Questions on Linux OS

[justin1278]

Hello,

F10 is how my computer goes into setup before booting. I chaged boot order and it still doesn't work. I even press esc and choose what I want to boot from, and yet Windows still boots. Did I do something wrong when I was making the disk. I just downloaded the OS Live version and copied it on to the CD. Do I need a special program?

[sf2000]

Hi Justin1278,

From what I understand, if you plainly copied the ISO file to the CD then you probably have created the CD the wrong way. First open your CD writing program, go to something like FILE and then OPEN. Open the ISO from there. Your CD writing program should then display a message that it is ready to burn the CD. Here, this might help:

http://www.govideo.com/Index.asp?GV=CDWriteHelp 

sf2000

[Fast]

The Ubuntu cd's (both live and install) are shipped for free to your home postal adress if requested. Look at ubuntulinux.org and search for the page named "shipit".
As for the firewall: it is turned on by default but, just as the windows xp-sp2 firewall only blocks INCOMING connections.
As for the dual-boot question: many linux distro's like Mandriva and SuSE co-exist peacefully on the same harddisk with Windows. Ubuntu can also be installed as dual-boot, but is more aggressive than the others: the computer will have Ubuntu starting as default and the boot-loader will become unfunctional should you want to get rid of Ubuntu in case you don't like it. In other words, you will not be able to boot windows again.
So be careful when installing Ubuntu.

Bye,
Fast

[justin1278]

Hi,


Ok then it looks like Unbuntu is not for me. I will look at Suse, I think there is a free version of that, but I still need help on partitioning my drive if you look at the screenshot on the last page I cannot partition my drive using windows so I would like a free program that would partition my drive for me. Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks,
Justin1278

[Lisandro]

I did set it up to boot from the CD drive and Windows still boots.

Maybe you need to use a CD-R and not a CD-RW to test your capability to boot by a CD.

I will look at Suse, I think there is a free version of that

Yes, there is. It's a good distro of Linux.
Five CD are needed (for me, the CD-RW worked).
I have Windows + SUSE working tohgeter in one computer.

but I still need help on partitioning my drive if you look at the screenshot on the last page I cannot partition my drive using windows so I would like a free program that would partition my drive for me. Any help would be wonderful.

The SUSE CDs (the first one) have this tool.
You can do by other programs, using Google you'll find. PartitionMagic is the best one but it's not free.

[justin1278]

Hi,

Tech this is wonderful news on my part thanks for the help. But will Suse be able to Partition my HD even though windows cannot? look at the screenshot on the last page. Also does my system qualify for the x86-64 one? Also I think I figured out why Windows was still booting, this was because I was using the Windows CD burner and this cannot burn ISO files so I went and downloaded the add on so now it can.

System Info:

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0 GHZ
512 MB SD Ram
80 GB HD
Windows XP SP2

[Lisandro]

Tech this is wonderful news on my part thanks for the help. But will Suse be able to Partition my HD even though windows cannot?

In fact, why not? I would recommend you a backup of the Windows partition before and, of course, a full defragmentation.
You can start trying to reduce the size of the Windows partition. SUSE requires, at least, 30 Gb of disk.
How is your 80 Bb HDD actually partitioned?

look at the screenshot on the last page.

I can't... I've tried both IE and Firefox but I can't see the picture...

Also does my system qualify for the x86-64 one?

I'm not good on these things... hope some other user could help you.

So now it can.

And what, did you boot the live CD of Ubuntu?

[justin1278]

Hi,

No I did not boot the Unbuntu Live CD because I have decided I will use Suse. I booted with Suse fine but it will not install it keeps getting an error message when trying to partition the drive. The alert message is somewhere along the lines of Error could not install error occured while partitioning the drive.

[Lisandro]

No I did not boot the Unbuntu Live CD because I have decided I will use Suse. I booted with Suse fine but it will not install it keeps getting an error message when trying to partition the drive. The alert message is somewhere along the lines of Error could not install error occured while partitioning the drive.

I'll need more info about the error to help you further, the full error message, etc.
Either, SUSE has an user forum and you could get help there.
Did you run a FULL scandisk (chkdsk) into the Windows partition?
You did not say how the HDD is partitioned...

[justin1278]

Hi,


Ok i believe it is because I did not set it to format the windows partition. How can I set it to format the Windows partition and not have Linux take over the whole HD so I can install Windows on the Partition.

[Lisandro]

Ok i believe it is because I did not set it to format the windows partition. How can I set it to format the Windows partition and not have Linux take over the whole HD so I can install Windows on the Partition.

It will take a lot of time to go step by step. I won't be able to do it today.
Have a dual boot system is VERY complicated and dangerous if you do not know exactly what you're doing.
I really recommend that you read more about in the internet before, test in another computer, etc. I did a lot of mistakes, lose time and things... It's not easy to guide you through avast forums, maybe by IM. Anyway, you must be sure that you want to take the risks.
You should 'test' the live Linux distros BEFORE triying to install a dual boot system.

By the way, if you want to format the windows partition and start all over again, why don't you test SUSE in all HDD?
You must learn about Linux and about partitioning, and about dual boot systems (how to set them)... It's not a quick job...

[justin1278]

Hi,

I understand the risks of this and am willing to take them, but I have used Suse Linux and did like it, but did not know it was free until a few days ago. If you can help me through IM that would be great, if not I understand. Thanks for all your help so far Tech.


~Justin1278

[xistenz]

Also does my system qualify for the x86-64 one?

Yes, the Athlon 64 is a 64-bit processor.

[CharleyO]

***

As xistenz stated above, the Athlon 64 3200 is qualified in this respect.

You have the same processor as I do. I am sure mine is x86-64 or else it would not work on a 939 mobo.   

[Lisandro]

look at the screenshot on the last page.

I can't... I've tried both IE and Firefox but I can't see the picture...

Sorry, I get them now. No problems, Linux could manage them as well PartitionMagic.

1) What are the system requirements for Suse Linux (free version)

Processor: AMD K6/II/III, Duron, Athlon/XP (tm); Intel Celeron, Pentium I/II/III,4, Xeon.
Memory: 256 MB or more (512 MB recommended);
Free HDD space: at least 500 MB (2,5 GB recommended);
HDD total size: at least 30 MB
USB 1.1 and 2.0 are compatible
Sound and video cards: mostly compatible with ISA, PCI and AGP existent cards.

2) Does my computer qualify for the x86-64 version of Suse Linux (free version)

Again, I'm not the best for it, but seems that you're qualified.
The best will be reading here http://en.opensuse.org/Download