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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> help an idiot with linux
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Showing posts 1 - 25 of 32, (reverse)
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09/11/2006 01:51:05 AM · #1
I thought linux was free...or at least free if you didn't want support or whatever.

Anyway, what I want is to just completely delete windows XP from my old desktop and toss linux up on that bad boy...for free haha.

I have my laptop with DVD Burner, so if I have to download something big, that's no biggie.

Also...what is a .iso file? Can I just burn that to a CD and my desktop will know what that is with the drive formatted? haha yeah I'm an idiot...do I have to partition it...I haven't partitioned a drive since the days of MS-DOS...maybe linux isn't for me afterall.
09/11/2006 01:56:03 AM · #2
you can download linux for free, just can't remember where. Anyhow if you find a .iso that is just a cd format. You will need to burn it using some sort of burning software, don't just put the file onto the cd.
09/11/2006 02:01:26 AM · #3
hey dp... you can grab any of the distributions here:
//www.linux.org/dist/

Go to the download page for specific instructions on any of the different flavors.
//www.linux.org/dist/download_info.html
(that includes instructions on the .iso burning)

good luck!
roba

Message edited by author 2006-09-11 02:02:33.
09/11/2006 02:07:07 AM · #4
I appreciate it...

I will admit...I would say that of your average computer user, I'm probably like a 8 or 9'ish out of 10 as far as how much I know, but this is all just a bit ridiculous to me...

//www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/
09/11/2006 02:19:19 AM · #5
Generally with Linux you download the cds / dvd as an ISO image, which, yes, your burning software should be able to put straight onto cds / dvd for you.

You then boot your computer from that CD. During the install process it will get you to deal with the formatting / partitioning lark, and destroy windows in the process if you want.
09/11/2006 02:27:13 AM · #6
Heya deapee, if you just wanna play around with Linux and not worry about partitioning and all that fun stuff you should check out KNOPPIX. Its Linux but it boots and runs from the CD, you don't even have to install it. Take the CD out and reboot and your computer is back to normal...

KNOPPIX Bootable Linux
09/11/2006 02:31:14 AM · #7
Then what do I do if I want my system to be linux forever and want to completely delete Windows? I was reading there, it looks like you're not supposed to install that on your hard drive.

What would happen if I formatted my hard drive, then stuck the CD in...would it still boot?
09/11/2006 02:32:43 AM · #8
Originally posted by deapee:


What would happen if I formatted my hard drive, then stuck the CD in...would it still boot?


Yes, assuming that your system supports boot from cd, which most recent ones would.

Just make sure you have backups of your data ;)
09/11/2006 02:35:22 AM · #9
I'd go buy a copy at best buy or whatever, but the whole reason I want linux is because it's free and you can get a lot of software for free.

I already use openoffice.org on my laptop...that's a sweet program.

I figure if I'm going to use linux, I should probably learn how to download and install it if I ever wanted to upgrade or whatever. I can't believe how much they want for the RedHat version...it ranges from like $150 to like $20,000 lol
09/11/2006 02:36:20 AM · #10
OK thanks...I'm too tired now. I'll think about this more tomorrow after some sleep.

Thanks for the help...if anyone else has any links or info, please post it up.
09/11/2006 02:42:04 AM · #11
The free version of redhat was split off and (when I looked at it) used to be called Fedora.
09/11/2006 03:07:31 AM · #12
dp - do yourself a favor: go to your local Barnes&Noble and pick up a book on Linux. Typically, they come with a free distribution on CD & will explain everything you need to know. If you're new to Linux, it will be the best $30 you can spend.
roba
09/11/2006 03:13:13 AM · #13
If you want a friendly Linux I would recommand you Ubuntu:
//www.ubuntu.com/download/
About iso files:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto
It has only 700MB and you can run it from the CD or install it on the hard drive. In order to install it you need to have some knowledge on partitions, but it is not too hard to figure out.
09/11/2006 06:28:43 AM · #14
A second recommendation for Ubuntu. I've been using Linux for 5 or 6 years now and it's my current distro of choice.

The Live CD boots into a Ubuntu desktop, just like Knoppix, but there's an install icon on the desktop which does what it says on the tin. You can continue using the desktop (web browsing, playing games, etc) while it installs!
If you really do want to wipe your hard drive then don't worry about partitions - just select the auto partition option.

Helpful links:
Ubuntu Linux Starter Guide
Ubuntu Forums
09/11/2006 11:02:09 AM · #15
Ubuntu is pretty cool, they'll send you CD's for free if you want, or you can download and burn it.

I've used SuSE also, which works pretty well. I gave up on using it for my day-to-day stuff, just not really practical for what I usually do.
09/11/2006 11:21:25 AM · #16
I'll fourth that motion! Definitely try Ubuntu!! (or Kubuntu, which is basically the same exact distribution with a difference default desktop environment, KDE instead of Gnome. But both are good and you can't go wrong either way.)

Ubuntu has a fabulous installer.
09/11/2006 12:45:29 PM · #17
OK I downloaded ubuntu when I left for school and now I'm downloading the program that burns the ISO onto a CD. I have to leave for work here shortly so no fun until tonight :(

I'm going with CDBurnerXP Pro because it's free...none of that 15-day trial stuff. The reviews on download.com say it does everything you need, but the interface is hard to learn...but I can't complain about free.
09/11/2006 01:10:38 PM · #18
OK update...and a little more help requested...

I burned the ISO using that software...stuck it in my desktop, changed my BIOS settings to boot from the CD first.

restarted, and it said something about Caldera DR-DOS...

It brought me to the prompt screen with A:\ as the active drive. I changed that to D: and typed "dir" and it says...

UBUNTU_6 ISO 732,336,128 9-11-06 11:23a
1 File(s)

blah blah blah...

What do I do now?

PS I wont be back till about 9:30 or 10, hopefully I'll come home to an answer ... I'm psyched to try this...almost feel like calling off sick lol. Thanks in advance.
09/11/2006 05:04:44 PM · #19
That's not right. You should get a graphical installer. Did you download the "Desktop" CD? (the "alternative" one is non-graphical, I think).
09/11/2006 05:07:00 PM · #20
Wait, I know the problem

It looks like you burned the .iso file onto the CD, as a file. Actually, an ISO file is an image of the CD itself (and once burned, you will find the disk has many files on it), and needs to be burned as a disk "image", not as a regular file on an ISO-9660 file system. I can't help you with that program, but maybe you can find the option to burn a CD image from an ISO file.
09/11/2006 05:09:01 PM · #21
Try this link right here for instructions
09/11/2006 05:17:51 PM · #22
dp-- If you have nero choose the "Back-up/Copy" menu then "Burn Image" to disc.
Search for .iso and burn away.
09/11/2006 05:37:56 PM · #23
Just wanted to wish you luck, Ubuntu is a great piece of software.

I used SuSE, RedHat (before the Fedora "split"), Fedora Core (after the "RedHat" split), Gentoo and Ubuntu, and can attest to Ubuntu's quality as a desktop OS. It really stands out from the current crop of distros as the most polished one. I personally use Fedora Core, but that's because I do some server development at work, and Fedora is our standard server platform.

Also, for those who might be reading this and wish to "play around" with Linux but are not willing to format or must still use Windows, you can download VMWare Player and a pre-installed Linux image. This virtualization software will run Linux inside a window in your XP box, and will run it very nicely indeed. I have a FC5 image with just 256Mb memory allocation, and it runs smooth enough to use the Gimp and other "large" software. Hey, and it's free!

09/11/2006 06:02:36 PM · #24
I've done that before, it's an annoying way to slip up because it wastes a CD...

Most programs should let you burn an image as a CD. I know Nero definitely does, even if it's just a trial it's worth using that (the trial can be 'persuaded' to act like a full version with just a few letters and numbers if you don't mind legality stuff) :P
09/11/2006 09:38:16 PM · #25
Alright, yeah that's my problem...it definately burned just the .iso file and not the 'image' or whatever. I'm getting this done tonight before I even think about homework or bed no doubt about it...

OK I'll update you guys in a few...thanks again.
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