in Helena

[Mr Mojito]

Hi,

Thanks again for all your advice guys (and gals?)...

I just said f*ck it, backed up everything, went to go get the proper equipment, and did a clean install. I'm running mint and it seems great. Got XP running in Virtual box, and besides iPod hook up issues it's been running smoothly. Only problems I've had are that:

1) Hibernation mode has crashed twice (happened in Ubuntu too), not a big deal, I'll just suspend it or turn it off.
2) Goggle Earth is kind of glitchy, the street view doesn't work consistently.
3) can't get iPod touch to sync. think I might have figured it out though. When I first installed the virtual XP drive it initially synced fine. But then I let XP SP2 upgrade itself to SP3 and it stopped working. I'm tinkering around, seeing if I can get it to sync to SP3. If all else fails, I'll just start over with SP2.