I have a new laptop for school, the HP ProBook S-series that I want to install one of the rolling release distros on (Debian/Arch/Gentoo). I think my laptop is the same make and model as the guy who came to the February Beginner's Workshop and was trying to install Linux Mint. I recognise some of the same partitions on my hdd that he had: Windows/C: is the main one with 383GB free of 442GB, HP_RECOVERY with 2.76GB free of 18.1GB and HP_TOOLS with 2.12GB free of 4.98 GB. I have not installed the other HP partition that lets you log in before the OS is loaded. I thought I had the option of installing Windows (ie they give me the installation discs and a blank hdd) but no, I was taken to the Windows installation immediately after the laptop was turned on, could not get out of it as there was no way to enter the BIOS and I received a call from Microsoft about 30 seconds later to help me activate my license. They were waiting on the line for me to complete the installation before they could help me so what was I supposed to say? My question to you is did anyone keep in contact with the guy who was trying to install Mint and do you know if he had any problems after deleting the HP_TOOLS partition? There is HP software within Windows and I'm wondering if it will detect that the partition is missing. Also can you recommend a good walkthrough for setting up a dual-boot system? I'm pretty good with Linux, it has been my sole OS for a couple years now, but I've never set up a dual-boot system before. I can't format the whole hdd because I need Windows for school and don't have the discs. I have preferred to set up a dual boot system by installing Linux -> creating extra partitions -> installing GRUB -> installing Windows but that's not an option. Regards, Andrew
On Sat, Feb 25, 2012 at 12:40 PM, Andrew Miller < s3365459@student.rmit.edu.au> wrote:
I have a new laptop for school, the HP ProBook S-series that I want to install one of the rolling release distros on (Debian/Arch/Gentoo).
I think my laptop is the same make and model as the guy who came to the February Beginner's Workshop and was trying to install Linux Mint. I recognise some of the same partitions on my hdd that he had: Windows/C: is the main one with 383GB free of 442GB, HP_RECOVERY with 2.76GB free of 18.1GB and HP_TOOLS with 2.12GB free of 4.98 GB. I have not installed the other HP partition that lets you log in before the OS is loaded. I thought I had the option of installing Windows (ie they give me the installation discs and a blank hdd) but no, I was taken to the Windows installation immediately after the laptop was turned on, could not get out of it as there was no way to enter the BIOS and I received a call from Microsoft about 30 seconds later to help me activate my license. They were waiting on the line for me to complete the installation before they could help me so what was I supposed to say?
My question to you is did anyone keep in contact with the guy who was trying to install Mint and do you know if he had any problems after deleting the HP_TOOLS partition? There is HP software within Windows and I'm wondering if it will detect that the partition is missing.
HP_TOOLS is used to diagnose the system after data loss and can be accessed at boot via <F2> if i remember correctly you can remove it but wont have access to the diagnostic tools.. HP_RECOVERY contains the install files for windows so I would keep that in case you need to re install at a later date Also can you recommend a good walkthrough for setting up a dual-boot
system? I'm pretty good with Linux, it has been my sole OS for a couple years now, but I've never set up a dual-boot system before. I can't format the whole hdd because I need Windows for school and don't have the discs. I have preferred to set up a dual boot system by installing Linux -> creating extra partitions -> installing GRUB -> installing Windows but that's not an option.
You can shrink the windows partition and then install linux, this is how I usually install Ubuntu derivitives.. If you go the debian route here is a howto for dual booting http://www.aboutdebian.com/dualboot.htm -- Mark "Hiddensoul" Clohesy Mob Phone: (+61) 406 417 877 Email: hiddensoul@twistedsouls.com G-Talk: mark.clohesy@gmail.com - www.shed.twistedsouls.com - GNU/Linux.. Linux Counter #457297 "I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code" "Linux is user friendly...its just selective about who its friends are" "Never underestimate the bandwidth of a V8 station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway" "The difference between e-mail and regular mail is that computers handle e-mail, and computers never decide to come to work one day and shoot all the other computers"
On Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:15:04 +1100, Hiddensoul (Mark Clohesy) <hiddensoul@twistedsouls.com> wrote:
You can shrink the windows partition and then install linux, this is how I usually install Ubuntu derivitives.. If you go the debian route here is a howto for dual booting http://www.aboutdebian.com/dualboot.htm
The main issue on the HP machine at the beginners workshop was that it was apparently running a UEFI BIOS, and none of us had set up a dual boot under these circumstances, so we were reluctant to blow away the boot loader without having a fallback plan. Towards the end, he was installing Ubuntu using wubi (ie, running a file system within the Windows one), which seemed like a safer path in the limited time left. Earlier on, they had removed one of the HP partitions because all four primary partitions were in use (though presumably they could have just created a secondary partition to solve that problem, and I thought under UEFI that it used GPT?). I'd be interested to hear of other people's experience doing this (dual boot under UEFI), and whether there were any hoops to jump through? Glenn -- pool.sks-keyservers.net 0xb1e82ec9228ac090
Hi Andrew, Sorry, I also forgot the name of the guy who came to our Beginner's Workshop last Sat, seeking help with Linux Mint installation on his new HP laptop (specifically trying to get his built-in WiFi to work in LM & Ubuntu Live CDs). But I remember when trying to install LM on his laptop, it had issue doing the auto-shrinking of Windows partition because the hard disk already had like 4 partitions (Windows C: drive NTFS, HP_RECOVERY, HP_TOOLS and another partition I can't remember) - which meant a Linux Distro can't be installed without deleting & merging some existing ones. Daniel Jitnah was involved in the help out at the time, so perhaps Daniel you can comment a bit more on this? One thing I would like to recommend here is to use a disk cloning software to backup your entire disk contents before commencing a dual-boot install. That way, if your hard disk happened to be corrupted, you can always restore back to your original Windows environment. The software I use is the Clonezilla. It's a very easy to use Live CD (or Live USB stick) that you basically boot up from your PC and clone the entire disk or partition images into an external USB disk. Cheers, Wen On Sat, Feb 25, 2012 at 12:40 PM, Andrew Miller < s3365459@student.rmit.edu.au> wrote:
I have a new laptop for school, the HP ProBook S-series that I want to install one of the rolling release distros on (Debian/Arch/Gentoo).
I think my laptop is the same make and model as the guy who came to the February Beginner's Workshop and was trying to install Linux Mint. I recognise some of the same partitions on my hdd that he had: Windows/C: is the main one with 383GB free of 442GB, HP_RECOVERY with 2.76GB free of 18.1GB and HP_TOOLS with 2.12GB free of 4.98 GB. I have not installed the other HP partition that lets you log in before the OS is loaded. I thought I had the option of installing Windows (ie they give me the installation discs and a blank hdd) but no, I was taken to the Windows installation immediately after the laptop was turned on, could not get out of it as there was no way to enter the BIOS and I received a call from Microsoft about 30 seconds later to help me activate my license. They were waiting on the line for me to complete the installation before they could help me so what was I supposed to say?
My question to you is did anyone keep in contact with the guy who was trying to install Mint and do you know if he had any problems after deleting the HP_TOOLS partition? There is HP software within Windows and I'm wondering if it will detect that the partition is missing.
Also can you recommend a good walkthrough for setting up a dual-boot system? I'm pretty good with Linux, it has been my sole OS for a couple years now, but I've never set up a dual-boot system before. I can't format the whole hdd because I need Windows for school and don't have the discs. I have preferred to set up a dual boot system by installing Linux -> creating extra partitions -> installing GRUB -> installing Windows but that's not an option.
Regards, Andrew
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Hi Andrew, We did a WUBI Ubuntu install - which means it is installed inside a large file on the Windows partion. (on the machine of the guy who has a HP Probook and wanted Mint - he did end up with Ubuntu or Xubuntu (cant remember which was it was) instead of Mint though) The HP already had 4 partitions used. So we could not create a new one for Linux. I honestly dont like a wubi installation, but this was the safest in terms of keeping the original Win7 installation working, not knowing exactly what the 4 partions are used for. IF it was my machine it would never have booted into win7 and it would be all Linux from day 0. You get the feeling its specifically configured with 4 partitions so as to make Linux install difficult. Cheers, Daniel.
Hi Andrew,
Sorry, I also forgot the name of the guy who came to our Beginner's Workshop last Sat, seeking help with Linux Mint installation on his new HP laptop (specifically trying to get his built-in WiFi to work in LM & Ubuntu Live CDs).
But I remember when trying to install LM on his laptop, it had issue doing the auto-shrinking of Windows partition because the hard disk already had like 4 partitions (Windows C: drive NTFS, HP_RECOVERY, HP_TOOLS and another partition I can't remember) - which meant a Linux Distro can't be installed without deleting & merging some existing ones. Daniel Jitnah was involved in the help out at the time, so perhaps Daniel you can comment a bit more on this?
One thing I would like to recommend here is to use a disk cloning software to backup your entire disk contents before commencing a dual-boot install. That way, if your hard disk happened to be corrupted, you can always restore back to your original Windows environment. The software I use is the Clonezilla. It's a very easy to use Live CD (or Live USB stick) that you basically boot up from your PC and clone the entire disk or partition images into an external USB disk.
Cheers, Wen
On Sat, Feb 25, 2012 at 12:40 PM, Andrew Miller < s3365459@student.rmit.edu.au> wrote:
I have a new laptop for school, the HP ProBook S-series that I want to install one of the rolling release distros on (Debian/Arch/Gentoo).
I think my laptop is the same make and model as the guy who came to the February Beginner's Workshop and was trying to install Linux Mint. I recognise some of the same partitions on my hdd that he had: Windows/C: is the main one with 383GB free of 442GB, HP_RECOVERY with 2.76GB free of 18.1GB and HP_TOOLS with 2.12GB free of 4.98 GB. I have not installed the other HP partition that lets you log in before the OS is loaded. I thought I had the option of installing Windows (ie they give me the installation discs and a blank hdd) but no, I was taken to the Windows installation immediately after the laptop was turned on, could not get out of it as there was no way to enter the BIOS and I received a call from Microsoft about 30 seconds later to help me activate my license. They were waiting on the line for me to complete the installation before they could help me so what was I supposed to say?
My question to you is did anyone keep in contact with the guy who was trying to install Mint and do you know if he had any problems after deleting the HP_TOOLS partition? There is HP software within Windows and I'm wondering if it will detect that the partition is missing.
Also can you recommend a good walkthrough for setting up a dual-boot system? I'm pretty good with Linux, it has been my sole OS for a couple years now, but I've never set up a dual-boot system before. I can't format the whole hdd because I need Windows for school and don't have the discs. I have preferred to set up a dual boot system by installing Linux -> creating extra partitions -> installing GRUB -> installing Windows but that's not an option.
Regards, Andrew
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Daniel Jitnah <djitnah@greenwareit.com.au> wrote:
IF it was my machine it would never have booted into win7 and it would be all Linux from day 0. You get the feeling its specifically configured with 4 partitions so as to make Linux install difficult.
There used to be a practice, as I recall, of implementing part of what's usually in the BIOS in software stored in one of the partitions of a laptop's hard drive. I'm hoping those days are long gone and that if you destroyed all of the supplied partitions on one of these machines and installed Linux, it would boot reliably.
Daniel Jitnah <djitnah@greenwareit.com.au> wrote:
IF it was my machine it would never have booted into win7 and it would be all Linux from day 0. You get the feeling its specifically configured with 4 partitions so as to make Linux install difficult.
There used to be a practice, as I recall, of implementing part of what's usually in the BIOS in software stored in one of the partitions of a laptop's hard drive. I'm hoping those days are long gone and that if you destroyed all of the supplied partitions on one of these machines and installed Linux, it would boot reliably.
Thats most likely what one of the 4 partitions is being used for. Daniel
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On 25.02.12 19:52, Jason White wrote:
Daniel Jitnah <djitnah@greenwareit.com.au> wrote:
IF it was my machine it would never have booted into win7 and it would be all Linux from day 0. You get the feeling its specifically configured with 4 partitions so as to make Linux install difficult.
There used to be a practice, as I recall, of implementing part of what's usually in the BIOS in software stored in one of the partitions of a laptop's hard drive. I'm hoping those days are long gone and that if you destroyed all of the supplied partitions on one of these machines and installed Linux, it would boot reliably.
Yes, there's much to be said for choosing a laptop known to be linux-friendly. For my first attempt at a laptop installation recently, I blew away everything on a new Thinkpad Edge E520, and installed Debian & LXDE. It just worked. No effort required. It boots like lightning, but is a bit slow when run off the battery. (Disk accesses take forever, so I figure it spins down.) Erik -- I have long felt that most computers today do not use electricity. They instead seem to be powered by the "pumping" motion of the mouse! - William Shotts, Jr. on http://linuxcommand.org/learning_the_shell.ph
Erik Christiansen <dvalin@internode.on.net> wrote:
Yes, there's much to be said for choosing a laptop known to be linux-friendly. For my first attempt at a laptop installation recently, I blew away everything on a new Thinkpad Edge E520, and installed Debian & LXDE. It just worked. No effort required.
I had a similar experience with my current laptop. It doesn't have an optical drive, so I set up PXE (with a friend's advice). It was then a straightforward matter of bringing the laptop home, connecting the Ethernet cable, and booting into a Debian installer. All partitions on the drive were deleted during the installation process, as was my intention. I had alread made sure that the BIOS was configured with PXE enabled. Obviously, one could do the same with a USB memory stick.
Hello Daniel, Jason & Andrew Miller, On Sat, 2012-02-25 at 19:52 +1100, Jason White wrote:
Daniel Jitnah <djitnah@greenwareit.com.au> wrote:
IF it was my machine it would never have booted into win7 and it would be all Linux from day 0. You get the feeling its specifically configured with 4 partitions so as to make Linux install difficult.
There used to be a practice, as I recall, of implementing part of what's usually in the BIOS in software stored in one of the partitions of a laptop's hard drive. I'm hoping those days are long gone and that if you destroyed all of the supplied partitions on one of these machines and installed Linux, it would boot reliably.
If the hard drive can be easily field removed and refitted (like on the Thinkpad I am using), then use two hard drives. Alternatively, use an external USB drive as your non Windows drive. USB3 should be less painfully slow. That way, it is possible to relatively closely inspect the existing Windows installation, without risk of damage, along with being able to run Linux. It might be possible to run almost entirely from a USB memory stick for the Linux install, with some form of overlay file system for changed files to avoid too much writing to the memory stick. Regards, Mark Trickett
participants (8)
-
Andrew Miller -
Daniel Jitnah -
Erik Christiansen -
Glenn McIntosh -
Hiddensoul (Mark Clohesy) -
Jason White -
Mark Trickett -
Wen Lin