How to wipe XP and install Linux?

[WorldDominator]

I have an old windows XP computer and I want to wipe it clean and install linux so I can sell it. What's the best way to do this? Also I don't have a USB with more than 4GB so can I install a form of linux on a disc and boot with that?

[Samdb]

Boot into the Linux installer and delete all of your partitions, should do it.

[MdX MaxX]

4GB is plenty to install Linux (or any OS really).  I mean DVDs are only 4.7GB.

 

In the installer there will be an option to wipe the drive and clean install Linux, just do that and you're good to go, the installer will do it all for you.

 

Ubuntu is probably the easiest distro to work with.

[Assassin]

I have an old windows XP computer and I want to wipe it clean and install linux so I can sell it. What's the best way to do this? Also I don't have a USB with more than 4GB so can I install a form of linux on a disc and boot with that?

 

download this universal usb installer for linux

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/downloads/Universal-USB-Installer/Universal-USB-Installer-1.9.3.9.exe

 

download the iso of the linux version

 

make a bootable flash drive using the tool

 

after making a bootable flash drive reboot to bios

change boot priority to usb

then plug in the usb and reboot

follow the instructions

 

4gb is enough to make a botable usb drive

 

you can burn the iso to the disk as well

 

I recommend ubuntu or linux mint

[Biased Opinion]

ubuntu contains amazon spyware if you believe anything richard stallman says, use mint or something else

[WorldDominator]

download this universal usb installer for linux

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/downloads/Universal-USB-Installer/Universal-USB-Installer-1.9.3.9.exe

 

download the iso of the linux version

 

make a bootable flash drive using the tool

 

after making a bootable flash drive reboot to bios

change boot priority to usb

then plug in the usb and reboot

follow the instructions

 

4gb is enough to make a botable usb drive

 

you can burn the iso to the disk as well

 

I recommend ubuntu or linux mint

 

I'm doing Linux mint. Let's see if I remember how to boot into Bios...been a while since ive used windows :P

[WorldDominator]

Boot into the Linux installer and delete all of your partitions, should do it.

I booted with the disc having the iso on it and it doesnt appear to be doing anything. The linux mint logo shows up for a bit then theres nothing...ill check it again in a few minutes.

[lutzee]

If you used the tool linked to create bootable media you should have gotten to a window which gives you the option to boot a live session, install, run memtest, repair an installation and a couple of other options.

 

If you don't get that then the creation of the bootable USB may have failed, you'll want to try again, if it keeps on now working try UNetBootIn instead.

 

Just a query, have you used linux at all in the past?

[neon]

Remember that simply deleting all the partitions and installing a different OS won't destroy the vast majority of the data on the drive, meaning that somebody could recover any files that were on the hard drive.

To make sure you are safe you would first need to erase the hard drive, use something like DBAN and to be extra safe use the 3 pass option, then after it finishes (it will take some time depending on the size of the drive) install your new OS, that will make sure no one can recover potentially sensitive files that have ever been on the hard drive.

[WorldDominator]

If you used the tool linked to create bootable media you should have gotten to a window which gives you the option to boot a live session, install, run memtest, repair an installation and a couple of other options.

 

If you don't get that then the creation of the bootable USB may have failed, you'll want to try again, if it keeps on now working try UNetBootIn instead.

 

Just a query, have you used linux at all in the past?

 

I have in my intro to programming, that's it.

 

 

Remember that simply deleting all the partitions and installing a different OS won't destroy the vast majority of the data on the drive, meaning that somebody could recover any files that were on the hard drive.

To make sure you are safe you would first need to erase the hard drive, use something like DBAN and to be extra safe use the 3 pass option, then after it finishes (it will take some time depending on the size of the drive) install your new OS, that will make sure no one can recover potentially sensitive files that have ever been on the hard drive.

 

I'm not that concerned because I don't think I entered any important information on there. I just wanted to wipe it clean cause the person who made it for me used a pirated XP copy I believe and it's pretty slow for some reason too.

[lutzee]

I have in my intro to programming, that's it.

 

 

As long as you know the basics of how the OS works, things are very different from what you find in windows