Hello All: My question is: Is there a way to reinstall Ubuntu without losing everything, or just do a repair on the OS somehow? I used to choice off the Install CD but it did not work? (Did not even ask for the old password)? I must've done something wrong? or did I? Thanks! this is the details: I almost blew it today: ("http://www.howtoforge.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38335fsck saves" thread) but I got out of trouble safely but this has always been a question for me because: I have had to reinstall Ubuntu 3 or 4 times already (this is why they tell you NOT to log in as ROOT and we dont listen) LOL In every case when I reinstalled the fdisk portion of the Install CD gave NO choice as to reinstall over the same partitions in fact if I remember correctly it gave me no choice but to Format All Partitions as well. So basically I Lost All My Files. (I mean I knew I would, but I had no choice but to go on...so I am not complaining lol). I have used the Advance Install (from CD root menu by F6), and used the other choice off the main menu to Save the Old System choices to no avail?! I do not know why it (Install OS) does not ask you for the old root's password then let you just install the necessary files so you can boot decently?? I never saw such choice so I am asking you! If you know how or know a link please post it for me (and other people). Thank You!
/home I know this is all very 'after the horse has bolted', but when you install, create a partition for / a partition for /home and a swap partition. There will be many people who will say create a partition for /boot and one for /var etc. But, for an example, / needs no more than 10GB, swap roughly double the size of your RAM, and the rest for /home. That way next time you mess up and want to reinstall you only need to format where / is and not the partition you'll mount as /home. /home is /dev/sda5 on my system, and in the last month I've installed Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora, every time mounting /dev/sda5 as /home, and obviously enough, never lost any of my stuff.
oh really? cool Thanks a lot. I hope I wont mess up again but next time I'll remember to use only the / to reinstall! make sense now Thanks again.
