Linux for beginner(s) - Q & A

Think you can handle this, it's specific and might be easier - http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1359149?

 

Thank a lot for yr continuous support, GlobalForce!

I seriously doubt it and to prove me wrong I'm already there wink

BUT can I use the guide as a universal one?

on a side note - would guess there are more experts in here, would've guessed wrong...

 

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/dual-boot-windows-7-ubuntu.html

This tutorial reveals all.

 

Like a slap in the face when others think the links I choose for people aren't good enough. Ah, take a look, maybe it suits ya ....

 

oakie-doakie, Ocky! saw it before but cannot say NO to a helpful hand!

still, Ubuntu is another story, methinks, as I can always use WUBI yaaaay

My primary concern is: the rest, i.e.
OpenSuse, Mandriva, Fedora, Mint

GF, keep your hair on plz [or so they say] and bring more good stuff as you encounter it cause I'm still needy and linux-greedy wink

 

If you have your backup, then what are you waiting for?

Takes a minute to restore if it goes wrong, but Mint, Puppy, for instance, works OOTB for most people without using any VB!
They are alot like windows, start with the easy ones..

Ubuntu doesn't always work on everyone's computer..
Once you do it, you'll relax .... cuz peeps here can't do it for you.

55 posts n counting, yer dithering here, me thinks...

N Ocky's right ... below..

 

Huh? GF is links Star - I for one have benefitted.

 

some say installing linux with the aim of dual-booting can be perillous so I wanna be on the safe side..

yup, I got the images of the partition, but the partitioning used for linux installation differs from what I know about windows so naturally what I fear is: dual-boot not working, windows 7 not working, loss of partions 1. and 2.
No free access to this forum and the net in general so in case I fail no one can see me cry for help.... my rationale behind 58 posts,....and counting.

TRUE, it's none other than me who needs to take the pledge and go there to see what it's like wink

 

Few more questions and then we'll go with final thoughts.

How are you connected, dial-up or DSL?

Ever use gparted?

You have a working, formatted thumbdrive?

What'cha make of Mrk's toot (I've got one mod I'll suggest)?

 

agreed!

DSL, very fast, 512kb/sec [sic]

gparted - not yet, but I heard the name before, it's for linux partitioning, and still in beta phase, which might strike me as worrying lol

as for the nice tutorial - I did test the liveCD but couldn't figure out how to successfully configure the wireless access. I mentioned that a couple of posts before but no suggestion was given as of yet...

Thumbdrive, working, formatted - check!

edit//
love this part:

.

once again I scanned through the text...it's mighty scary! so many things need to be accounted for and.... it's pretty complex. darn it

and am keen on this one:

Mrk, when can we expect the tutorial? or is it there and I'm getting visually-imapired wink

 

We get around no wireless for the time being 'cause wired she's gold - correct?

 

this phrase *gold wired* is beyond my level of comprehension mate...

who where what?

 

Gold meaning you've got the internet. Ubu runs online wired right?

 

Never occured to me to wire Ubuntu, so accustomed to my router w/o the need of cable...

it's gold = works [finally hit me]


explain, PLEASE, why so persistant with Ubuntu, almost every answer consists of the name when I explicitly pinpointed I'd really love to try other distros due to the fact Ubuntu can be installed into windows [wubi]

 

Then use any other, preferably one that connects wired should wireless trouble persist. Either way you'll need to make that additional space after your first two partitions extended. Drake's utility's one of the best - DiskDrake! *My personal choice based on experience, RIP's fdisk.

Read this post. While it may not make enough sense now it will by the time you get there. The key point lies in the line - "When I installed I used the advanced option and installed Grub to the Linux root partition (sda5 in my case) then I used Windows EasyBCD to add the Grub entry, making sure to point to the sda5 location."

It basically goes like this - http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBCD/Ubuntu

I figure the method you need is the one that prevents Grub from overwriting your Win7 bootloader. Now here, not so much the videos but the summary. The more you see the more you'll be ready for as new avenues open. If using gparted it'll probably see those first two partitions. Go ahead and let it make the rest extended, just take your time and pay attention. If it all blows then it won't matter much, you'll have nothing further to lose with additional attempts. Sort've like - "the birth of awareness is not without pain!" Course we'll try'in skip that but hey ....

 

GF, I take a bow.

and the last major concern...suppose I make it...I manage to dual boot say mandriva....and the next day comes I wanna try Suse... can it be installed sort of OVER mandriva, or uninstalled first/ formatted or?

man.... now I know why I've been using Windows for the last 10 years [actually this might be the 10th anniversary of my first desktop computer with win98,,, those were the days]

 

Yeah, say, if using DiskDrake, GParted, fdisk .... go back in and format.
Make sure you remember which is which and to reboot after operations.

Code:

Model: FUJITSU MHT2030AT (ide)
Disk /dev/hdc: 30.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type      File system  Flags
 1      32.3kB  3882MB  3882MB  primary   ntfs         boot 
 2      3882MB  8521MB  4639MB  primary   ntfs              
 3      8521MB  30.0GB  21.5GB  extended                    
 5      8521MB  9347MB  826MB   logical   linux-swap        
 6      9347MB  13.6GB  4295MB  logical   ext3              
 7      13.6GB  28.7GB  15.0GB  logical   ext3              
 8      28.7GB  30.0GB  1330MB  logical   ext3

Not that it matters for you, my setup.

 

In addition to Mrk's you've visited the links in this post, yes? They're part of the thread I gave ya from up top.

 

affirmative^

Just woken up, considering the 'ifs' the 'fors' and 'againsts'

Think I should play some more with my livecds again.

Then play some more with VM,
btw - Vbox vs VMLiteWorkstation vs MS VirtualMachine

 

Like I said, there's no progress when you let fear win.

 

I am fearless when I have easy access to 2 computers.
Last week I sold my other laptop so... no one could help me out when I'm in need. Surfing with Ne66 isn't that easy.

just downloaded drakxtools-13.4.tar - correct me if I'm wrong but it's useles w/o the actual manriva being installed on my rig?

GF, I am in owe of yr patience here mate

 

Unless they've made drastic changes, DD should be available on the live cd - no need to download.

 

Hi Korben!
I think you should try OpenSUSE 11.2 (KDE or GNOME). OpenSuSE is easy and stable.

MS Virtual Machine can runs only Windows operating systems!

 

GF - noted!

Adam - thanks for clarifying vm aspect.

at the moment am writing using Opera installed on MINT, running on VMLite and I need to figure out how to use it effectively, e.g. how to maximize the window into proper size...

For the first time ever witnessed an installer in action - sweet
i think I will develop a tooth for it wink

 

Caution now, your virtual environment will have certain, limiting nuances, meaning she won't transfer everything hardware (complicated, don't ask). In the meantime we'll try'n look beyond. When you say "maximize" are you referring to resolution? You know it's current setting? From the menu go => settings => screen/display (I'm work'in a script here).

Know how to open a shell or, terminal? It's there somewhere ....