Help: Ubuntu Issues.

[Danny Ocean]

The problem is this:
I have 2 HDs in my computer. I believe they were set up in a master/slave configuration. Now, I installed Ubuntu on one of them just to see what it was like; however, I don't really like it, and I'd like the space back. The problem is that I can't find that hard disk with Windows explorer, and either Ubuntu won't re-format itself, or I'm not good enough with it to get it to do so.
Any technically minded people care to help out? Vista is showing my hard drive space as red and it hasn't even been a year!

 

[Baby Tea]

Did you install it through windows?

If so, you can just uninstall it through the control panel.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

yeah windows can't see ext2/3 or any other file system other than a windows based one.

basically you have to get a boot disk and fdisk the secondary drive but be careful

 

[Alex_P]

If you have an Ubuntu CD, boot from the CD.
You can then use the Partition Editor to repartition or reformat that volume -- I think Windows will see it if you make it NTFS.

-- Alex

 

[Bluntknife]

Let me start by saying,
NO! dont go back to the dark side! you can have your cake and eat it too!

With that out of the way, I have a Ubuntu unleashes book in front of me and pretty sure this is what you need to do.

Go into the terminal and type "sudo rm -rf"
and that should be bye bye Ubuntu.

 

[thePyro_13]

But the dark side can run games!!!.

I think Alex_P has the right idea. try what he says and then you should be able to see and format the drive from windows.

But remember BOOT FROM THE LIVE CD! If you boot from that hard drive you wont be able to format it.

 

[Iffypop]

What is it you don't like about Ubuntu, by the by? If it's how it looks etc or just the standard software with it... have you considered Kubuntu? I think it looks great and the stuff it comes with is quite good too.

 

[Iffypop]

And yus, as thePyro said, use a Live CD - great things those are. It should let you format the drive back to superior ol' NTFS ;P

 

[cleverlymadeup]

And yus, as thePyro said, use a Live CD - great things those are. It should let you format the drive back to superior ol' NTFS ;P

Superior? NTFS has been around for dog's years, and there are tons of better options.

yeah both ext2/3 and reiserfs don't get fragmented like both ntfs and fat do

 

[Danny Ocean]

I didn't like it for a couple of reasons:

1.Games. This is the main one.
2.I found it too difficult to install stuff and get my head around the commmand prompt. This is a big issue when it comes to installing stuff into your browser.
3.It's probably just my PC (DAMN DELL), but Ubuntu just doesn't like it on there, lots of little bugs.


Although I loved the desktop effects I added (looked them up on youtube). Shame they only worked for one boot

Care to explain all this NTFS/FAT32 stuff to me?

 

[sirdanrhodes]

Ubuntu has a forum too, just like every other Linux distribution.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

I didn't like it for a couple of reasons:

1.Games. This is the main one.
2.I found it too difficult to install stuff and get my head around the commmand prompt. This is a big issue when it comes to installing stuff into your browser.
3.It's probably just my PC (DAMN DELL), but Ubuntu just doesn't like it on there, lots of little bugs.


Although I loved the desktop effects I added (looked them up on youtube). Shame they only worked for one boot

Care to explain all this NTFS/FAT32 stuff to me?

You could of course choose to have both windows and a Linux distro. That would give you the ability to play games and also to learn Ubuntu or whatever in your own pace, and then use windows if you need a break from the command line.
Either way, you should use whatever system that suits you the best. I'm just saying that it's not a question of windows OR Ubuntu. You could have it however you like.

NTFS and FAT32 are, like ext2/3 and reiserfs file systems. NTFS is, iirc the one used by XP/Vista. At least that's the one I use. Windows won't recognize a partition that is formatted in ext3 for instance, so you need to change the file system on your Linux partitions back to NTFS in order to use them in Windows again.
Anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong about this. I'm rather tired so I may have worded it badly.
Also, you might want to look into Wubi. As far as I know it allows you to install Ubuntu on you windows partitions without having to bother with setting up the partitions. I'm not quite sure how, but I think that's the point.
Either way, [link]http://ubuntuforums.org/ [/link] should be the place to get help. God know the guys and gals there has helped me out of many a pickle. They may also be able to help you with any Dell related problems. Usually a good google search will find any relevant threads and faqs. If not, ask. Just search first.
Out of curiosity, what version did you try?

 

[Alex_P]

NTFS is, iirc the one used by XP/Vista.

Not quite.

Hint: it's called NTFS.

-- Alex

 

[superbleeder12]

NTFS is, iirc the one used by XP/Vista.

Not quite.

Hint: it's called NTFS.

-- Alex

not quite, every OS windows since NT has been NTFS. its run by the NT kernel (NT, 2000, server 2003, xp, vista, server 2007)

 

[Alex_P]

not quite, every OS windows since NT has been NTFS. its run by the NT kernel (NT, 2000, server 2003, xp, vista, server 2007)

That was implied. >.>

Perhaps I did a bit too much implying for my own good.

-- Alex

 

[superbleeder12]

not quite, every OS windows since NT has been NTFS. its run by the NT kernel (NT, 2000, server 2003, xp, vista, server 2007)

That was implied. >.>

Perhaps I did a bit too much implying for my own good.

-- Alex

Oh, I thought you were saying that XP/Vi$ta used some other format.

I guess its true what they say about assuming things

 

[teh_gunslinger]

NTFS is, iirc the one used by XP/Vista.

Not quite.

Hint: it's called NTFS.

-- Alex

Well, yes, but I also made an assumption. I figured that he wanted to run either XP or Vista and as such I didn't want to confuse the issue with talking about NT. But you are of course right.

 

[Danny Ocean]

[
Out of curiosity, what version did you try?

Hardy Heron