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BostonDriver
21 Posts
0
10739
June 8th, 2006 14:00
Re-install XP from Dell CD after Linux?
Hi,
My precision 380 just arrived. The 250GB SATA disk has just one primary partition on it, for pre-installed XP.
I'll wipe this for Linux (and FreeBSD) as I have in the past for other systems in work, where we have site licence for XP and XP CD's are floating all over the building.
However, this time I'd like to install XP and everything else from the CDs that came with Dell. This P380 is my personal system, and I'd like to have things setup as they are now, as the system came from the factory (just not on the WHOLE disk ).
Are there any instructions in these forums? I can't seem to find anything other than a series of questions re "did you try this, try that" etc. before reinstalling the OS.
Is there anything to watch out for?
Thanks.
My precision 380 just arrived. The 250GB SATA disk has just one primary partition on it, for pre-installed XP.
I'll wipe this for Linux (and FreeBSD) as I have in the past for other systems in work, where we have site licence for XP and XP CD's are floating all over the building.
However, this time I'd like to install XP and everything else from the CDs that came with Dell. This P380 is my personal system, and I'd like to have things setup as they are now, as the system came from the factory (just not on the WHOLE disk ).
Are there any instructions in these forums? I can't seem to find anything other than a series of questions re "did you try this, try that" etc. before reinstalling the OS.
Is there anything to watch out for?
Thanks.
BostonDriver
21 Posts
208
0
Posted June 10th, 2006 16:00
I've never been able to "shrink" the XP NTFS partition. Do you have any pointers available? Free pointers that is, I know about Partition Magic and other $$$ tools.
I've reformated many disks from Dell, taking what they ship and makeing 4 primary partitions. Grub Boot, XP, BSD and (in an extended) Linux. I've always simply just installed XP from scratch.
This time, I'd like to restore exactly what Dell shipped (since it is a home PC, not work, I might need some of the xtras.)
I use grub to install all of it, setting up chainloader to boot XP.- If you want to shrink a ms ntfs filesystem partition, defragment this partition several times in mswin itself.
If you should use a live gnu/linux distro, such as KNOPPIX, than you can use for example QTPARTED, which is a lookalike clone of partition magic. Only in my experience it works better. You should be able to shrink your existing ntfs partition.
FYI
KNOPPIX
http://www.knoppix.org/
QTPARTED
http://qtparted.sourceforge.net/ - Imaging software may be used to capture a copy of the as-shipped system configuration contained in the C: partition immediately following the use of the Dell PC Restore feature, providing a restore option that is more compatible and robust than the Dell PC Restore feature itself.Forum member somms provides instructions and tools to image the entire hard disk drive and save to bootable CD/DVD for posterity. It is also possible to create/save an image of just the C: partition, providing the ability to restore that image to the partition of your choice at any time.Additional images of the disk and/or individual partitions may be captured and saved as the configuration evolves over time, ensuring the ability to quickly, reliably, and fully recover to your choice of those restorable points if/when necessary.
GM
kwantum
7 Posts
208
0
Posted June 10th, 2006 08:00
I made such a setup with my brand new Dell Dimension 4600 2 years ago, and I still run my GNU/Linux Suse instead of the pre-installed mswinxp.
Think about this: if you make a GNU/Linux install and after that you want to do a mswin install, mswin will overwrite your MBR, and you will only be able to boot mswin. So you will have more work to get your GNU os running again next to each other. You will have to boot from GNU install disk and boot in the existing os, whereafter you will have to set up your GRUB or LILO again and overwrite your MBR once again. Or you have to install another os bootloader such as XOSL.
About just reïnstalling mswinxp: you can make partitions yourself to put things straight. You can do this very nice using a live GNU/Linux distro such as KNOPPIX, or you can do that using the partitioning software within ms install disk. I would recommend putting up as a minimum: a (`C`) /dev/hda1 partition for mswinxp os and another (`D`) /dev/hda2 partition for your data, so at least your data can easely be backuped if mswinxp crashes or gets infected or whatever.
Message Edited by kwantum on 06-10-200611:20 AM