Notes on moving Ubuntu Wubi to a standard ext3 partition using LVPM

Date: 2008-08-04 | Tags: linux, ubuntu | 7 Comments

Here are my notes for moving my wubi Ubuntu install to a dedicated ext3 partition. I used the Loopmounted Virtual Partition Manager (LVPM) to do the transfer. From the webpage:

The Loopmounted Virtual Partition Manager allows users to upgrade their existing Wubi or Lubi installation to a standard Ubuntu system by transferring all data, settings, and applications from the original install to a dedicated partition. The advantages of upgrading using LVPM are better disk performance and reliability, and the ability to replace the original operating system with Ubuntu.

Add 2 new partitions

My hard disk had only 1 partition containing Windows XP.

Boot to Xubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron Live CD
Go to System, Partition Editor
Click the existing partition, and "Resize".
Click "Apply".
- Note 1: the first time I tried this, I got ERROR: Extended record needed (1712>1024), not yet supported. Please try to free less space. So I slid my partition divider a little more to the right and tried again and it worked.
- Note 2: This took a few minutes when it worked.
In the unallocated section, create a new partition. I made this my swap partition. It was 1065 MB, Primary Partition, Filesystem: linux-swap. It became sda2. Click "Add".
Then I created my main Linux partition. Used the remaining size, filesystem: ext3, Primary Partition. This is sda3. Click "Add".
Click "Apply".

Install and run LVPM

Boot into the Wubi Ubuntu installation.
Go to http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=198821, download, save, install, and run it.
Select "Transfer" and then the new main linux partition (sda3)
Reboot
When I selected Ubuntu in the Grub boot loader, I got the following error mesage: Error 17: Cannot mount selected partition.
To fix this, I hit "e" to edit the command, and changed root ()/ubuntu/disks to root (hd0,2). Then I hit "b" to boot. hd0 means the first hard disk, and 2 means the 3rd partition.
After booting into the new ext3 Ubuntu install, I edited the /boot/grub/menu.lst file to change root ()/ubuntu/disks to root (hd0,2)
All pau.

7 Comments — Comments feed for this post

#1 gaurav commented on 2009-04-13:

hi, thanks for the tip but i had a query. You said - After booting into the new ext3 Ubuntu install, I edited the /boot/grub/menu.lst file to change root ()/ubuntu/disks to root (hd0,2)

I tried to do that but it says i am not authorised to save this file. My username gaurav is the only username on ubuntu. what do i login with to be able to do this. Or how do i give myself the authorization to do so

#2 Eliot commented on 2009-04-14:

gaurav, you should be able to use the sudo command. for example, sudo nano /boot/grub/menu.lst

#3 Jarome commented on 2009-05-07:

Wow, thank you so much, I've been trying to get Ubuntu to work after the Lvpm, and this was the only one that worked, you are an Ubuntu hero!

#4 Gaurav commented on 2009-06-14:

Hi, I hadn't created a swap partition during the install as i have 3gb of memory. the performance is good but i need the hibernate function. so i guess i will need a swap-partition. I know i can create a linux-swap partition equal to my ram using parted magic but what after that. how do i mount it. and have it mounted everytime so that i can use the hibernate function. what do i enter in the terminal.

#5 adnan khan commented on 2009-07-29:

I had the exact same problem and I looked EVERYWHERE but couldn't find the solution. O well solutions were there but were too complex and poorly explained for beginners/windows users.

I installed Linux on a separate disk due to which I was getting Error 15 / 17. So I followed your approach and it all works.

So thank you very much for sharing this technique.

Thanks.

#6 andrea commented on 2010-02-12:

i used lvpm to transfer wubi ubuntu in a separate partition, but after reboot, the grub give me error 17, i try to edit grub and change with root(hd0,3) and ubuntu seems star but after stop immidiatly with uniform> shell....and i don't know what i can do !!! I try supergrub but nothing, somebody hekp me?

#7 Lyle commented on 2010-07-14:

You are a lifesaver. Thanks for the tip!


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