How to format HDD to get space for UBUNTU ?

[edzha90]

I have a very old laptop with windows xp which has only 5 GB space in a HDD and I decided to try an UBUNTU 10.4 but the thin is I don't have enough space to install it, so how can I format all HDD to get space for UBUNTU ?
Thank you,

 

[wombat_tg]

So the total size of the harddrive is 5GB? Or you only have 5GB free?

If it's only 5GB total there's nothing you can do to make room. Even minimal Ubuntu Desktop installs require 5GB, so if all you have is 5GB, won't work.

If it's bigger than that but you've got WinXP sucking up space you can try cleaning off the drive to make room and then re-sizing the partions but that comes with some risks. I wouldn't do that unless I was okay with losing everything. In which case, I'd just format the disk and abandon XP entirely.

 

[edzha90]

right , well I don't care to lose all files because it's an old computer which I am using only for testing like now trying install UBUNTU, to be honest what is the system requirements for UBUNTU ? I have 'dell ppx' which is such a old computer I can say very old because I can see a label on the back of the laptop 'windows 95 cd key'
Without UBUNTU is it any other operating system which will suit for old computer? Like windows 2000, 98, 95 ?

 

[amdfangirl]

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/SystemRequirements

Google helps.

Lubuntu has lower requirements. Looks like 95-XP. I prefer Lubuntu.

 

[wombat_tg]

If memory serves me right the PPXs were the forerunners to the Latitudes, or are from that general family. They were a business laptop. I think I actually had a company one at one point circa 2000.

If it's running XP (I'm guess SP1 and barely?) it might just barely meet min operating requirements for Lubuntu IF it's had its memory upgraded and the XP is removed. Sporting a Win95 sticker, probably something like a P2? Maybe a P3. There may be 512MB, but I don't think there'd be more then that. It MIGHT, under the best of circumstances, meet min operating requirements for some modern desktop linux distros, but just barely. The answer is probably not at all.

OP, you're probably looking at something like Puppy or DSL. I wouldn't risk trying to resize the partitions on such an old harddrive. If it's original to the machine it's a miracle it's running at all. Even if it's half that machine's age it's still living on borrowed time.

 

[edzha90]

Lubuntu is asking for more ram and hdd space than Ubuntu netbook edition, so what do you think what should I do to format all hdd ? make a boot disk ?

 

[nhasian]

without knowing you system specs it would be hard to suggest a version of linux for you. if you were able to boot off an Ubuntu liveCD in a terminal you can type:

lshw

then if you post the output here we can see what specs you have and suggest the appropriate distro for you. the main things we would like to know:

CPU speed
total amount of RAM in system
size of hard disk in computer

 

[edzha90]

CPU speed - Intel pentium 3, ~490 Mhz
RAM - 256 ram
HDD - 5.59 GB

laptop name - Dell latitude CPx

 

[wombat_tg]

CPU speed - Intel pentium 3, ~490 Mhz
RAM - 256 ram
HDD - 5.59 GB

laptop name - Dell latitude CPx

With those specs you are looking at something like Puppy 4.1. You MIGHT get 4.2 to run, but just barely.

The issues, more than your harddrive, are the terrible CPU and the limited RAM. The modern distros, even stripped down ones like Xubuntu, generally require at least 1Ghz and 512MB, and that's at the absolute bottom end. If you can get another 256MB module for it you will have more options. At 256MB with that slow P3 (which is the lowest-end P3 made) you have limited options.

Look at Puppy, Swift Linux and TinyCore. There's also DamnSmallLinux (dead in the water) and you MIGHT be be able to get CrunchBang working- on the CrunchBang forums there is a guy who got it working (sort of) on a Latitude P2 with 256MB, but HD size will still be an issue.

 

[edzha90]

Thanks for information. Is in a Puppy possible to use internet like watch internet tv, and movies from VLC?

 

[wombat_tg]

Given how very little RAM you have and how little CPU power, no idea. Maybe.

If you're looking for an answer that is "safe", there isn't one. You're using a super old machine that wasn't high quality when it was new. It can barely meet the min system requirements for even the smallest Linux distros. Anything you do to it is going to be a crapshoot. Especially if that harddrive is very old.

Since you don't want to risk the data that's already on it my suggestion would be to just leave it alone. WHEN it dies (because it WILL die) then it really won't matter if you try experimenting with it.

 

[edzha90]

Thank you for your effort and time, I will install win xp and will see if it's dies then it's time, but anyway thank you