Too scary for me...

Jem · 2008-11-26 10:20:07

I can see that you need to be an expert to install Arch.

I don't understand how to use the very technical (and therefore dangerous) partitioning tools on the CORE CD. I had Ubuntu Intrepid using the whole of my SATA drive. Used GParted to shrink the Ubuntu partition to half the disk capacity - leaving me with a big chunk of free (no partitions) disk space, and... sdb1 (ext3 / Ubuntu), sdb2 (4.58 Gb Extended), sdb5 (4.58 Gb Linux-swap).

I want to partition the free space on this drive to install Arch, and be able to dual boot with Ubuntu until I get used to Arch and decide to commit to it or not. I'm used to Windows (many years but hate it), learning about Linux (hard), I'm not daft, fairly technical, but cautious.

Expert help appreciated, as I have no idea how to do this. I need an idiots guide - step by step.

Thanks

thomasknowles · 2008-11-26 10:33:39

Have you tried?

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide

Svlad Cjelli · 2008-11-26 10:44:36

i recommend this:

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

simple and fast partitioning...

After that you can use the Arch-live-cd to install...

Jem · 2008-11-26 10:56:48

thomasknowles wrote:

Have you tried?
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide

Thanks - I think! Still scary. If I have free space on a physical drive, will the 'Auto Prepare' option allow me to choose that free space rather than blitzing the entire physical drive and the existing Ubuntu partition?

bangkok_manouel · 2008-11-26 11:26:16

you may use a VM first until you feel comfortable with Arch if you think that the real thing is too scary.

Jem · 2008-11-26 11:44:26

bangkok_manouel wrote:

you may use a VM first until you feel comfortable with Arch if you think that the real thing is too scary.

No Thanks. I just want to partition the drive correctly. An answer to my question above re 'Auto Prepare' would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Last edited by Jem (2008-11-26 11:45:04)

Zeist · 2008-11-26 11:50:47

Auto Prepare will use the entire disk. I think the Beginners Guide even states that.

bangkok_manouel · 2008-11-26 11:51:45

Jem wrote:

bangkok_manouel wrote:
you may use a VM first until you feel comfortable with Arch if you think that the real thing is too scary.
No Thanks. I just want to partition the drive correctly. An answer to my question above re 'Auto Prepare' would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Beginners' Guide wrote:

Be warned that Auto-prepare will completely erase the chosen hard drive. Read the warning presented by the installer very carefully, and make sure the correct device is about to be partitioned.

pyther · 2008-11-26 11:58:57

If you can't figure out how to partition a hard drive, then there is a good chance you won't be able to figure out how to configure Xorg and many other services.

So if you want to use arch be prepared to learn and do a lot of reading.

Jem · 2008-11-26 12:04:31

pyther wrote:

If you can't figure out how to partition a hard drive, then there is a good chance you won't be able to figure out how to configure Xorg and many other services.
So if you want to use arch be prepared to learn and do a lot of reading.

I think you're right. I'm going to back off I think - for the moment.

pyther · 2008-11-26 12:11:58

If you want to give arch a try, maybe you should run it in a virtual machine where you can work and learn at your pace and when you want to.

Then once you get comfortable you could make the switch!
The beginners guide is a great resource which will help you configure Xorg, Desktop Environment, services, etc....

timetrap · 2008-11-26 12:25:03

If you use a VM you can also use the auto prepare (on the VM), so you can get past your fears.

Jem · 2008-11-26 12:27:19

timetrap wrote:

If you use a VM you can also use the auto prepare (on the VM), so you can get past your fears.

Be fine if I knew how to set up a VM. Not simple if you've never done it.

moljac024 · 2008-11-26 12:33:22

Jem wrote:

timetrap wrote:
If you use a VM you can also use the auto prepare (on the VM), so you can get past your fears.
Be fine if I knew how to set up a VM. Not simple if you've never done it.

What do you mean ?
With Virtualbox you just click next a couple of times. A little more effort than installing a windows game

Anyway, I would also suggest the gParted liveCD to you: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php

timetrap · 2008-11-26 12:39:07

How to set up Virtual Box on Archlinux http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/VirtualBox
How to set up Virtual Box on Ubuntu http://taufanlubis.wordpress.com/2008/0 … tallation/

(You probably want to use the second one.)
(BTW before you ask; if it works in Ubuntu it will work in Arch; you just need to set it up correctly)
You will find a lot of people here came from Ubuntu or other "easy" Linux Distros. It is a little scary to set up Arch (or gentoo, or slackware) for the first time.

The best advice I can give. Backup everything. On my first install I mistook my /home for swap space. Ooops.

Read the Wiki, Post in the Forums, and Chat in IRC.

bangkok_manouel · 2008-11-26 13:17:48

anyway, shouldn't be that complicated (even if scary, I can understand), just select some free space in cfdisk and create a new linux partition. mount it as / and use your existing swap. done.

test1000 · 2008-11-26 13:26:10

xorg doesn't need much configuration these days tho.. so atleast that one should'nt be so hard.

Jem · 2008-11-26 13:30:00

bangkok_manouel wrote:

anyway, shouldn't be that complicated (even if scary, I can understand), just select some free space in cfdisk and create a new linux partition. mount it as / and use your existing swap. done.

Well I couldn't even get Virtual Box to work, so I'm clearly too much of a simpleton when it comes to this stuff. I'm going to play safe and use Ubuntu. It was designed for people like me. Thanks for your patience guys.

P.S I don't even understand what the difference is between an ext2 and ext3 file system, and which I should create for Arch using GParted.

Last edited by Jem (2008-11-26 13:42:23)

Acecero · 2008-11-26 15:13:56

I'm going to make a point here and we are not forcing you to install Arch or anything. If you want to use Arch, you need to get over your fear of learning new things.

Ubuntu is a good distro for beginning the step and it does give a nice background to Linux. There is nothing more it purposely teaches you. That is why it is good to try others.

When it comes to learning, you going to have to make mistakes and read documentation. That is why it is good to back up data.

Most importantly, be patient with yourself.

thomasknowles · 2008-11-26 16:23:58

I agree with Acecero, just take it slow and when you are ready, if there is something you don't understand, then make sure you have the resources to find out what they are/mean.

elmer_42 · 2008-11-26 16:37:54

Acecero wrote:

Ubuntu is a good distro for beginning the step and it does give a nice background to Linux.

QFT. Too many times people discount Ubuntu for being a "noob distro" when it's a great general purpose distro and a wonderful introduction to Linux. There's a huge topic on the Ubuntu Forums that is about people who used Ubuntu as a "gateway distro."

Anyway, nobody's forcing you to install Arch. If you really want to try, use Virtualbox like has been stated before. I'm not entirely sure, but you may be able to practice partitioning on it. With the GParted LiveCD, partitioning becomes a very graphical and easy thing to do. If/when you try to install Arch, make sure you can use the Beginner's Guide. I followed it as well as I possibly could and I've had no problems.

Oh, and the major difference between ext2 and ext3 is journaling. Journaling allows you to to not have to `fsck` after a crash[1].

JawsThemeSwimming428 · 2008-11-26 18:45:27

There are many guides for installing Virtualbox in Ubuntu and setting up VM's. I don't consider myself the most technical PC user but by following instructions and researching I figured out that the Virtualbox option is rather simple. I would suggest anyone to try a distro they are not sure of first in a VM then try it on the physical disk if they like it.

sand_man · 2008-11-26 23:25:14

I find qemu-kvm + qtemu much easier to use than VirtualBox.
I think (could be wrong here) that Ubuntu has VirtManager in the repos (?) which is a front end for qemu-kvm.

neotuli · 2008-11-27 00:08:34

How did this become a thread about VMs? the OP even said he wasn't interested in that after someone suggested it.

*claps* on topic people!

@Jem: If I were you I think I'd stick with ubuntu for a while, and use it as a platform to get comfortable with the workings of a linux system. I'd start with learning how to use the command line effeciently, to the point that you feel comfortable without even having a GUI installed on the system. Then follow your interests from there, learn about partitions, filesystems, the differences between distros, the bootup sequence, that sort of stuff.

Daenyth · 2008-11-27 01:59:35

I'd just like to mention to the OP that the fact that you recognize that you may not be ready is a huge step in the right direction. If you recognize that you can learn and should learn, then when you are comfortable with continuing, all you have to do is just apply yourself. Stick with ubuntu for now if that's what is comfortable. Just be ready to learn and try other things once you reach that point.

So, as other people have said, vbox is a great "sandbox" area for learning -- you can do anything that you want, with no risk of any kind. I'd also suggest that a good method to learn is when you are given instructions on how to do something, try to learn first exactly what the intsructions are doing, and then why you should be doing it. When you understand the system as a whole, any single piece becomes easy.

Arch Linux

#1 2008-11-26 10:20:07

Too scary for me...

#2 2008-11-26 10:33:39

Re: Too scary for me...

#3 2008-11-26 10:44:36

Re: Too scary for me...

#4 2008-11-26 10:56:48

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#5 2008-11-26 11:26:16

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#6 2008-11-26 11:44:26

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#7 2008-11-26 11:50:47

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#8 2008-11-26 11:51:45

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#9 2008-11-26 11:58:57

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#14 2008-11-26 12:33:22

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#16 2008-11-26 13:17:48

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#18 2008-11-26 13:30:00

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