[SOLVED] A Mix of Mint & Ubunt?

[Babbzzz]

Hello again guys

I think this is wierd. I had Ubuntu installed before Linux Mint. If I remember correctly, I installed Linux Mint over Ubuntu, I liked Mint so I stuck to it. But, I think Mint has some parts of Ubuntu left in it. I know Mint is based on Ubuntu but, this? Sorry I added the image as Details.zip, the image was too large. How could I have reduced the size of the image?

The image shows that in Details, my OS is shown as Ubuntu. Also, there is more than one entry with the same function in the Menu, i.e. there are two System Settinga, two Bluetooth, two Files etc.

I could not take a screenshot with Menu open.

[RobertLM78]

Did you mean installed the mint-meta package in Ubuntu? That's why your system is still showing as an Ubuntu system. If you'd like to have a 'clean' system, you're probably best off re-installing Mint from scratch.

[Babbzzz]

Nope. It was a clean install.

[nomko]

Nope. It was a clean install.

If you did a clean/fresh/new install, did you first removed all Ubuntu partitions?

This is how I do it:
1 - start-up with the Gparted live-cd
2 - remove the Ubuntu partition (or Mint partition if I do a fresh/new install) and the swap partition
3 - reboot and start-up with the Mint live-dvd
4 - install Mint and let setup partition my disc

I added the image as Details.zip, the image was too large

You can also use a cloud storage service like dropbox or wuala or such for your images. Then you only have to provide the link of that image and not being concerned about the size.

[Babbzzz]

Hello nomko

I'm pretty sure, because I got this system recently with Ubuntu installed. I formatted the whole thing, and I'm running on a dual boot with Windows XP.

I'm not sure if I followed your exact same steps though. I did it via a Live USB.

[Babbzzz]

*double bump*

[gold_finger]

I'm not sure if I followed your exact same steps though. I did it via a Live USB.

If you start over and follow nomko's exact steps you should not have a problem.

Note:
-- after step #2, DO NOT create any new partitions -- just leave as free space.
-- at step 4 you should see the choice "Install along side Windows". That is what you want and what will do automatic partitioning for you. If you don't see that choice, it means you didn't do step #2.

[yonnie]

So, in order to get the automagic partitioning I have to install as a dual boot? (Alongside windblows or other?)

Since I never do that, must be why I don't get the automatic feature. What are the best choices and in what order for partitions and to save time? I've noticed that gparted can decide to take all damn-day if you move/resize a partition.

[gold_finger]

So, in order to get the automagic partitioning I have to install as a dual boot? (Alongside windblows or other?)

It will automatically partition if either 1.)you have a completely empty hard drive (no Windows, no nothing) to start with, or 2.)if you have enough free, unpartitioned space on the drive to install on and it does not have 4 partitions already on it in the case of MBR disks.

I do not think you will get the choice to "Install along side Windows" if neither of the two above conditions are met. (I don't have a Windows computer to test that on and on the relatively few installs I've done for others with Windows computers, I never actually paid attention to the choices -- I always partition manually -- so I can't be 100% sure of this.)

Since I never do that, must be why I don't get the automatic feature. What are the best choices and in what order for partitions and to save time? I've noticed that gparted can decide to take all damn-day if you move/resize a partition.

Can't answer that because your situation is different than that of original poster and your system specs. may or may not allow for an easy answer. Start a new post of your own and list the following:
1.) Your system specs? (If don't know, use live DVD and open a terminal. Type following code and hit enter. Paste results by hitting "Code" button on forum post interface and paste between code blocks.)
EDIT: (forgot to insert code originally)

Code: Select all

inxi -Fzx

2.) What version of Windows are you trying to duel boot with?
3.) Using either Windows Disk Manager or GParted from live Mint DVD, take screenshot of your hard drive partitions and attach the picture with your post.

[yonnie]

gold-finger,
what's this following code to type in your step 1?

I generally never dual-boot and have no purpose for windows. I have about as much use for windows as my car has for flat-tires, exceptions are when someone asks me to fix the windows and not replace with Linux. I only do re-installs when I'm repairing a PC and sometimes I have to hunt for distro's that will run properly on old hardware. Generally, I make the swap double the size of ram and make a root partition way larger than suggested as quite often a year down the road an upgrade won't install because the root put there earlier was too small.

I've noticed that Ubuntu likes to automatically install the swap at the end of the drive and LM seems to like the beginning of the drive. I often see the swap as sda5 inside of an ext4 partition of sda2, but sometimes it's by itself. I've seen the swap as sda1, sda2 and sda5. I've seen / as sda1, swap sda2 and /home as sda3, it all seems to work.

I see a system info button in the control center for most distro's except LMDE, why's that?

[gold_finger]

gold-finger,
what's this following code to type in your step 1?

I generally never dual-boot and have no purpose for windows. I have about as much use for windows as my car has for flat-tires, exceptions are when someone asks me to fix the windows and not replace with Linux. I only do re-installs when I'm repairing a PC and sometimes I have to hunt for distro's that will run properly on old hardware. Generally, I make the swap double the size of ram and make a root partition way larger than suggested as quite often a year down the road an upgrade won't install because the root put there earlier was too small.

I've noticed that Ubuntu likes to automatically install the swap at the end of the drive and LM seems to like the beginning of the drive. I often see the swap as sda5 inside of an ext4 partition of sda2, but sometimes it's by itself. I've seen the swap as sda1, sda2 and sda5. I've seen / as sda1, swap sda2 and /home as sda3, it all seems to work.

I see a system info button in the control center for most distro's except LMDE, why's that?

Sorry yonnie,
Forgot to put in code. (Edited previous post.) I assumed I was responding to a newbie, but clearly you're not -- and I'm sure you know all about inxi already. As for your original questions on best way to partition, I don't think there is any kind of definitive "best" way. Sounds like what you're already doing is fine. Don't know if there is any real, noticeable advantage to having swap at beginning or end of drive. Remember reading something somewhere that it may even be good to have two or more swaps in different areas and/or on different drives. How much of an improvement that would make (if any) I have no idea.

[yonnie]

First time I recall of hearing of inxi was today. I spend way too much time keeping up with the basics and continual changes to find out about this kind of stuff. Probably poking about in the wrong places, too.

[Babbzzz]

Thank you.

I'm having my exams now. I'll post back after I do it. Sorry for the delay.

[Babbzzz]

What do you guys think about Debian 7? I think I'm going to completely wipe everything and install Debian alone. Anything I need to take care of before going about it?

[nomko]

First time I recall of hearing of inxi was today. I spend way too much time keeping up with the basics and continual changes to find out about this kind of stuff. Probably poking about in the wrong places, too.

[url=http://code.google.com/p/inxi/]Here's some more info about inxi[/url].
There's even a [url=http://code.google.com/p/inxi/wiki/inxi]wiki[/url] which explains all the commands.

Very handy terminal command

[yonnie]

Linux insider gives Debian 7 a rather poor review (surprisingly poor). [url]http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/78301.html
[/url]
This review is quite cheery: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA6dR_feBws[/url] I don't like the "Unity" appearance of the gnome 3 desktop.

this review is pretty thorough: [url]http://desktoplinuxreviews.com/debian-reviews/debian-7-0-wheezy-review/[/url]

[Babbzzz]

Thank you everyone for your help. I completely wiped my hard drive and installed Linux Mint again. Everything is smooth now.