Use k9copy to rip a DVD to avi

I found a nice, straightforward guide for ripping DVDs to avi files: How to rip a dvd in Ubuntu (as .avi).

Migraing to a bigger hard drive

What do you do when you need (or sometimes, simply want) to upgrade your boot hard drive?  I recently found myself in that position, wondering how to accomplish the job with nothing more than free tools.  It seems like the kind of thing that Linux should definitely have the ability to handle.  As usual in the FOSS world, the question comes down to: just which way do you want to skin this cat?