Total beginner need advice

[aragorn77]

Hi all,
I'm a university student who had been using windows for 4 years long. Actually I use winME which came installed on my new HD.
As I now have lots of space, and as I'm very interested in Linux I would like to install Linux on a partition of my HD (20GB so I guess WinME and Linux can stay together).
As I am a total newbie (I only read bunch of articles about the marvels of Linux) I would like an advice on which release to choose.
The important thing is i would like a VERY easy to install one; one release who recognise lot's of new hardware (especially my ATI Rage Fury PRO 32MB). This because for the moment I only would like a Linux operating system staying quiet on a partition of my HD in order to learn the very basics(kinda stupid but i don't even know how to open a file, or how can i do a dualboot) while doing usual stuff with WinME. I have a book here at home and a couple of realeses found on magazines (Debian 2.2 ; RedHat 6.1; Suse 6.4; BestLinux), but i was also thinking of buying the Corel release wich seem easy.
Could anyone please help me in this choice? http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/confused.gif
Thank you in advance
Aragorn77

[configure]

Try SuSe7.0 or Mandrake7.2, they both are really really easy to use http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

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..and Bill Gate said, "Just a few billions bugs, aint that nice?"

[linuxraver]

hmm well for an easy install "GUI" go mandrake 7.2

but just know that one of the "Basic's" is installing linux

and u realy dont learn anything with a GUI install.

now easy in my eyes was the slackware 7.1 text based install i had ZERO problems and it was pretty straight forward.

also id recomend checking the "Distro NHF"
To help you in your distro choice

also your gona have to repartition your drive

or use a program called "Fips" to "split your fat 32 partition to make room for linux"

if its total basic's your after and dont want to do all that
(u just want to learn basic CL command's browsing your files and running files ect ect.)
then go grab a fat32 distro like zip slack( zipslack can run off a 100mb or 250mb zipdisk)
or lin4win and phat linux i belive.
With these u wont have to repartition but u wont get the feel of a TRUE linux install (running on a ext2 filesystem)

as for the video card check your distro hardware support
but before u do that
check www.xfree86.org (http://www.xfree86.org) to see if its already supported
good luck man!

[siduch]

For very easy use, I'd suggest Mandrake 7.2. I tried to install Redhat 6.2 and 7.0, but got some problems with my WinME partition being too big. I hear that it can be fixed by doing some manual partitioning and moving the windows partition, but the easiest thing was to install Mandrake7.2. No problemo at all, everything went perfectly. Installed Linux and was in the net in less than 30 minutes.
So, if you appreciate a working and user-friendly OS, get mandrake. It might not be the hax0r-eleet Linux, but it works wonders.
Hope this helps, at least you got an authentic newbie-viewpoint about this http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif.

-siduch

[Muzzafarath]

For accelerated support for your video card in X (the GUI used in Linux) you'll need XFree86 4.0.x (I have the same card as you), I believe Mandrake 7.2 and SuSE 7.0 includes that version. Of course, you could install a distro that includes an older version and then upgrade. But it's easier to install a distro that includes it http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Muzzafarath (edited 26 November 2000).]

[knute]

If you are looking for up to date, install the debian cd... Then you can simply:
apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade
and have the an updated system.... http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif
If you are just wanting to learn the basics, any distro will do... I started with Redhat, then moved to Mandrake, then Debian...
Some would say that RedHat and Mandrake are bloated because they load tons of modules for varying hardware right away (kind of a shotgun effect)... Slack and Debian have a tendancy to not load something until you tell it to... (both ends of the spectrum)

I tried to be somewhat neutral in this, even though I like Debian. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/wink.gif

------------------
Knute
Email: knuteh@yahoo.com
ICQ: 53979509
GAIM: knutehall

[aragorn77]

Hi,
and thanks to all of you for the kind replies.
I've read that lots of you suggest Mandrake7.2 .
Never heard of it before, but i'll search it.
I know the basics include also installation, but I hope to learn more later; for the moment i'd like only to "break the ice" in an easy way, without too much pain.
For Suse 7.0 I heard that it was a pretty hard one, am I totally wrong?
Beside this morning I tried to install Debian2.2 elaborated by an italian team of programmers for including an installation graphical wizard; they write "as easy to install as windows" but it couldn't recognise not even the mouse http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif.
finally no one seems to like the corel distro: is it really bad? I must admit i was almost thinking to buy it but this silence...
Anyway thank you for all the valuable information; i guess i'll have to read many more how-to's e faqs before installing, eh eh http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif.
Best regards
Aragorn77

[Derango]

Mandrake 7.2 has an EASY install. Debian, in my opinion is the wrong distro to try and install first. Even after going through the install several times, I was still confused http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/wink.gif

Corel Linux is not particularly good if you want to learn Linux because they shelter you from everything remotely difficult in the linux OS. They also don't include a lot og the files required to compile programs from the source code. However, you could do much worse than corel.

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This space For Rent

[rjakubin]

I use Mandrake 7.2. It found all my hardware, especially my Promise ATA100 card. I boot into Linux on my hard drive on the card - hde1 - to be exact. At first I didn't like booting into the GUI startup screen, but now I love it. I can pick either Gnome or KDE, and I like them both. Check out http://www.tweaktown.com/ for ME Tweaks, Tips & Hints on Winders stuff - this site is great. I like Linux a lot but I still need Winders for some of the stuff I do. This message brought to you by Win98 running on top of Linux using VMware via a Lucent Win-Modem & NetZero as my ISP. Linux can really Multi-Task, & Winders is very stable running this way. No worrys of Virii & Trojans here. You're in for a lot fun & you found the right site for the info you need.

[ASCI Blue]

I'm a Linux newbie too. Finished my mandrake 7.2 download last (25 Nov) night and haven't attempted the install. I've got 800 megs free on my win 98 partition and 8 gigs on my other partition. One, how much space does Mandrake need to install? Two which method would be the most useful to a linux newbie who will probably need to dualboot?

[fuzzy]

DO NOT put it in your win98 partition. The whole lin4win thing does not perform well at all.
Use the free partition.
When installing mandrake, you will have the opportunity to partition that free space in any way you want.
You can simply have that whole 8g mounted as the root ("/") partition. It will put everything you need in there. (It should only take up about 1g.) Just follow the directions carefully when installing. Don't be too hasty.

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Politicians have one thing in common with baby diapers...
They both need to be changed regularly for the same reason.
--Anon.

[aragorn77]

Hi again,
this board is marvelous. really i couldn't expect so many answers. Thank you.
I now have better ideas: i thins I'll get the Mandrake 7.2 after reading your posts and visiting their web site.
Now, I was thinking on where to install it.
This is my situation:
*****HD1 -6 GB- this is the boot HD********
*HD n1 partition 1
Used 1.12 Gb - Free 0.97 Gb (winMe is here installed)
*HD n1 partition 2
Used 28 kb http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif - Free 3.89 GB (I think to install here Mandrake)
*****HD" - 15Gb- this is the secondary IDE HD-
* HD n2 partition 1
Used: 1,3 Gb Free 6.52Gb
* HD n2 partition 2
Used: 56kb Free 11.2Gb

My question is :
a) am I obliged to install Linux on the first HD which is the one used for boot ? I have there 3,89 GB ;
b) is there a way to install Linux on the first HD partition 2 but store proggy and files on another partition as i do for Win ME?

Thanks in advance
Aragorn 77

P.S: i'm a total newbie but ASCI Blue don't install Mandrake on the Windows partition or i think you'll have big mess! Use the 8 Gb partition.

[Sensei]

argon77,

I highly suggest installing Linux on a single drive all by itself. Especially in the beginning. Because there are things you will keep messing with in Linux that could eventually become a problem when you reinstall.

You won't reinstall Linux because you have too, but because everyone does at least once due to doing something different the next time.

Good go with the mandrake 7.2 it has a really easy interface for installation and bootup is pretty cool now.

Oh and since you like LNO, reciprocate by telling somebody new http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
Sensei
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Join the Linuxnewbie.org SETI Black Belts!
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[ASCI Blue]

Do you mean a differant physical drive or differant partition? Does the driver letter make any differance at all? eg. Win on C, games on D, Linux on E?

[This message has been edited by ASCI Blue (edited 26 November 2000).]

[aragorn77]

Hi Ascii,
I think Sensei really answered our questions about where to install Linux.
If I understood his post it's better to install Linux on a different "phisical" drive (HD) from the one with Windows.
Now : if i install Linux on the second HD - which is not the primary - how will I do for booting up? Will I have to always enter the BIOS to select with which HD to boot??
Letters don't matter.
You can have how many letters (partitions) you want on the same HD. The point we were suggested is that it's better to keep Windows and Linux on two different drives (HDs) in case you need to reinstall one of them later.

Sensei, I'll try to take some friends in this Linux "adventure" , but it's not gonna be easy; they prefer a calm life (and spend lots of €€€ with Microsoft...)
By the way it's possible I'm gonna design a web site in the future, next year , so as this community is wonderful i'll ask the permission for putting up a link to LNO.

Again thanks to all of you for your kindness, and sorry for my not so good english.
Ciao ciao http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif
Aragorn77

[aragorn77]

Hi Ascii,
I think Sensei really answered our questions about where to install Linux.
If I understood his post it's better to install Linux on a different "phisical" drive (HD) from the one with Windows.
Now : if i install Linux on the second HD - which is not the primary - how will I do for booting up? Will I have to always enter the BIOS to select with which HD to boot??
Letters don't matter.
You can have how many letters (partitions) you want on the same HD. The point we were suggested is that it's better to keep Windows and Linux on two different drives (HDs) in case you need to reinstall one of them later.

Sensei, I'll try to take some friends in this Linux "adventure" , but it's not gonna be easy; they prefer a calm life (and spend lots of €€€ with Microsoft...)
By the way it's possible I'm gonna design a web site in the future, next year , so as this community is wonderful i'll ask the permission for putting up a link to LNO.

Again thanks to all of you for your kindness, and sorry for my not so good english.
Ciao ciao http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif
Aragorn77

[Ozarkian]

Hello to all, I started out with Mandrake 7.0. I installed on the same HD that had Windows98. I eventually ran into problems being new to Windows and Linux. Now I have Windows on one HD and Linux on a second. I have both connected to the IDE cable and I just move the power supply to the one that I want to boot up. It works great. Since I now use Linux 98% of the time I rarely boot up into Windows. My only use for Windows at this time is for a backup to get on the internet when I mess up my Linux HD. I have only used a computer for one year now but Linux is dominant in by book. I am always trying to learn more...and this is the site to learn from. Thanks to all.