Ubuntu and VirtualBox Help

[JudderMan]

Hi guys and girls,

Hope you can help me. Last week my house was hit by lightning and it wrecked my router and my computer and I lost a few packets of data. I run Ubuntu 9.04, which I know is out of date but when I go to upgrade it doesn't let and brings an error message - says cannot upgrade from jaunty to lucid with this tool.

I run Scrapebox and SEnuke X in Virtualbox but now I seem to have lost VirtualBox too after last week. I've tried reinstalling it, removing all files completely and starting again, but it just won't install without saying there's error messages.

I assume that it being an old version of Ubuntu and possibly a new version of VB is causing the conflict. I've look at how to upgrade to a better Ubuntu or MINT, but it seems I could lose even more data. I have lots of information on my computer that I cannot lose and backing it up doesn't fill me with confidence in case it gets wiped. Also, it's my main computer so I don't want to change anything for it to lose my more days as it did last week.

My question is - if I install a new Ubuntu or MINT will I really lose data and can it be retrieved easily (very easily)? Which Ubuntu is thought to be the best one? I don't have a very good CPU so it would have to be a low-resource version. Any ideas how I can get VBOX back without causing too much downtime for my PC?

Cheers in advance.

[tukanginstal]

what is your PC spec ?
i'm runnin in athlon 64 2,4 GHZ 1Gb ram, and i install Ubuntu Super OS based on Ubuntu 10.10. It's works fine. I've install VirtualBox too.
You'll not gone lose your data as long as you install root and home in different partition. So, if you will installing new ubuntu you just format partition for root only. Sorry if my english are bad

-----------------
ps: my vga is onboard, so, my memory is not full on 1Gb

[pkennedy]

Obviously back up data before attempting any re-install. Do the best you can, because you never know. You should be able to grab an ubuntu 11.04 install disk and upgrade without any issues. Just don't let it format anything! Tell it not to do that, redhat was famous for just up and deleting everything!

You can upgrade ubuntu, but it might be a little tricky at this point, because that version is no longer supported really.

For starters, try editing /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades and changing the line that says lts to normal. That should let you upgrade to 9.10, and hopefully from there 10.04. Keep going until you reach 11.04. You might hit some headaches though. This won't destroy any of your data, but will take time.

[JudderMan]

Thanks guys. Unfortunately, I've tried to change it from LTS and yet it still looks like it tries to do that rather than normal, and fails. I'll try a new Ubuntu disk on the weekend....but I'm so frightened about losing data and can't really afford an external HD yet.

[tukanginstal]

JudderMan, have you try Hiren's CD ? rescue all your data using Hinren's CD, although you've format the disk, you can still save your data with this disk

[JudderMan]

No sir I will certainly remember that one though, if the need arises. Thanks again matey.

[pkennedy]

Since this is one machine in your house, just copy the data you want to another machine. For windows, download winscp, it's free. Log into the ubuntu box and download everything you need. No external drive needed. You only need to stuff all the files onto another computer temporarily, so you should be okay if you max out your other computer(s), it's only temporary.

[serzomanik]

Well, I hope that when you installed ubuntu you choosed to have /home on the different partition, if yes? you are lucky. I think that by default ubuntu makes evryting on one partiton. So everytime I make a separate partition for /home and separate for /. Every apps settings are then saved in your /home/username usually in hidden folders (they all start with a dot and you can see them when you press Ctrl+H). Otherwise you will have to install all the apps from a scratch, but settings remain.
Good luck!

BTW, Ubuntu is my favourite OS

[Fishfarmer]

Pretty much all good info there. I run Mint with Virtual Box and have very few problems. I did an upgrade from an earlier version to the LTS version of Mint (9 Isadora) some time back and had no problems. Backup the home folder seems to be the key. All your Virtual Box settings should be in there and should restore correctly.

[JudderMan]

Cool guys, I'm just downloading 11.04 now and will see how I get on. I've cleared this weekend of work just in case I break something FF - I've heard good things about MINT and will try this version of Ubuntu for a while then try MINT. One thing at a time....as you can tell, this isn't my strong point.

[pkennedy]

Btw, you'll hate unity in 11.04. After entering in your username at the login, at the bottom of the screen an option shows up, and you can select to use ubuntu "classic", switch to this desktop.

/home is a good place to backup, and should get 99% of your files, perhaps /root if you started putting things in there as well.

Creating /home on another partition wouldn't save you, if it formats one partition, it's going to format them all. Generally, it'll ask before doing anything destructive. You should be good there.

[JudderMan]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Honestly, you guys rock. The Ubuntu forum are a great help but I thought I'd try here and I was right to. No doubt in 5 minutes I'll be pestering you lot again

Dumb question but how exactly do I create a new partition for an update of Ubuntu? I can't even remember how I did it for VirtualBox/Windows...in fact, it's a miracle that even worked first time.

---------- Post added 08-26-2011 at 06:51 PM ----------

Can't even install it. It says there's a unknown keyword in the file when I try to boot from the USB? It's almost 2am so I can't go and buy a blank CD to burn it onto, should I try and put the Ubuntu file on the USB again? I've had the internet go off a few times while it was downloading...probably that has caused the problem?

[JudderMan]

OK, little update. It simply will not run Ubuntu 11.04 as it says "unknown keyword in file".

So, I tried MINT and it runs perfectly off the USB file, but I can't find out how to keep my old files. Can someone explain in very plain English how I can run MINT but with all my old data? Or send a link - I found this one https://help.ubuntu.com/8.04/switchi...titioning.html but it's still all gibberish to me.

Also, what is the easiest way of backing up my files. Again, I can't find a straight answer that says do this and do that and bingo, it's done. (I mean honestly, https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MondoMindi look at this and tell me that it's not crazy talk )