Linux Advice Pleez

Discussion in 'Computer Science & Culture' started by CharleeB, Jul 10, 2003.

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  1. CharleeB Registered Senior Member

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    Ok so I have officially had enough of Windows. My schools computers run Linux mandrake and they have never crashed on me and deleted work I need. I tried to order the disk pakage thingy on amazon.com but they said they coudn't deliver outside the US and amazon.co.uk said it was unavailable. Is it downloadable? Can you run it side by side with windows or do i have to let it go all at once. What about software that requires windows will it run on Linux? Do documents you process in word convert easily + correctly?

    Any advice people can give would be greatly appreciated.Thanx
     
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  3. Kunax Sciforums:Reality not required Registered Senior Member

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    you can DL mandrake Here(click the 2nd now button) you need to figure out which version is for you thou, proberly Mandrake 9.1/i586 ISO Image.

    There are a few windows emulators(to run windows stuff) out there, 1 of them is called wine, i cannot remember the rest, but you can also use openoffice which i hear can rw doc and ppt files.

    hope it works out for you, i like my games so stincking with W2K

    http://www.justlinux.com/ (the old Linuxnewbie.org) are helpfull site, just not as good as it use to be :/

    edit:
    you can duelboot using a bootmanager, there is 1 build in to the distro(i think redhat, slackware had it).

    damn i forgot a lot of shit, perhaps its time to try Linux again i have had my eye on http://www.undeadlinux.com/
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2003
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  5. CharleeB Registered Senior Member

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    Thanx I'll give it a go.
     
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  7. DCLXVI Bloody Bastard Registered Senior Member

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    Setting up a dualboot linux/windows machine is easy in todays world.

    Just install windows first, leave a sizable empty partition for linux, install Mandrake/SuSe/Redhat/Debian/Whatever (most of them have a userfriendly installation) and just follow the instructions on the screen. It should be pretty straight forward, your grandmother could do it.
     
  8. CharleeB Registered Senior Member

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    Promise? I really dont want to cause more problems/system crashes.
     
  9. grazzhoppa yawwn Valued Senior Member

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    I'm interested in Mandrake too and learning about the dual boot with windows. See, there's only one computer here that the whole family shares but there is a partition of 8gigs that's free for my use. I'm guessing 8gigs is enough to get Mandrake on and a few programs...is 8gigs enough for a minimal installation and room to add some everyday programs (word processor and such)?

    And since it's a family computer, I really can't afford to mess the machine up or have Windows not able to load.

    Charlee, mind if you post your success or failure with installing it?

    Kunax, can Mandrake duelboot with WinXPpro without having to bring in another program into the mix, or is that just with RedHat?

    edit----I'm checking out the installation guide now, seeing how easy/safe it'll be to install with Windows.

    edit2---
    Right here will tell you how Mandrake handles partitions. It recommends having a seperate partition, but it can resize a Window's FAT partition but at a risk of losing data....so have a seperate partition at least.

    The installation looks very nice and simple.

    I had to install Windows98 on a computer today...ayaya what a head ache to find all the "coporate" crap to get rid of. Like the "deals" for AOL access....that actually gets installed with Windows as default.

    Man, the installation can go past 4gigs with the programs/apps Mandrake comes with. But the minimal installation is 65 megabytes (that leaves only you, the monitor, and a command line though

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    More-- The bootloader is right here. It says it'll get rid of the Windows bootloader and put in it's own. But it says that doing so will make it possible to run the Linux OS and another OS. Simple! I'm starting to love this thing.

    Kind of answered my own questions

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    The only thing I'm worried about now are the drivers. ATI doesn't see to make Linux drivers for the exact model of my card (Radeon 9500 non-pro). I have onboard video though...but the BIOS detects the AGP card and turns off the onboard video....hmm dual-boot BIOS would be useful right now

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    More about dual boot---- Later on in the installation (about half way down the page)it'll give you options to select which OS's appear for you to choose when you turn on the computer. Damn, that's simple. There's 3 bootloaders to choose from, only one with graphic interface though.

    Took me about an hour to read through the installation, and the installation looks as simple and easy as installing WinXP, but it seems like it gives you MANY more options to configure the system. I like it.

    It's too late to start anything now, maybe tomorrow though. Linux is coming......
     
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2003
  10. testify Look, a puppy! Registered Senior Member

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    What I really hated about making a dual boot system was that once I installed mandrake, and had to use windows for something that mandrake couldn't do, I could never get myself to reboot and switch over. I bet this is the third time I have posted this exact situation of mine, but it's a BAD problem I have. Anyone else have a similar problem?
     
  11. AntonK Technomage Registered Senior Member

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    Most of the time...if there is something that I want to do in Linux but can't I search the internet and find the program that will. Other times, if I can't find it, I end up trying to write it myself (if its small enough), and as a last ersort, I use VMWare, which is a virtual computer that exists inside a window in Linux. Inside that window, I run Windows XP. I'll attach a screenshot.

    -AntonK
     
  12. SG-N Registered Senior Member

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  13. Kunax Sciforums:Reality not required Registered Senior Member

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    lol AntonK for some reason i find that picture funny, anyway say you running a clean Linux box how do you install/setup things in VMWare?, do you create a partision so you actualy boot windows in linux or something along that line?
    (i have not read anything about it, i like questions first

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    )

    also what do you code in, im looking to something simular to HomeSite and MS VC 6

    testify, i remember the same problem, but if VMWare Antonk is talking about is good that could be a solution.

    grazzhoppa, its sound like you solved all you own problems

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    , anyway i used the lilo bootmanager build in to the distro, which is setup doing the installation process, as DCL sayd just install windows first, then just follow the instructions.
    Dirvers always seem to be a problem, i would try the pro version anyway, whats the worst thing that could happen, its the same driver pack for all of them anyway.

    edit : also AntonK why is the names in your messenger blured out?
    can VMWame go fullscreen?
     
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2003
  14. Jasoco Registered Member

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    Gee.. When I finally got sick of Windows, I tried Linux first. Couldn't get it to install, then when I did get it to install, I couldn't get anything to rum. So I tried BeOS. Fun, but not quite there yet.

    Can anyone guess what I am using now?

    Mac OS X. It's like Linux without the difficultness. Or whatever. Plus, it can still run X11 stuff... though, I can't figure THAT out either.

    Linux does not like me. It just doesn't.
     
  15. grazzhoppa yawwn Valued Senior Member

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    The installation was simple...but took a long time. SO MANY things to choose to install. In the end, I just chose the main packages and left the fine tuning to the defualts.

    Now, WinXP and Mandrake 9.1 are installed and running just fine. The dual boot works perfectly. The GNOME shell acts just like Windows, but in my opinion looks better. I didn't know you had to have 3 partitions to set it up. One labeled simple "/" one is the Linux swap (I have no idea what that is) and the other is for my account, "/home." It still went smoothly; it automatically spilt up the 8 gigs for the 3 partitions, couldn't have been easier.

    About the drivers...It has tons to choose from, but for now it's using the generic "Radeon" driver. Well, I'm not going to be using Mandrake for games so it'll be alright.
     
  16. CharleeB Registered Senior Member

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    I've chickened out and ordered the CD pack + a fairly heavy instruction manual
     
  17. AntonK Technomage Registered Senior Member

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    VMWare is just a program. Needs no partition, it uses files to store the "harddrive" for the virtual computer you are running...you decide how big it is
    I always boot up to Linux
    and when i want to, i just open VMWare and tell it to start the virtual computer..it goes through the normal screens, BIOS, etc. then starts Windows, all in a window. Windows can't tell its not on its own computer. It thinks it has its own computer. Then you install the drivers for the fake computer (which comes with VMWare) and everything runs perfect. You can let it have access to your internet connection so Windows thinks it has its own internet connection. I usually code in a text editor...im hardcore like that haha. When i have to, I use KDevelop for larger projects. I blurred out my AIM because i dont want to give out all those people's names without asking. And yes, VMWare can go full screen but i thought that would defeat the purpose of showing you VMWare.

    -AntonK
     
  18. Kunax Sciforums:Reality not required Registered Senior Member

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    thanks for the answers AntonK, the reason for the fullscreen Q was related to gaming.
    it a bummer EvilEntity stalls without errors, in the boot/load sequence, even with most HW unpluged and all onboard HW disabled

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    so i have not been able to try any of the stuff yet.

    HomeSite(for PHP/HTML) and MS VC are just gloryfied text editors allthou VC does have all the MFC classes, if you choose to use them.
     
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