Changing Linux

[paulb]

I have a computer with some old version of Corel Linux. I decided that Corel's KDE updates have been over-matched in KDE 2, so I want to change to a distro with KDE 2.x .

1st:
Can I over write it simply and keep all the files or do I have to back them up?

2nd:
I have thought about Red Hat download edition. Any other googd downloadable distros?

Remember, I am a N00BI.

[paulb]

SuSE looks good to.
any comments on either (redhat or suse?)

[Evil Jeff]

Most distros are available for download. A good place to start is www.linuxberg.com (http://www.linuxberg.com) or www.linuxiso.com (http://www.linuxiso.com) - linuxberg has reviews, but linuxiso I think has a few more distros. Some good newbie distros (just about all new distros include kde2) are mandrake, redhat, conectiva (my personal favorite, because it has apt-get), and suse. That's by far not anywhere near complete, but they are some good ones to start with. Good luck.

[paulb]

did you mean linuxiso.org? thanks for the link. i think im gonna go for suse.

[paulb]

Because SuSE isnt downloadable for free, I think I'll go for Red Hat. I have one question, though. It has KDE and GNOME. How do you switch between them?

[paulb]

I am having trouble deciding if I want to download RedHat or Linux Mandrake. Any advice?

[bdg1983]

Caldera OpenLinux Workstation 3.1

[rattus]

Originally posted by paulb:
<STRONG>I am having trouble deciding if I want to download RedHat or Linux Mandrake. Any advice?</STRONG>

&lt;advice&gt; Pick one. d/l it. If you don't like it try another.&lt;/advice&gt;

[paulb]

Im downloading the Disk2 iso for redhat as we speak. There are three other ISOs, Disk 1, which I downloaded and burned, Powertools and SRMPS. Do I need powertools and srpms? How do I install redhat?
&lt;edit&gt;
Like what disk is the installer on and how do I run it?
Do I use LILO?
&lt;/edit&gt;

[ 13 October 2001: Message edited by: paulb ]

[Bokkenka]

You don't NEED either the PowerTools or the SRPMS. Especially the SRPMS, that's all the source files... The code you would need to compile to make everything on the install disk. The PowerTools are just that, a bunch of extras. See if you like RedHat first. If you want to keep it, you can look at the list of files in PowerTools and see if there's anything you want to add later.

To install, just make sure your BIOS is set to boot from the cd drive, insert the first disk, and reboot. If it doesn't start up with the installer program, then you'll have to reboot normally and make a floppy bootdisk. There should be an "images" directory on the cd. Read the readme in there to learn how to make the bootdisk.

As for your bootloader, LILO will work. As will GRUB, if it's there. Or, whatever else RH might be supplying. But that comes after the install.

During install, it would be a good idea to reformat your system partitions. If you have a separate /home, keep that, but as the last thing you do before installing, rename the home directory of your user account. When you install, you'll remake the account, and it will create a new home dir for it, with all the files it needs. You can later copy all your documents and files to the new home dir, and delete the old. As root, change the ownership of the old dir to the new account, and you'll be able to copy everything as the user.

[paulb]

I assume that img is to boot floppys what iso is to iso cds?

How do I set a floppy up with a .img file? Nevermind, I found RawWrite.

[ 13 October 2001: Message edited by: paulb ]

[paulb]

I chose Red Hat, and I FINALLY am almost done!!!

The install is almost done... I am so scared... My heart starts beating faster... I know its gonna crash... Then I remember... This aint Windows no more...