1 Topic by Joey

  • Joey
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2003-09-04
  • Posts: 371

Topic: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

For average Joe (or average Joey) who is pissed off with his computer being a glorified tin can, is installing a Linux variant of any use to me?

I have a spare 40GB HD in my computer that has never been used, and I just thought I could have a little dabble in this whole "Down with Windows" debacle. I had a look around and there are a few that run with windows, but to me this defeats the point really.

Can I not just choose some decent, free, not-hideous-looking variant that I can choose to boot with when my fancy takes it (i.e. when XP pisses me off).

2 Reply by Paul

  • Paul
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Wales, UK.
  • Registered: 2003-08-13
  • Posts: 3,089

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

I have the latest version of Mandrake installed alongside two installations of Winxp. When I boot I get a menu to select either Linux or Win. If I select Win then I get WinXP's normal boot menu. I know nothing about Linux but didn't have any problems. It even detected all the hardware correctly. I got Mandrake of a magazine cover dvd so didn't even have to download it.

Having said all that, the only thing I use it for is testing browsers under Linux, it does nothing else thats useful.

3 Reply by Airwalk (edited by Airwalk 2004-10-18 21:02)

  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2004-10-18
  • Posts: 2

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

I know of some people who have tried Fedora Core, a easy-to-use Linux distro, and have been happy with it.

Myself, I use Gentoo Linux, geared at more advanced/technical users and works well with almost any hardware (like my 1998 laptop). Although there is alot of documentation for Gentoo about how to install and tweak Gentoo to your needs, you may prefer going the easier route with something like Fedora or Mandrake.

The main computer I use (the one I am typing this on) still runs Windows... when I can afford something to re-partition my hard disk (or find something free online) I'll probably dual boot to Windows and Gentoo tongue

4 Reply by hcgtv

  • hcgtv
  • hcgtv
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • Registered: 2004-06-25
  • Posts: 1,991

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

Airwalk wrote:

The main computer I use (the one I am typing this on) still runs Windows... when I can afford something to re-partition my hard disk (or find something free online) I'll probably dual boot to Windows and Gentoo :P

Have you tried: http://www.gnu.org/software/parted/parted.html

I use partition magic myself so I haven't tried parted but I've heard good results.

PHPCrossRef . TXP Make . TXP Themes . TXP Tags . TXP Planet . We Love TXP

hcgtv's Website

5 Reply by Joey

  • Joey
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2003-09-04
  • Posts: 371

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

Well, here I am on Fedora. Like the guy above mentioned, it is easy to install. It basically does it all for you.

I'm quite impressed. Things are running nicely and I didn't have to configure anything like I would on Windows.

Its nice just to have a look at another OS and to see how they do things differently to MS.

  • Smartys
  • Former PunBB Developer
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2004-04-30
  • Posts: 7,844

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

Anyone have something free that would let me resize an NTFS partition? parted looks like it only detects NTFS, nothing else, and I want to try Linux as a dual boot too tongue

  • Connorhd
  • Connorhd
  • Former PunBB Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Leeds, UK
  • Registered: 2004-06-13
  • Posts: 4,195

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

partition magic?

FluxBB.
Connorhd.co.uk.

Connorhd's Website

8 Reply by hcgtv

  • hcgtv
  • hcgtv
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • Registered: 2004-06-25
  • Posts: 1,991

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

Smartys wrote:

Anyone have something free that would let me resize an NTFS partition? parted looks like it only detects NTFS, nothing else, and I want to try Linux as a dual boot too :P

Google is your friend: http://www.hut.fi/~tkarvine/linux-windo … -ntfs.html

PHPCrossRef . TXP Make . TXP Themes . TXP Tags . TXP Planet . We Love TXP

hcgtv's Website

  • Smartys
  • Former PunBB Developer
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2004-04-30
  • Posts: 7,844

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

hcgtv wrote:
Smartys wrote:

Anyone have something free that would let me resize an NTFS partition? parted looks like it only detects NTFS, nothing else, and I want to try Linux as a dual boot too tongue

Google is your friend: http://www.hut.fi/~tkarvine/linux-windo … -ntfs.html

EXACTLY what I wanted, thanks big_smile

10 Reply by Paul

  • Paul
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Wales, UK.
  • Registered: 2003-08-13
  • Posts: 3,089

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

Anybody thinking of setting up a dual boot system would also be well advised to make sure they have the Windows Recovery Console installed. If something goes wrong with the boot loader you may need it to restore the mbr.

  • Registered: 2004-10-05
  • Posts: 49

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

I moved from Windows to a Mac with OS X two years ago and I've never looked back. I use the nice, intuitive GUI normally, but anytime I want I can drop down to the unix command line.

Of course, Macs ain't cheap.

Do you love physics? :) http://www.ilovephysics.com
Interested in Internet Marketing? http://www.keyliberty.com

jchristophm's Website

12 Reply by Andy

  • Andy
  • PunBB Donor
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2003-08-23
  • Posts: 338

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

Paul wrote:

Anybody thinking of setting up a dual boot system would also be well advised to make sure they have the Windows Recovery Console installed. If something goes wrong with the boot loader you may need it to restore the mbr.

You can boot it off of the Windows XP Install Disc.

I keep a bootable version of Linux and a Windows 98 bootable floppy (so I can use fdisk )

Be very careful with Linux. I'm paticularily wary of it when I completely fked the MBR and didn't have a clue how to fix it at the time. However, it is a great alternative. I still prefer to use Windows though.

  • Connorhd
  • Connorhd
  • Former PunBB Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Leeds, UK
  • Registered: 2004-06-13
  • Posts: 4,195

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

theres a program i have used called bootus, it creates a boot menu for you and is highly customiseable, and you can install it to a floppy, or even a generic version to floppy,

FluxBB.
Connorhd.co.uk.

Connorhd's Website

  • From: MacTopia
  • Registered: 2004-03-12
  • Posts: 131

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

Connorhd wrote:

theres a program i have used called bootus, it creates a boot menu for you and is highly customiseable, and you can install it to a floppy, or even a generic version to floppy,

There is also: http://www.knoppix.net/

Every Day Above Ground Is A Good One!!
  • Connorhd
  • Connorhd
  • Former PunBB Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Leeds, UK
  • Registered: 2004-06-13
  • Posts: 4,195

Re: You know this whole "woo, Linux r0x0r, down with M$ Windowz" stuff..

thats totally different tongue thats just linux on a CD

FluxBB.
Connorhd.co.uk.

Connorhd's Website