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Solved - Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 4:42 pm
by Skipper Dan
Hello, Newbie to Linux but not computers. I am probably older than your normal user, pushing 60. I am studying Computer science right now, Python programing to be exact. One of the requirements was to install Linux on my machine. I installed the newest Mint. I also installed it as a dual boot. I found that Linux was very easy to use so now I want to delete windows. I had trouble making a disc with a image to use as a boot disc. I think I ended up installing it from a drive instead. because I don't actually have a disc that I know will work to just start over, can I just delete the windows system? Will I end up with the same thing as starting over? Or is it better to find a way to make a boot disc that I know will work? My primary disc is only 250 GB. I do not need anything on the primary drive as all my files I need are on a separate drive. I searched and found one article which I read but would just like some clarification.
Thank you in advance, Dan
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:43 pm
by JerryF
Welcome to Mint!
Don't quote me, but if your installation of Windows and Mint is Legacy Mode (MBR), you shouldn't have a problem just deleting the Windows partition. That's what mine was. It had a System Reserved Partition (where GRUB is stored) and the Windows OS partition.
If the installations are UEFI, I think it's a little more involved than just deleting the Windows partition.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 6:09 pm
by michael louwe
@ Skipper Dan, .......
It is better for you to reinstall LM with a Live LM USB or DVD. Deleting the Windows system partitions will leave the Linux system partition at the end of the hard-disk = a slow system. For a single-boot system, it is better to have the OS partitions at the beginning of the disk = faster system.
... Also better to have a / or root partition of about 50GB and a home partition for the remaining GB, ie not as good to have a 200+GB or 400+GB / or root partition.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 6:34 pm
by Skipper Dan
Ok, lets try a fresh reinstall. I cannot remember the error code I was getting when I tried to make the boot disk. How about a good link to a Linux download, and a program to make the image that will work. There are so many and I am not sure if I am getting one that is good or just a scam. This way I can just repartition the hard drive. I will continue to search on my own.
Thanks, Dan
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 7:20 pm
by JerryF
Get your ISO file from Linux Mint here:
https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
Then verify the downloaded ISO with the version you chose here:
https://linuxmint.com/verify.php
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 7:38 pm
by WharfRat
Skipper Dan,
If you download the iso to your Downloads folder you can use
sudo dd if=~/Downloads/linuxmint-18.2-mate-64bit.iso of=/dev/sd? bs=4M status=progress && sync
for a usb stick or
cdrecord -v speed=2 dev=/dev/dvd ~/Downloads/linuxmint-18.2-mate-64bit.iso
for a dvd.
Replace the file with the one you downloaded and change /dev/sd? to the usb's device designation.
Good luck
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:53 pm
by Skipper Dan
OK I got it to boot I am going to reformat the disk. I am on the screen The entire disk will be used. Will Linux install partition it the way it needs to be with 50 GB in the front?or do I need to go to advanced partitioning tool?
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 10:45 pm
by WharfRat
Skipper Dan wrote:OK I got it to boot I am going to reformat the disk. I am on the screen The entire disk will be used. Will Linux install partition it the way it needs to be with 50 GB in the front?or do I need to go to advanced partitioning tool?
If I recall correctly there should be an option to erase the disk and install Mint. That's the one that you wan to use.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 3:20 am
by michael louwe
@ Skipper Dan
.
Skipper Dan wrote:.
.
If you have an old Legacy BIOS computer(= pre-2012), please refer to this link for manual partitioning, ie using the "Something else" install method ...
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=122276
The automatic "Erase disk and install LM" method will result in a large / or root partition and normal swap partition being auto-created.
Modern UEFI computers require different manual install procedures = easier to stick to the automatic install method. If using the manual "Something else" method, you need to also create an EFI Boot Partition at the beginning of the disk = fat32 filesystem/550MB in size/mount point is boot/efi. Ensure that the "Device for boot loader installation" is the EFI Boot Partition = usually dev/sda1. Ensure Secure Boot and Fast Boot are disabled in BIOS setup.
... For UEFI computer, you can enable the CSM(= Compatibility Support Module) or Legacy BIOS setting in BIOS setup, to install LM in Legacy BIOS mode.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 12:02 pm
by Skipper Dan
Thanks Michael that is exactly what happened. I almost had it correct but I was looking for a NTSF file system not FAT32, so I went with the automatic and it made me a big root. Everything works but I will go back and redo it the correct way. Just a little learning curve but it all helps. It has been a while since I messed with partitioning and file systems. I'll have to dig around in my bios first. I'll also try and find out type of bios (legacy or not). AMD Athlon (tm) II x2 B24 processor x2, just an old government unit but it works well.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 1:19 pm
by JerryF
Skipper Dan wrote:...so I went with the automatic and it made me a big root.
Yes, one of the unfortunate things is that the automatic method doesn't give you an option to create a root partition and a home partition.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 1:55 pm
by WharfRat
Skipper Dan,
You can easily retrofit a /home partition
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 8:59 pm
by Skipper Dan
Tell me more please
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 9:22 pm
by WharfRat
Skipper Dan wrote:Tell me more please
From the live media, resize the linux partition from right (the end of the partition) to the left.
The size depends on the amount of space you're currently using, but 24GiB works for me for the / partition.
Create a new ext4 partition in the unused space - this will be the /home partition so note the assignment, e.g., /dev/sda6.
Reboot normally to the Mint system and in the terminal enter the following one line at a time changing PART to your partition assignment.
Make sure you get to the last 'echo' line so the entry is made in /etc/fstab.
Code: Select all
PART=sda6
FMT=ext4
sudo cp -a /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.old
sudo mkdir /mnt/newhome
sudo mount -t $FMT /dev/$PART /mnt/newhome
sudo chown $USER:$USER /mnt/newhome
cd /home
find . -depth -print0 | cpio --null --sparse -pvd /mnt/newhome/
sudo umount /mnt/newhome
sudo mv /home /old_home
sudo mkdir /home
sudo mount /dev/$PART /home
sudo rm -r /old_home
echo -e "# /dev/$PART \n$(blkid|grep $PART|grep -wo "UUID=\"[^\"]*\""|tr -d '"') /home $FMT errors=remount-ro,noatime 0 2" |sudo tee -a /etc/fstab
You're now running with a separate /home
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 1:46 pm
by Skipper Dan
Ok I am setting here ready to get started. How to I get to the partition program? in the terminal window? I cannot find gparted.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 2:02 pm
by WharfRat
Skipper Dan wrote:Ok I am setting here ready to get started. How to I get to the partition program? in the terminal window? I cannot find gparted.
You have to resize the partition from a live session, not your running disk installed system.
The live session includes gparted so in the terminal
gksudo gparted&
Once resized boot back to your disk installed system to move the /home folder to the new partition.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 2:36 pm
by Skipper Dan
sorry to be such a pain, I do not understand "live session". running disc is the hard drive? how do I get to the live session? do I install the install disc to get to the live session?
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 2:44 pm
by WharfRat
Skipper Dan wrote:sorry to be such a pain, I do not understand "live session". running disc is the hard drive? how do I get to the live session? do I install the install disc to get to the live session?
Live session is the Mint installation media, either the usb or dvd that you created from the .iso file you downloaded then booted to for the installation.
You were in it once before otherwise you wouldn't have a Mint system running now
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 5:32 pm
by Skipper Dan
well it is just not working. for some reason I cannot delete or manage the partition. I started the computer with the startup disc installed but it still will not let me change the partition. I deactivated the partition but still no luck. Even trying a fresh install will not let me change the partition. I do not see anything that will let me unmount the partition.
Re: Deleting Windows on a dual boot
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 5:34 pm
by WharfRat
Skipper Dan wrote:well it is just not working. for some reason I cannot delete or manage the partition. I started the computer with the startup disc installed but it still will not let me change the partition. I deactivated the partition but still no luck. Even trying a fresh install will not let me change the partition. I do not see anything that will let me unmount the partition.
From the live session, paste back
mount|grep ^/dev