Total Switch - Übergrade

[aa-kk]

Hi, all.
I think I need/want some help/advice from some experienced users.
The problem is that I want (finances allowing) to get a better laptop/notebook.
Now I have:
-ASUS A6M with:
-AMD TL-52 (dual 1.4GHz)
-Nvidia 6100
with:
-OEM WinXP (locked to laptop probably)
-Mandriva 2008.1
-with XFS filesystem
-with KDE 3.5.7, I do not like KDE 4

I'd like to move over, with MOST of my stuff, to:
-ASUS K73TA
-AMD A6-3400M (quad 1.4GHz) (includes a Fusion GPU 6520G)
Switch to: AMD/ATI 6650 extra on-board
with:
Switch to: system-Win7 Ultimate (needed for some business stuff)
Switch to: Mageia (using it now on netbook EeePC-701 with encrypted ext4-fs=nice)
Switch to: EXT4 filesystem is good & fast, not encrypted
BUT not to KDE 4. I have a really nice setup now, also I have KDE-3.5.10 Mandriva rpms from MIB for Mandy-2010 (I have the official Mandy-2010 DVD too), maybe they work on Mageia? I would be nice to see KDE 3.5 in the Mageia repo. KDE-4 is so .... not me.
I could move to LXDE maybe, just like on my netbook...

Basically, I need/want to upgrade but needs to retain binary compatibilty.

I will move the HDD content over by DD'ing the disk (I use that to backup too)
Extra space left will be made into a data-partition (got 2 already)

I also could maybe turn WinXP into a VM and run the Win7 installer over that? options...

The processor needs 2.6.38.x kernel for support, that's in Mageia-1 already.
How to switch from Mandriva-2008.1 to Mageia-1? Install over it? (no format)
Switch from Nvidia to ATI by......?
Switch to system-Win7 by installing over the old WinXP?
And first do the Win part and then the Linux part?

Also I do gaming on the machine, Nvidia can just run Doom3 and others (from LinuxGamePublishing, IndieGames, etc.) and I have a lot of important software on the machine incl. official software and the like. So clean installs are not a real option.
I could stick with the A6M if übergrading would be a bitch. A nice tl-68 processor would be good, then, but hard to get.

So: a full update = hardware+software.
Who can help me out?

And yes: the ASUS-K73TA is a good and cheap machine, hard to find, but is on komplett.nl.

[marja]

Hi aa-kk,

What you want confuses me, I wonder whether you didn't get a reply yet because it confuses more people.

Why not buy that new laptop, install Mageia next to Windows 7 (the laptop comes with Windows 7 installed), copy important files from the old laptop to the new one and take your time to further adapt it to your preferences? There is no hurry, you can keep using your old laptop.

[aa-kk]

THX for the reply!

This is an important production machine, there are tons of official/commercial stuff on it, carefully installed, tweaked, etc. I just don't have the time to redo it all.
It's complicated.
And I have to ditch the new Win7 because that one will be locked to that laptop too.

I really wish for a local PC-shop, where I can drop it off, give him 200 Euros, and tell them to do it. It's always DIY.
I wonder if it's all worth the trouble. Because I cannot just run the updater: it will kill my KDE-3.5 whithout any mercy.
Having an updater which gives options is probably too difficult to produce.
It seems this will be a job for the long run....again.

[marja]

I don't understand. First you said

Switch to: system-Win7 Ultimate (needed for some business stuff)

And now you say

I have to ditch the new Win7

For me, the second line means the opposite of the first.

I fear that if you find someone to do it for you, there is a huge chance that he'll misunderstand what you want.

[aa-kk]

I hope this makes it clearer?:
-I need to dd-over the WinXP because of the data, programs and settings, so I get it exact.
-I have to run a windows installer over that WinXP (I happen to have an original Win7-Ultimate-system-DVD of 30 euros, not a 'copy')
-I can't install an already installed Windows over that old WinXP, which is a laptop-locked one.
-And I don't want the Win7 copy which comes with the PC, because that is locked to the PC, just like the old WinXP

Is that any better? I know I can be confusing.
It would be nice to just clear the new HDD and put a fresh install of Mageia on it, but I need my stuff and Win for some business items (software/hardware).

[doktor5000]

No, does not make it any clearer.

1. You shouldn't dd-over some windows xp. Chances are good
that it doesn't like the mass storage drivers of the new mainboards and won't even boot.

2. Why do you want to run windows installer over that windows xp? To do an repair installation?
Just makes everything worse. Backup your files, andinstall fresh, saves your nerves.

-I can't install an already installed Windows over that old WinXP, which is a laptop-locked one.

Sorry, i don't get the sense of this. Also besides a few Dell and other exotic laptops there is no vendor- or machine-lock-in.

-And I don't want the Win7 copy which comes with the PC, because that is locked to the PC, just like the old WinXP

What do you mean by locked to the PC? There is no such lock-in.

Besides all that, feel free to donate those 200€ to Mageia
and send your box to me, telling me exactly what you want and i'll do it

[aa-kk]

Well, if you say that a winXP which comes with the PC can be moved to a diff. PC. .. good.
Backup my files....difficult....reg. too? don't have all the installers.
We could do it together, maybe, but I guess you're not that nearby....but the option is good.

[doktor5000]

Backup my files....difficult....reg. too? don't have all the installers.

You can install windows on another box as long as you have a product key.
You should backup your documents, and everything under C:\Documents and Settings. Registry not.
You can redownload most installers, that's what i would recommend, so you also get the latest version.

[aa-kk]

OK, I'll think about that.
The Other Point: what happens if I try to upgrade a Mandriva 2008.x install with a Mageia (net) install?
Tried that?
I can try on my netbook: boot from Mageia-net-stick and upgrade the Mandriva-usb-micro-hdd.

If it works out, I can do it on the main Mandriva install on the laptop, after bringing the stuff over.

[Ken-Bergen]

Backup my files....difficult....reg. too? don't have all the installers.

You can install windows on another box as long as you have a product key.
You should backup your documents, and everything under C:\Documents and Settings. Registry not.
You can redownload most installers, that's what i would recommend, so you also get the latest version.

That maybe true of a generic Windows install disc but the ones that come with some laptops will only install on that model of laptop. The installer looks at the hardware and if it finds differences it refuses to continue. What aa-kk wants to do is to move his Windows install from one laptop to the next which as he said maybe impossible without purchasing a new install disc.

[doktor5000]

As i said, there are really few laptop models where there is a BIOS/hardware check implemented.

@aa-kk: I wouldn't try that, only if you have a backup. Only supported migration scenario is from Mandriva 2010.1(2).

[aa-kk]

OK.
I moved my org mandy2008 install over to new machine. no go with cp -afc or dd.
Why?
The PATA to SATA issue. So I'll have to change the initrd.img: mkinitrd --preload=ahci kernel.img kernel-sata-ahci.img

AHCI gets the SATA harddisk support. I haven't done it yet. maybe this week.

and a HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

[wilcal]

Only supported migration scenario is from Mandriva 2010.1(2).

My preferred upgrade scenario from
Mandy 2010.2 -> Mageia 1 is to first
use:

http://www.dban.org/

then install.

[ou_ryperd]

Hi aa-kk,
I have a very elegant solution to your problem. Use VMWare-converter to convert your running physical XP machine to a VM as is. Then, on your new machine, use it as a VM.

I have done this with an XP laptop, and now run that laptop as VM with nall the original software and configs on an Ubuntu machine using VMWare-player. It works well. The VMWare tools I name in this post are all free, you just need to register on the VMWare site.

HTH

[aa-kk]

Yeah, got that, but first I need to make room for that image; well that can be done I suppose.
Main problem (still): this windows is delivered with the system. It is confirmed to be used only on that laptop. So I think it will probably not run in a VM...
To get around that I will probably need to re-install/repair-install over it.
Or just let it go and try to get (maybe copy) the stuff on there by installing a WIN-XP-SP3-32bit in a VM.
However, will that support my new hardware and get me good 3D graphics acceleration for games?
I DO know that certain software I have does not want to run n WIN7-64bit on the new machine.
Not that I do much with that WIN-install. (used for tests only. and Duke Forever:)

ATM moment I'm in limbo concerning decisions about what it on there:
-WIN-7
-Mandy 2008.1 (no sound or network; usb-network does work)
-Mandy 2010 pwp (fluendo dvd-player does NOT work, bastards)
-Mandy 2011 (seems nice, still 'looking')
-Mageia 1 (which I can HOPEFULLY upgrade painlessly to Mageia 2 SOON !! )

I know I need:
-2.6.31 for USB-3 support (and network stuff)
-2.6.38 for for APU support
-2.6.39 for USB-3 hub support.
But I would like 3.3 or more...

I can try to keep all my shit by upgrading 2008 to 2010 (using dd to copy the 2008 image to the2010 partition and change the UUID). But will that retain all my software and Gaming stuff ?!?!
Or try to get my stuff going on Mageia 2 when that is on it. With kernel 3.3
I can get MIB-kernel-nrj-3.1.6 on Mandy 2010, which is OK too.
With the fixed ASPM problems.
And HAIKU is nice too....