New Linux User

A good live cd is KANOTIX
and, if you like it, you can install it on hard drive too. It installs an almost pure Debian system.
Kanotix is a very good choice if you want to install Linux on a laptop too.

http://kanotix.com/

 

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Knoppix or Ubuntu are ext. good for newbies. Both have live CDs and are easy to set up. Ubuntu will actually send you the CDs free of charge. A new version of Ubuntu has just come out, so I'd get that.

 

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Actually Kanotix is way better for newbies than Knoppix, it has a cleaner look and its' menus are not that crowded with obscure utilities.

p.s. imo, Ubuntu goes the wrong way, but it's a dirty discussion in which I don't want to participate.

 

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I find that Knoppix installs way better than Kanotix, which is the most important thing for a new-to-linux user. I don't really see much of a difference between the two in terms of usability.

 

Computer update!

Okay, yesterday (Friday), I went to the Internet place and talked to them about not being able to get online. They said there was most likely no driver for the modem installed. They also said that was probably the case with my sound card as well. So the computer was taken to Staples to fix these problems. Staples directed me to this guy in town who does computer support, because apparently they doesn't have technical support anymore.

The guy I went to worked wonders on the computer. He installed the necessary drivers off a disk in about twenty minutes. I had Internet and audio capabilities again! He even gave me the disk.

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What's more, he gave me a set of Linux CDs, Mandrake 10.0, for me to try out on the computer, since I was having trouble with the set I already had, Mandriva 2005. It installed easier and more quickly.

I am liking Linux.

I've figured out about an hour ago (correct me if I'm wrong) that Mandriva 2005 is a bit newer than Mandrake 10.0, so I think I could do an upgrade with the CDs I got from vslayer. I'll be doing that in just a bit. Afterwards, I need to find another driver I can install for the modem, so I can connect to the Internet through Linux too.

That's about all for now.

UPDATE: I upgraded. It went through the whole process pretty cleanly. But now I have a new problem. When I try to boot into Linux, just after it lets you choose what account to sign in to, it sits there with its hourglass, "loading" Linux. It sits there forever and makes no progress. What could be the cause of this?

 

Really? I haven't had any problems with Kanotix, and Kanotix just looks and feels cleaner, but that's perhaps more subjective than objective.

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p.s. MDV 2005 is roughly two years newer (the newest is MDV 2006). Be careful with updating though, I suggest you do a clean install. Updating on MDV is far from perfect, especially from such an old version.

A clean install, if you already have MDV (or any other Linux for that matter) installed, is death easy, just select a new install during the install process and set to format your / partition.

 

Heh. I guess that's the cause of the problem I've just been having (read my update).

Oh, that's good. I think I'll go try it now, or possibly tomorrow. Thanks.

 

at any case, here's a good tutorial with pics: http://www.mandrake.tips.4.free.fr/installmdv2006.html
it's for 2006, but there are no real changes in the installer worth mentioning

If you have any problems, head to: http://www.mandrivausers.org/index.php?act=idx

 

Am I really expected to know how to work GNU Grub?

I did a fresh install of Mandriva 2005. Instead of giving me a boot screen at start-up, it gave me a command line and asked for a command. I was stuck. I couldn't boot any OS. I had to do a fresh install of the older Mandrake to get things back to normal. This time, I put the bootloader on a floppy. I hope it helps me in the future.

Maybe I'll try going to that Mandriva users forum.

EDIT: I think I know what caused the command line to come up. I told the Mandriva 2005 installer to put the bootloader on the first sector of the root partition. And now I think the only reason why I was able to get back on the computer after the fresh install of Mandrake 10.0, was because I put the bootloader on a floppy. Knowing this much, I think I'll try Mandriva again tomorrow and put the bootloader on the first sector of the drive.

I'm learning so much about computers in the process of getting the dual-boot system to actually work smoothly – so much that it's ridiculous. :bugeye:

 

how much did he charge you for installing the drivers?

 

You need to put the bootloader on the first sector of MBR (if you have Win)

 

Twenty dollars. The Internet place would've charged fifty or so.

 

I finally have things running relatively smoothly!

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I still have a few minor problems, but I don't think I have to do any more fresh installs.

I tried using all five CDs that I got from vslayer in the installation process, but it stopped doing anything again at four minutes remaining. It got stuck installing some package called libkdevelop3-devel. I figured the fifth CD was faulty, so I tried installing again and without that CD. It worked! And now I have my new dual-boot computer. Take a look: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/34304598/

*sigh*... Finally!

Thanks for all the help, guys. I don't think this is the end of my little problems, but hopefully the critical ones are out of the way.

 

Welcome to the Linux community.

 

Thanks man.

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i just purchased linux in a box for 5 bucks.
it has 6 cd's and a couple of boot floppies and a 1 inch thick manual
on the front of the box it says 6.2 suse linux.
it also says kde-1.1.1 and kernel 2.2
can someone tell me if i got a good deal or not?

 

No good. OLD software. I was running kernel 2.2 in 2001, and that was on PowerPC - most x86 distributions had already moved up to 2.4!

 

By comparison, Fedora Core 5 (released last March) comes with KDE 3.5 and Kernel 2.6.15. You should usually do a little research before picking a Linux distribution - some are aimed at desktop users (like Ubuntu and Suse), some are network oriented (Red Hat), some for power users (Gentoo), and others specialize in security (Astaro). Did you buy your distro in a store or something?

 

You got ripped off, even if it's for a 5$!
I started using Linux years ago with a newer software than that (Mandriva 9.1).

I suggest you find a distro you like and then just download the newest from the internet.

http://distrowatch.com/

 

at a goodwill store

baumgarten
i am currently running OLDER software ! windows millenium

avatar
my connection speed is 120 KB/s(actual) it will take me at least a couple of days to download 6 cds