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Post by Ratae on Feb 17, 2009 19:46:03 GMT
Apologies if this has been covered before but I'm in a rush! The plan is for me to install a version of Linux on a lappy that I have (temporarily ) which at the moment has a wiped clean hdd! I want to download Linux onto my own lappy, then burn a Linux ISO disc to boot the other lappy with! Is this ok..and which distro should I download! Ta guys...back later!!!
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Post by laolitan on Feb 18, 2009 1:13:53 GMT
Some versions of Linux require more memory than others, so let me know how much RAM is installed on the lappy, and I should be able to point you in the right direction !
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Post by Ratae on Feb 18, 2009 8:33:49 GMT
Some versions of Linux require more memory than others, so let me know how much RAM is installed on the lappy, and I should be able to point you in the right direction ! Ade..my lappy has 512mbs and the one I intend to run it on has 256mbs.
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Post by kabith on Feb 18, 2009 11:51:28 GMT
Ratae ;D For a RAM that is below 512 MB, it is better to install xbuntu. www.xubuntu.org/For 512 MB or more there is ubuntu, Fedora, Debian and lord knows how many more. I use ubuntu, because I think it is better than fedora. Here are the links. ubuntu www.ubuntu.com/Fedora fedoraproject.org/en/get-fedoraDebian www.debian.org/On some forums and websites, it was said that Debian was a little hard to use. But as they say, personal choice
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Post by laolitan on Feb 18, 2009 12:12:24 GMT
Mint 5 XFCE is a good choice for systems with 256MB RAM, , distrowatch.com/?newsid=05076, Version 6 will be out soon and you will have the chance to upgrade through the update manager as and when ! , The beauty of Mint is that everything works out of the box....No need to configure things like DVD playback !
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Post by Ratae on Feb 18, 2009 12:23:41 GMT
Thanks fellas...lots to think about. I'm assuming that these distros that you've suggested will boot from an iso cd!
Can one of you give me a 'thumbnail' explanation of why there are so many versions of this system, and how comprehensive are the differences between versions! Having only ever used 'windows' and being able to count the different versions of windows on the fingers of both hands, I find Linux a bit baffling!!!
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Post by kabith on Feb 18, 2009 12:29:04 GMT
Probably because the code is released, and people experiment with it.
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Post by Ratae on Feb 18, 2009 13:03:48 GMT
Probably because the code is released, and people experiment with it. So...it isn't the same as Mozilla which is also 'open source' then! I think that all proposed alterations to Mozilla/FF have to be approved by a 'foundation' or something similar before approval is given!
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Post by laolitan on Feb 18, 2009 13:51:41 GMT
There are more than 300 distributions of Linux. The reasons for this range from Server or Desktop specific to special interests (Christian/Muslim editions etc !) There are also versions for particular hardware eg Kuki is just for the Aspire one ! The Linux core can also be adapted to run CNC machines and Routers as well...not just PC's. Add to this the sad geeky types who want to do everything themselves, and you soon have more than you can shake a stick at !! having said that, they all boil down to a handful of basic types which form the mainstream... Debian = Mint, the Ubuntu family etc RPM = Fedora, Red Hat......... to mention just two. the bottom line is that anyone is free to make whatever changes they see fit and repackage... Because everything is out in the open the whole thing is policed by the community at large, therefore any security patches are released through the update manager very quickly....And if someone wrote a dodgy version they would soon be found out !! Anyway, Mint & Ubuntu have the best Hardware and Software support, so go for one of those and you won't go far wrong ! Hope I've been able to answer some of your questions without raising some more ! . A few things you may like to know...... 1) There is no registry and the filesystem is one that doesn't become fragmented = Almost zero maintainance 2) .exe will not run without your permission = more secure than Windows 3) The update manager handles everything...security patches, driver updates, new versions of installed progs and the OS itself = DEEP JOY
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Post by laolitan on Feb 18, 2009 13:54:51 GMT
BTW.... Yes Xubuntu, Mint etc are "Live CD's so they will install just the same as Windows, but you can also boot from the CD to see if you like it first
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Post by Ratae on Feb 18, 2009 15:51:34 GMT
And everything seemed to be going so well!!! 1/....Downloaded Linux (mint) 2/....Burned a Linux iso disc using CDburnerXP 3/....Booted spare lappy with the Linux disc and loaded on to hdd 4/....Removed disc Turned on lappy and message..."Hard disc boot sector Invalid"
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Post by laolitan on Feb 18, 2009 16:44:06 GMT
Hard disc boot sector Invalid . ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=532783. My first thought is that you went for a maual option and didn't flag the partition as bootable... . If so...have another go and this time select something along the lines of "Guided-Use entire disk" . For the workaround, just look through the menu after booting off the CD for the partition tool ( Gparted I think ) and flag your partition as bootable as per the link ! . Get back if you need any help, and perhaps we can do it over the phone
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Post by Ratae on Feb 18, 2009 18:10:07 GMT
Hard disc boot sector Invalid . ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=532783. My first thought is that you went for a maual option and didn't flag the partition as bootable... . If so...have another go and this time select something along the lines of "Guided-Use entire disk" . For the workaround, just look through the menu after booting off the CD for the partition tool ( Gparted I think ) and flag your partition as bootable as per the link ! . Get back if you need any help, and perhaps we can do it over the phone Ade...there isn't a "partition" as such on the lappy. There is NO o/s on the lappy because I wiped the hdd of this machine a couple of weeks ago! I had already changed the boot order in the bios to boot from 'cd-rom' first, so I just switched the lappy on...loaded the Linux disc....switched lappy off and back on, then let it run itself. When I've used this method before with windows it worked ok! This time...I had the linux mint screen on the desktop with three icons,one of which was 'install' but the curser wouldn't work and when I switched off/on the screen remained blank!
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Post by laolitan on Feb 18, 2009 19:09:37 GMT
Instead of installing from the first menu, try running a live session..... When the desktop loads there will be an "install" icon...... Double click on it and you should have more luck ! . Later on I'm gonna download a copy of Mint XFCE and burn it to disk. If you want we can do it page by page tomorrow !
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Post by Ratae on Feb 18, 2009 21:30:21 GMT
Ok...I have now installed Linux Mint main on this machine (my spare lappy) alongside xp pro! When I boot this lappy, I'm now given the option to boot from xp or linux!....... I still don't know why it wouldn't boot as a standalone system on t'other machine tho'!!!! Anyway..when I boot with linux mint,all I have is a desktop with no programs or links to folders etc. How do I make folders and download/copy programs to Linux? They don't exactly make it easy to use this system do they!!!!!
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