Lost in LinuxLand..Win2k AND Linux

[smithy121]

I've finally decided to take the plunge and see what this "linux" thing is about. =)

Anyway, I know my way around Microsoft's products well. I know a good amount about computers, so I should be alright when I go to install Linux. I just had a few questions.

1) Which distro should I get? ( I know everyone has an opinion. I'm looking for ease of use first, and coolness factor second)

2)What are the "basic" programs that I should download? Any helpful stuff that doesn't come with the distributions.

3) Here's my big problem. I already have Win2k installed on my system. Currently, I have one hard drive and three partitions.

"C:" is the partition where Win2k is installed. So, it's the boot partition. There is nothing else on "C:" except for the Win2k operating system.

"E:" is my drive for all my programs and data. It's basically where everything else goes.

"F:" is currently an empty 5 gig partition. This is where I plan to install Linux.

Now, I want to dual-boot my system between Linux and Win2k. For now, I only want Linux on there so I can begin to get a feel for it. If I like it I may format the entire drive and just get rid of Win2k.

How should I go about installing Linux so I can dual-boot?

You can assume I am clueless about this part of the installation because well... I am. =)

Any other useful information you can give me would be appreciated. Really, ANYTHING useful. =)

Thanks a lot, and good luck to me.

Smithy

[j.harrison]

1) Mandrake 8

2) Sun Microsystem's Star Office suite

3} Mandrake's graphical installer will detect your partitions ask you where you want it installed and give you the option to dual boot.

For more info, go to the source: www.linux-mandrake.com (http://www.linux-mandrake.com)

:cool: Mandrake :cool:

[Jinx]

Well I would recommend Linux-Mandrake (www.linux-mandrake.com) for a starting distrobution, only because it is the distrobution I started off with and I was pretty impressed with the installation and the Gui dominated interface making it a bit more of an ease to move from Windows into an OS which does demand the use of the command line... I would recommend reading http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/distros/distronhf.html before deciding.

As for the dual install have a read of: http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/osbooting/index.html

I have Win98 on my first partition and Linux on the second of a 10gig hdd no worries... Linux has it's own boot loaders. I don't use Win2k, I know it can be dual booted, but have not done it personally. :)

Good luck and good hunting.

From another newbie...

Cya round
Jinx

[ 06 September 2001: Message edited by: Jinx ]

[smithy121]

Thanks a lot. Helpful information.

Smithy

[sym]

I recently installed SuSE 7.2, and wrote the LILO boot loader to the MBR. It automatically setup the dual boot with Win2K.

Someone who knows more than me can correct this, but I believe that you will have to take a small chunk of that partition for a swap partition. (please correct me if I am wrong)

[Silent Bob]

Swap space is a separate partition. You will need to create a swap partition when you install but it doesn't matter which disk you put it on (though it would work best on your fastest HD)

[D-Termind]

Originally posted by smithy121:
<STRONG>I've finally decided to take the plunge and see what this "linux" thing is about. =)
</STRONG>

Smithy,

I am new to Win2k...I came crom the Win98SE klan. I just installed both Win2k and Mandrake-Linux...they both went great.

The only mistake I made was that I DL'd and installed 8.0 instead of the new Beta 3.

So...that's what I am DL'ing now.

:D

[ThePyr0x]

Mandrake and Win2k will make a fine dual boot. I do not know if it will be auto-deteted or not, because for me I ended up using RH [redhat]7.1 (bad mandrake iso downloaded). However RH does use the same bootloader (LILO) as Linux, and it works fine for me, it took many tries to finally get it, as the RH installer didnt auto-detect the dual boot situation, but after much help from this place, I finally did get it. Linux is great, and unless ur stuck with a ****ty winmodem like me, you'll love it.