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I am currently running dual-boot Windows 7 / Ubuntu 14.04 LTS on a 32-bit processor (1.66GHz dual, 2GB memory). I want to go pure Ubuntu. Which, if any, of the following options makes the most sense with the least amount of effort and/or chance for disaster:

1) reformat Windows partition to ext4 and use as a separate data partition,

2) delete Windows and repartition drive to a single partition, or

3) archive Ubuntu data and full format/clean install either 14.04 or 16.04?

If you have another option that makes more sense/takes less effort, please share. I am somewhat proficient with CLI, but by no means an expert.

Thank you.

NathanH
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    I'd keep Windows 7 on there, to run BIOS updates, device firmware updates, or run apps for which there is no Linux counterpart. If you want to upgrade Ubuntu, I'd recommend using Lubuntu or Xubuntu, as they require less cpu/RAM than Ubuntu, esp 16.10. – heynnema Dec 22 '16 at 21:48

2 Answers2

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The first and the third options are the safest bet.

The choice depends on how much time and data you have. If you have little to no data then simply archive, format, and do a clean install.

However, if you want to simply and quickly go pure Ubuntu without any hiccups, just format the windows partition to ext4 with gparted, and have it as a separate data partition.

Alex
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What you do here is mostly a matter of personal preference. Many people advocate having a separate partition or drive to put /home on. Option #1 could be used as a way of doing accomplishing that. Having a separate /home partition also makes upgrading (see the linked answer earlier) a little easier and robust, so you could say by doing option #1 you make going to 16.04 later easier to do.

Accomplishing #2, by which I take it to mean expanding the existing Ubuntu partition so it takes up all the space on your drive, is likely to be technically tricky in that your Ubuntu partition is probably at the end of the drive and the Windows partition is probably at the beginning. It's doable, certainly, but requires a little fancy footwork. In that giving yourself a separate /home partition is a pretty good thing to do anyway, that's the option I would recommend.

I always use a complete clean install as a last resort, used only if something goes very wrong somewhere else.

Community
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Kurt Fitzner
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