Replace Ubuntu 14 with Mint 17 [SOLVED]

[Zydol]

I have Ubuntu 14 installed onto an external USB hard drive with grub 2.0 menu. (Main OS is Win 8.1) I now wish to replace Ubuntu 14 with MINT 17. Having used it from a live USB stick, I much prefer the overall set-up. (as you can tell I'm a newbie, a simple sole!!!) Would somebody be able to tell me best way to carry out this task. Do I need to re-format my external drive and go through the same process I went through to install Ubuntu 14 or is there an easier way. Please keep it simple for me.
Regards

Zydol

[cwsnyder]

If you want to avoid the problems associated with an attempt to upgrade listed here: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=184752 , I would suggest simply re-installing Mint 17 over your Ubuntu 14.04 installation.

[Zydol]

Hi, Thanks for taking the time to reply, can you further advise me on best how to carry out this install as it would seem to be the best way to go.

[cwsnyder]

You should be able to install from your Live USB stick.

[Zydol]

Hi again, On the installation type (menu) it says
1. Install Linux Mint 16 alongside Ubuntu 14.04.
2. Erase Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and reinstall.
3. Something else.
I'm nut sure which option to choose, can you please advise me.
Also do you know why it says install Mint 16 alongside Ubuntu and not 17.1 which is on the live USB stick.

Regards

[mbohets]

It depends what you would like to do

1. Install Linux Mint 16 alongside Ubuntu 14.04.
This keeps Ubuntu and also installs mint, so you will end up with a dual boot system,
and when you boot your pc you will get a menu allowing you to choose what linux system to use

2. Erase Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and reinstall.
This erases your hard disk completely and installs mint, using the entire disk for mint

3. Something else.
With this option you can make disk partitions the way you like.
Don't use this if you are a new user, read up on partitioning matter first

If you have data (pictures, documents, music, ....) you want to keep, copy it to another drive or cloud storage first.

[Zydol]

Hi again, option (2) looks to be the best option, all my data is backup so I can use the entire disk for Mint.
Also do you know why it says install Mint 16 alongside Ubuntu and not 17.1 which is on the live USB stick.

Many Thanks for your time and effort with helping me, much appreciated.

Keith

[gold_finger]

Also do you know why it says install Mint 16 alongside Ubuntu and not 17.1 which is on the live USB stick.

I was wondering same thing. Are you sure you downloaded 17.1? Make sure the name of ISO file indicates it's 17.1 and run checksum to make sure md5sum matches that shown on the download page. To do that:

• -- From Ubuntu: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM
  -- From Windows: either http://www.winmd5.com/ or http://www.sinf.gr/en/hashcalc.html

Regarding install options, I actually think you're best bet is to choose "Something else" option. If you choose any of the automated options I think it will try to put the grub boot loader on the internal drive instead of on the external drive. You probably don't want that. Also, there is a chance that Windows is installed and booting in UEFI mode, while your Ubuntu install on the external drive may have been done in Legacy mode. Depending on how Ubuntu got installed, that may affect how you need to install Mint. It's impossible to know for sure without more info. Might be best to post back with output from the following terminal commands (from within your Ubuntu install) before proceeding with anything:

Code: Select all

cat /etc/fstab
sudo blkid -c /dev/null
sudo parted -l

[Zydol]

Hi gold-finger,
The checksum matches OK
Here is the information hope this helps (please bear in mind I'm new to Linux OS)

keith@keith-XPS-8700:~$ sudo blkid -c /dev/null
/dev/sda2: LABEL="Data" UUID="00F4E1C9F4E1C150" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdb1: LABEL="ESP" UUID="DAB6-3C11" TYPE="vfat" 
/dev/sdb2: LABEL="DIAGS" UUID="20D5-A9D8" TYPE="vfat" 
/dev/sdb4: LABEL="WINRETOOLS" UUID="880CD76D0CD75532" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdb5: LABEL="OS" UUID="7680DF5480DF1987" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdb6: LABEL="PBR Image" UUID="8E868CE8868CD1DF" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdc1: LABEL="My Book 2TB" UUID="320CEED90CEE96DF" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdh1: UUID="2accf47f-ae7a-4de4-9ee9-b2cf1f103734" TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/sdh2: UUID="24601c65-71cc-4a23-a4af-24f4c4cc82eb" TYPE="swap" 
/dev/sdh3: UUID="d695d5de-c440-4b32-8eb7-4cac4b3d3f5e" TYPE="ext4" 
keith@keith-XPS-8700:~$ sudo parted -l




Model: ATA ST3000DM001-1CH1 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 3001GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: gpt


Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name                          Flags
 1      17.4kB  134MB   134MB                Microsoft reserved partition  msftres
 2      135MB   3001GB  3000GB  ntfs         Basic data partition          msftdata




Model: ATA LITEONIT LMT-256 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 256GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt


Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name                          Flags
 1      1049kB  525MB   524MB   fat32        EFI system partition          boot
 2      525MB   567MB   41.9MB  fat32        Basic data partition          hidden
 3      567MB   701MB   134MB                Microsoft reserved partition  msftres
 4      701MB   2849MB  2147MB  ntfs         Basic data partition          hidden, diag
 5      2849MB  247GB   244GB   ntfs         Basic data partition          msftdata
 6      247GB   256GB   9423MB  ntfs         Microsoft recovery partition  hidden, diag




Model: WD My Book 1230 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdc: 2000GB

[gold_finger]

Windows IS using UEFI mode on your computer.

Still can't tell how Ubuntu was installed (UEFI or Legacy mode). Main reason I want to know that is so I know how you start Ubuntu. Want to try installing Mint in same manner so you don't have to do something different from what you're currently used to doing to start the OS.

Boot back into Ubuntu, open a terminal and enter these two commands (might be easier to copy/paste the second one into the terminal instead of trying to type it out):

Code: Select all

cat /etc/fstab
[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "EFI boot on HDD" || echo "Legacy boot on HDD"

Copy/Paste full output back here.

[Zydol]

keith@keith-XPS-8700:~$ cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
Hi, gold_finger
thanks for your time

# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
# / was on /dev/sdh1 during installation
UUID=2accf47f-ae7a-4de4-9ee9-b2cf1f103734 /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /boot/efi was on /dev/sdb1 during installation
UUID=DAB6-3C11  /boot/efi       vfat    defaults        0       1
# /home was on /dev/sdh3 during installation
UUID=d695d5de-c440-4b32-8eb7-4cac4b3d3f5e /home           ext4    defaults        0       2
# swap was on /dev/sdh2 during installation
UUID=24601c65-71cc-4a23-a4af-24f4c4cc82eb none            swap    sw              0       0
keith@keith-XPS-8700:~$ [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "EFI boot on HDD" || echo "Legacy boot on HDD"
EFI boot on HDD

[gold_finger]

Zydol,

Sorry didn't have time to get back to you earlier.

Ubuntu got installed in UEFI mode and is using the EFI System Partition on /dev/sdb1 for its grub boot loader, so going to have you install Mint in same way. Basically all you're going to do is install it right over the Ubuntu installation and just re-use those partitions so you don't have to bother making them all over again.

Two Main Keys to Installation:

• 1. Make sure Mint DVD/USB gets booted in UEFI mode so it can install in that mode.
  2. When get to part of install where you designate partitions, make sure to check box to format old Ubuntu partitions. (That will ensure that nothing remains from Ubuntu install to muck-up Mint install.)

NOTE: Currently the drive Ubuntu is installed to is named "/dev/sdh". It might get called something different when you boot the Mint DVD (/dev/sdg, sdi, etc.?) -- so pay attention to what it's actually called during install and change what I note below accordingly if necessary. You can run sudo parted -l (lowercase "L" at end) in a terminal from live Mint and just look for the drive with partitions formatted as "Ext4" to see if it's still called "/dev/sdh".

General Steps to Install:
1. Make backup copies to a USB stick of any important data from your Ubuntu home folder that you want to keep.
2. Make sure to deactivate Windows "Fast Startup"

• * http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/63 ... s-8-a.html
  * http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window ... ure-works/

3. Deactivate "Secure Boot"

• * http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/17 ... -uefi.html
  * http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 81258.aspx

4. Boot computer with live Mint DVD/USB and once booted, run this command in a terminal to confirm that it is booted in UEFI mode:

Code: Select all

ls /sys/firmware

If you see "efi" listed in the output -- you're booted correctly and can proceed with installation. If not, reboot and try to access your UEFI Boot Menu by hitting whatever key is designated for that immediately following power on of computer (common keys for that are F12, F2, Esc -- they differ by manufacturer.) You should then see an option for booting the DVD/USB in UEFI/EFI mode.

5. Once booted correctly, follow instructions on this tutorial for installing: Installing Mint on a Windows 8/8.1 Computer

• * No need to create partitions -- you are going to re-use the Ubuntu partitions.
  * When get to part where you need to select partitions and designate mount points, choose these (remember to double-check that the drive is still called sdh):
  • -- /dev/sdh1 = Root partition (remember to check box to format; leave size as is.)
    -- /dev/sdh3 = Home partition (remember to check box to format; leave size as is.)
    -- /dev/sdb1 = EFI System Partition (/boot/efi) | DO NOT FORMAT -- just make sure it is selected for "/boot/efi" mount point.
    -- /dev/sdh2 = Swap | No need to do anything with this -- it will automatically get used.
    -- "Device for boot loader installation" = /dev/sdb1 (the EFI System Partition)

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

[Zydol]

Hi gold_finger,

First of all thank you very much for taking the time and effort to help me with this task, I very much appreciate it.
I have looked at all the instruction and printed them out,to read at my leisure.

I have been doing a dummy run to check things out. This is the list which is presented.....

/dev/sdh

free space 1MB

/dev/sdh1 ext4 15499MB Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (14.04)

/dev/sh3 ext4 978881 MB 148199MB

/dec/sdh2 swap 5119MB 0MB

free space 1MB

No sign of /dev/sdb1 = EFI System Partition (/boot/efi)

I'm sure it's me and my lack of IT skills!


Regards
Keith

If I am what I have, and if I lose what I have, who then am I ?

German Psychologist

Eric Frome

[gold_finger]

I have been doing a dummy run to check things out.

I'm not sure what you mean by that? Where are you getting that partition list from?

Do you mean that you are test running the installation program, picking "Something else" and then that is the list of partitions you see? If so, maybe only certain partitions are showing in the window and you need to scroll up or down in the window to see the rest of them. (There should be a scroll bar on right side of partition window of installer.)

If that's not what you are talking about, can you take a screenshot of what you're looking at and post it back here. Screenshot program can be invoked by hitting <PrtScn> key, or it's in the menu under "Accessories" category. Take screenshot and rename it to something simple like "partitions.png" (to get rid of the time-stamped name, which the forum won't accept for some reason); then use the "Upload attachment" tab in the forum reply interface to attach it to your post.

Also, did you do the check to make sure the live DVD/USB got booted in UEFI mode?

[Zydol]

Hi gold_finger,

Apologies for any confusion on my part. Hopefully I have uploaded the screen shot for you, I used a USB drive on startup and made sure it booted from the UEFI menu and checked as you suggested. Yes I do select "Something else" on the menu in order to have look at what I'm trying to do. I hope this helps again thanks for your help.

Keith

[gold_finger]

Ok -- screenshot helps a lot. Thanks.

You'll notice that the drive you're trying to install to is now referred to as /dev/sdg. In your prior output it was /dev/sdh. That's an example of what I meant before when I said:

NOTE: Currently the drive Ubuntu is installed to is named "/dev/sdh". It might get called something different when you boot the Mint DVD (/dev/sdg, sdi, etc.?) -- so pay attention to what it's actually called during install and change what I note below accordingly if necessary. You can run sudo parted -l (lowercase "L" at end) in a terminal from live Mint and just look for the drive with partitions formatted as "Ext4" to see if it's still called "/dev/sdh".

So, you are doing well and finding the correct drive.

In latest screenshot, the "EFI System Partition" will be found if you scroll up to /dev/sdb (which is not seen because window doesn't fit all of your drives/partitions in viewing area). It will be /dev/sdb1. (Because it's an internal drive, I'm pretty sure the name will be the same "/dev/sdb1" as before.) If you're booted in EFI mode, it should already be automatically detected and set properly, so when you find it and click the "Change" button it should already be set as "/boot/efi". You're really just double-checking to make sure of that. Once you confirm that, just proceed with instructions for setting the other partitions on /dev/sdg(or h?) and make sure to point the "Device for boot loader installation" (seen under the "+ - Change" buttons on your screenshot) to /dev/sdb1. Right now it's set to /dev/sdg in your pic.

That's the way Ubuntu is currently set-up (using /dev/sdb1), so I'm just directing you to install the same way and am thus assuming that booting process will then be same as what you're doing now. However, I don't have any hands-on experience with UEFI systems so I'm not 100% sure Mint will behave same as Ubuntu. My assumption is that you always have the Ubuntu external drive connected to the computer and that you see the grub menu when you start up offering a choice to boot either Windows or Ubuntu. But if that's not what you do and not how you select either OS to boot from, maybe you should hold off installing and give me a more detailed explanation of how your system offers the choice of booting either OS.

For example, do you have to tell the system yourself to pick the Ubuntu external drive? Are you able to boot into Windows without the Ubuntu drive attached to the computer? Does the boot menu or process differ when Ubuntu drive is attached vs. unattached? These are little details that I'm not exactly sure of due to my lack of hands-on experience with UEFI.

[Zydol]

Hope this helps to.
1. The pc boots into the GRUB menu giving me the option to either Ubuntu or Windows 8 (I'm sure you know this)
2. If I remove the external HD with Ubuntu on it, it won't boot into anything.
3. In the UEFI in BOOT MODE 1st BOOT (UEFI: UBUNTU)
If I remove this and revert the boot sequence back to normal, then I will be able to boot into windows without the external HD attached.

Again I do appreciate all your help.

Can I throw a spanner into the works. Would it be easier to delete the external HD remove GRUB and start over again!!!

[gold_finger]

Ok -- it's acting as I assumed it would. Right now you do need to have the external drive connected in order to boot either OS; but you can get around that by going into UEFI boot settings and changing the default that it looks to on startup from Ubuntu to Windows. Then you can boot Windows without the external connected. That's basically what I thought, so that's good.

OPTION #1
If you don't have any problems with that arrangement then go right ahead and install using the instructions I've already posted. You should end up with everything acting the same as you have now.

OPTION #2
If you don't use Linux much and don't like having to keep the drive connected, or having to manually change the UEFI boot order, to boot Windows then you could install Mint completely to the external drive (including its boot loader). Then, you end up doing the opposite of now -- you'll need to manually choose to boot the Mint drive in the UEFI boot menu when you want to use Mint; but you'll be able to boot Windows without Mint drive connected.

Just to warn you, I'm pretty sure I could guide you through that but I'll just be going by what I believe is how it should be done and how the resulting install will work for booting the two OS's. But since I have no first hand experience with it, I'm basically making educated guesses and it might not turn out as expected. Having said that, the worst that would happen is it doesn't work correctly and you'd have to go back and re-install again as I've already described for Option #1. Directions for Option #2 should not have any affect at all on the Windows OS because we won't be directing anything to its hard drive.

[Zydol]

Me again,

Option=1 is just fine for me it suits my needs well, My plan is to try and move away from Windows, but I'm not sure that will be possible as there will be some compatabiliy issues with some of my software.

My next issue is (/dev/sdh) is still my external drive with UBUNTU installed. I have reached the Installation type menue for installing Mint 17.01. (live boot something else)
As you suggested I will keep the partitions and format them, however I'm not able to select the box to format any of the partitions # /dev/sh1, #/dev/sh3 also is it correct in that #/dev/sdb1 elf is called the BOOT MOUNT POINT.

The 'Device for the boot loader installation' at the bottom of the installation type menu I have changed to #/dev/sdh WD My Book 1110 (999.5 GB) is this correct I think it is.
When reading the instructions, installing Mint on windows 8, it states EFI SYSTEM PARTITION should be selected for (Device for the boot loader installation).

I hope this makes sence to you!!!!

[gold_finger]

First, right after booting with live DVD/USB run command I gave to make sure it's booted in EFI mode. If it is, continue with instructions below. If not, reboot and try again.

When you get to the partitioning page of installer (after selecting "Something else" option), you need to one-by-one highlight each old Ubuntu partition, then hit "Change" button. That will pop-up a separate box where you set the file system type (the "Use as" drop-down), Size (which you will not be changing), Mount Point (which will show up once you make your "Use as" selection), and then it will let you check the Format box. (NOTE: for some unknown reason, there are times that a warning pops-up about you making a size change even though you didn't. If/When that happens, just ignore it and get back to partition menu by hitting either "Back" or "Continue". I've gotten that message many times and always just hit "Back" and not had any problems. It's a stupid quirk in the program and I have no clue why that error pops up if you haven't changed the partition sizes.)

is it correct in that #/dev/sdb1 elf is called the BOOT MOUNT POINT.

I don't know if they've changed the wording on that or not. If you highlight the partition (/dev/sdb1) and hit the "Change" button, it should pop-up a box that looks like this:


Last I knew it should show: Use as = "EFI Boot Partition", and the "Format" box should be grayed out so you can't select it. If they changed the wording, I didn't know that -- but as long as you made sure that you're booted in EFI mode everything should be fine. You shouldn't need to change anything with that partition -- you're just looking at it to confirm it's correct.

The 'Device for the boot loader installation' at the bottom of the installation type menu I have changed to #/dev/sdh WD My Book 1110 (999.5 GB) is this correct I think it is.
When reading the instructions, installing Mint on windows 8, it states EFI SYSTEM PARTITION should be selected for (Device for the boot loader installation).

Not sure what you're saying here. The correct choice for that is "/dev/sdb1" in your case -- not /dev/sdh.