How to delete all partitions for a complete reinstall

[Tod Merley]

On 8/14/06, Kevin Zhao <klzhao at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am now using dual boot windows xp and ubuntu dapper. The problem is
> my partition table is a bit messed up, although ubuntu is so far so
> good. Now my OEM recovery CDs(laptop) refuse to work due to partition
> problems and I wish to delete all the partitions to make a clean
> environment for a reinstall. I wonder which commands (fdisk -xxx? etc)
> can be used if i boot using ubuntu live cd.
>
> Oh and i hope it can be tender to my harddisk. Thank you in advance.
>
> Regards,
> Kevin
>
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> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
>

Hi Kevin!

0.  Purchase a "Don't Panic!" button and install on your desk.  Also
purchase a bath towel.  See "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" for
details.

1. Realize that disk partitioning is deep computer surgery.  It is
easy to loose everything.  Take the time to know what you are doing.

2. I believe that your OEM disks do not like your current Master Boot
Record.  Ubuntu uses GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader) which has about
three stages the first of which is contained in the Master Boot Record
(MBR) - the first 512 bytes of your disk.  If you installed XP first
(I hope you did, life is easier if you did) then you simply need to
append to your GRUB configuration file telling it where XP is and
"chainloading" it's installer.  If you partitioned your disk using
Ubuntu then it will be harder to install XP.  If you did, you would
need to do a "fixmbr" from the rescue console in order to enable XP to
proceed ( http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3975 ).

3. Read, Read, Read:

Dual Boot How-To(s):

http://www.crhc.uiuc.edu/~mjmille2/howtos/dual-boot-linux-and-windows/

http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/p3.htm

http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2006/05/08/dual-boot-laptop.html

GRUB:    http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/

MBR:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_boot_record

http://www.geocities.com/thestarman3/asm/mbr/MBR_in_detail.htm

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-linuxboot/

http://linuxgazette.net/issue63/okopnik.html

Partitioning:

(Note: requires "find in document" "partition")
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/other-formats/pdf/

4.  Write down on a sheet of paper exactly what you want to do (large
outline) then fill in the outline with specific steps with the exact
GUI or command line commands to accomplish that.  If there is info on
the disk you need, transfer it elsewhere before you start!

Have a Great Time!

Tod