----- Original Message ----- From: "Cheryl Homiak" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "speakup" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2001 3:29 PM Subject: transfering linux system to another hard drive
> I apologize for the cross-post, but I'm trying to get info as soon as > possible; even if somebody has just seen this on one of these lists and > can steer me toward the correct archive it would be appreciated. > My hard drive with linux is failing; I have just obtained a 20gig drive > which will have both my dos and linux on it. All drives--my dying linux > drive, my old and tiny dos drive, and my new drive--are all connected to > the computer. I will have to partition the hard drive, but it is being > recognized correctly in the bios and linux. Eventually, the dying drive > (hda) will be removed as will the dos drive (hdd) and the new drive (hdb) > will become hda. I want to know if there is a way to transfer my linux > >from the dying 2.5gig drive to the new 20gig; I am assuming I will first > need to partition the hard drive and the partitioning will probably be > somewhat different from the old drive due to the difference in size. > Sorry for the info repeat to those on blinux. > I know I saw a discussion of just this problem somewhere recently but > haven't been able to locate it. > Also, can I make my partition that will hold dos with linux since I have > no data already onthe hard drive to protect? > thanks. > Cheryl > > > -- > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi! You cannot install linux and dos on the same partition, at least not without dealing with umsdos or so and this is not the smoothest solution I think. But, as far as I have experienced, transferring the system to another hard drive which is partitioned correctly (one linux native, one linux swap) is not very difficult: Just use mc to copy the whole hard disk contents (without /proc, but also dev so that there will be the right entries in the new /dev directory - mc should only copy the "links" in dev but not the device contents ;) ) into the new root partition. Then make a directory named proc in the new root drive. Now, you only have to change some config files so that the hard drive devices/device numbers are set correctly (/etc/fstab, /etc/lilo.conf (for the format of this one see man lilo.conf) ... I cannot remember any other files now but that should be sufficient). The devices you write into those files must be the ones which will be valid *after* you've disconnected your bad hard disk (*IDE* hard disk devices: /dev/hda<x> for prim. master, /dev/hdb<x> for prim slave, /dev/hdc<x> for sec. master, /dev/hdd<x> for sec. slave; <x> is the partition number; the device without <x> the whole disk). Now disconnect your bad hard drive. For the first start, you'll need a boot disk or debian bootable cd, type rescue root=/dev/<device name of the partition which is now the new root>; system starts up; once run lilo and the boot block should be installed; mark partition with lilo on it as active in fdisk. I think I've made this at least two times and it's really worth a try as there is no data on your new HDD yet which could be destroyed, if I've understood you correctly. If anyone discovers a fatal error in my solution, please tell us immediately! Cheers, Stephan
