2017-04-16 18:02:27

So, noobie Linux questions...I need answers before I run off and wipe my HDD and wind up with a laptop shaped paperweight.

1. i have NTFS formatted partitions, C and D, and D (documents) has more space left than C:

So, am I able to use unetbootin to effectively boot from my Ubuntu 16.04 .iso image and install, while leaving my D: partition intact?

2. I've read a lot of stuff about how Linux cannot be installed on NTFS drives, but doesn't the erase drive option format the drive? I would get a NTFS drive in a VM and test my theory but I'm more concerned with finding solid answers.

3. Can I install Ubuntu, wipe the C partition with the installer, and not touch the D partition, or will it merely just blitz everything? I honestly have no experience of installing Ubuntu at all. I know in Windows it's recommended to do a format then install. Is it the same for Linux?

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2017-04-17 06:16:01

Here are your answers:
1. Yes, you can do this, and can even install Ubuntu (and every other Linux distribution) alongside Windows.
2. The erase drive option does erase the entire drive and all contents on it. This includes partitions, files, etc. You will not get an NTFS partition, however; rather, you will get an EXT4 partition. The ext4 or fourth extended filesystem is a journaling file system for Linux, developed as the successor to ext3. ext3, or third extended filesystem, is a journaled file system that is commonly used by the Linux kernel. It is the default file system for many popular Linux distributions. Stephen Tweedie first revealed that he was working on extending ext2 in Journaling the Linux ext2fs Filesystem in a 1998 paper, and later in a February 1999 kernel mailing list posting. The filesystem was merged with the mainline Linux kernel in November 2001 from 2.4.15 onward. Its main advantage over ext2 is journaling, which improves reliability and eliminates the need to check the file system after an unclean shutdown. Its successor is ext4. The ext2 or second extended filesystem is a file system for the Linux kernel. It was initially designed by Rémy Card as a replacement for the extended file system (ext). Having been designed according to the same principles as the Berkeley Fast File System from BSD, it was the first commercial-grade filesystem for Linux. Finally, The extended file system, or ext, was implemented in April 1992 as the first file system created specifically for the Linux kernel. It has metadata structure inspired by the traditional Unix File System (UFS) and was designed by Rémy Card to overcome certain limitations of the MINIX file system. It was the first implementation that used the virtual file system (VFS), for which support was added in the Linux kernel in version 0.96c, and it could handle file systems up to 2 gigabytes (GB) in size. ext was the first in the series of extended file systems. It was immediately superseded by both ext2 and xiafs, which competed for a time, but ext2 won because of its long-term viability: ext2 remedied issues with ext, such as the immutability of inodes and fragmentation.
3. Yes, you can do this, however you will need to use advanced (and, if you are not careful, dangerous) partitioning methods to do this.

"On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament!]: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out ?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."    — Charles Babbage.
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2017-04-17 11:25:33

So, I've been looking into two methods, both of which I'm running into issues with

1. Use unetbootin to install Ubuntu alongiside Windows. I've been told, since I don't have a flash drive/USB handy, it shouldn't be done and unetbootin is outdated

2. Use the WUBI Uefi fork to install WUBI on WIn10. Again, I've been told this can't/shouldn't be done as Canonical do not support WUBI but Hakuna has been keeeping it up to date.

So....whih is easier?

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2017-04-17 14:37:40

Okay so more questions....I'm still a Linux noobie here....

1. I found a USB drive and my plan is still to wipe the C: drive, and keep the D: drive since I am sick and tired of WIndows being a POS. THat being said....it's a UEFI system. Do I need to do anything special to make my USB stick work, and will my hardware (sound card, keyboard, etc) work right away, I'm more conerned with Orca working o ut of the box honestly, I simply need a keyboard, Net access and a screenreader...

Now....can I from within Windows, plug in the USB with the .iso on it (which I just copied across since I read that the 16.04 is a hybrid .iso that woks by copying or burning),  and restart...

In other words: Can I alter the UEFI boot loader order in Win10 to go from the USB stick first...THEN the HDD, THEN the CD? WIthout paying $30 for a program?

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2017-04-19 17:50:52

I've run up against a hurdle here.


Is there any way at all to make the advanced startup screen accessible, or, to change the UEFI boot order within Windows. Yes, I know about EasyUEFI but it isn't easily accessible.

So, am I missing a way to easily boot my system from USB? Like a command or something? Google is not helping one bit in this, all it says is change the boot order then nothing. I've made a bootable USB. Double checked it's FAT32, used Rufus to make hthe USB bootable, and yet my system still goes straight into Windows.

I'll try with Mate 17.05 or .10, whichever is newer,, since I like the swap file idea to get rid of the partition.

Oh no! Somebody released the h key! Everybody run and hide!

2017-04-24 13:23:20

I would recommend that you go to the netwirc IRC server and ask there.
irc.netwirc.tk
Note the spelling of netwirc, as it is different.
There are like, 16+ users, some idle, on the #a11y channel at all times, who can help with Linux stuff. I myself use Arch Linux, but have tried Fedora, but do not use Ubuntu.

Devin Prater
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2017-04-25 15:57:13

Got it working now guys, decided to turn off secure boot and now happily in Mate.

Now, to figure this out....next step, Skype, Kodi and then sit back, relax, and wave goodbye to WIndows. I mean, I could boot into Windows but...why would I when I have a faster OS booting up by default...?

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2017-04-26 01:35:14

Alright, one thing I'm banging my head against is this.

I used Skype on Windows to keep up with a writing group, it worked with NVDA.

Linux Skype? Does not work with Orca. So, anyone found a screenreader that works with Skype? I could use the web skype but cannot call with that due to working in FF.

And no, I somehow doubt my writing group friends will Skype sadly so I'm not finding a lot of answers...

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