Re: [vox-tech] AAARRRGGGHHHH! (Translation: Linux got hosed)

[Peter Jay Salzman <p@dirac.MAPSorg>]

begin: Mark K. Kim <mkkim@ucdavis.edu> quote
> Well, the root partition is completely unuseable so I do need to format
> it.  HOWEVER, /usr and /usr/local are on different partitions and I'd like
> to keep the files on those partitions.  If I were to install/update, it'll
> overwrite, install around, or partial-install around the files in those
> partitions.  I'd rather leave those partitions alone; just clean install
> root.
> 
> -Mark
 
mark, i've never installed mandrake, however with debian, you are asked which
partitions to mount, and debian will NOT touch any partition that you don't
mount.  so if you don't want /home == /dev/hdawhatever touched, then don't
mount it.  as long as you skip actual partitioning, whatever partitions you
don't mount /should/ be left alone.

now that's debian, of course.  if mandrake doesn't do this, then perhaps you
should give debian a try.

if you're unsure about mandrake's behavior, get a spare hard drive and back
up the partitions.

don't you have DSL?  you can leave stuff temporarily on my machine, if you
want to backup and don't have a spare hard drive laying around.

pete