The Linux Distro Thread (maybe)

[ej-solutions]

Thought I'd start this one off, rather than continue on another thread.

As a quick catch up for others:

Have a look at Unetbootin, as a means to try out different versions of Linux, without producing numerous coasters (unwanted CDs).
I haven't tried the method of installing to hard drive, only the USB flash drive method (so far).

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[ej-solutions]

:^O

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[blackburn_stevie]

Right then.
I have a knock-knee'd, knackered old computer laying about the place somewhere. It's an ASUS Terminator C3 exactly like this one .....



It runs @ 1.7 ghz with 512 mb of RAM and 20 gb hdd. At present it is running xp pro sp3.

Is this a good enough specced machine to run this version of Linux .... 380124663084 ?

I have 2 rules. I say exactly what I mean and I mean exactly what I say.

[grumpy-cook]

Steve, never, ever, ever, did I say never yet, buy Linux. There aren't any you cannot download yourself.

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[ej-solutions]

I say, I say, boy - said in a big chicken accent 😉

Well over 20 years ago I purchased a Slackware 6CD set - that was the last time...

Excluding 64-bit versions of any of the Linux distros, you should have no main issues with that PC.
I can highly recommended Linux Mint 7 - much better to manage than 'raw' Ubuntu, IMO.
There's even a user guide available:
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

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[blackburn_stevie]

grumps .... I have downloaded many, many versions of Linux in my time and all, as you say, for free.
The sad part is that once downloaded to my computer, they turn into coasters when I try to copy the file to a CD. It is just much simpler to find somebody who has downloaded the distro, copied it to a CD and then offered it for sale.

I have 2 rules. I say exactly what I mean and I mean exactly what I say.

[otherego]

http://www.linux-xp.com/

seems to be the version you were looking at - and Disrowatch:

http://distrowatch.com/

is a good source of lots and lots of free distros.

o_g - out of curiosity - are you burning your CDs as .iso CDs? If you burn them as "data" CDs, they won't work.

Fortunately, 'tis easy.

[ej-solutions]

You don't just copy it to CD, you need to burn the 'image':

http://www.imgburn.com/

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[otherego]

"Distrowatch" even!

[otherego]

Hi, again *old_guy* - it would be no problem for me to send you a couple of Cds if you're in no great rush. Most Linux distros seem to include CD burning software which can handle .iso images (I've burned dozens now.)

Just a quick caveat - it's remarkably addictive, and amazing how much time one ends up spending trying out new distros - either as live CDs, or wiping the old one and installing the new. Great fun.

But otherwise, as per ej's #166 - burning one's own CDs is more straighforward than the first few experimental coasters might suggest. It's funny how once one's managed one CD, most of the rest seem to work.

[blackburn_stevie]

Technology scares me. No, seriously.
"Copy to CD" ... "burn" .... I thought they were the same thing.

I have 2 rules. I say exactly what I mean and I mean exactly what I say.

[blackburn_stevie]

otherego ... Ta for the offer buy I have loads of different Linux CDs. I bought 12 all at once for a few quid + £2 p&p. I keep threatening to give them another go but I guess my problem has always been that I don't use a computer as a computer. I use a computer as a means of getting onto the web so if my USB/pcmcis/Pci/Airport internet connecting kit doesn't work as soon as a Linux distro finishes installing, I'm screwed because I would have no idea how to MAKE it work.

I have 2 rules. I say exactly what I mean and I mean exactly what I say.

[otherego]

#169 - so did I.

When ej gets back, perhaps he'd explain the difference.

The exact terminology may vary from one piece of CD burning software to another, but essentially, you need something that offers the option to burn an image - and why that is different from copying data, I haven't quite sussed out.

You need the option to burn an .iso image - an exact copy of the operating system you've downloaded, burned to the CD as a single file - apparently.

I used something called Deep Burner to begin with (available at this link, among others)

http://www.filehippo.com/download_deepburner/

on my late lamented Windows 2000 partition to get started with Linux. It proved easy to use, and good at the old .iso images.

So that's two so far!

But no matter which software you use - as long as make sure that it burns an .iso image, you should be fine, I think. It seems best to burn .iso CDs at the lowest possible speed, too.

[otherego]

#170 - no problems. I can empathise with the "not using a computer as a computer."

Ask ej to point you towards a couple of articles on internet connection and Linux - unfortunately, I have none saved.

Most of the modern Linux distros seem to provide the necessary "out of the box" - I've yet to have an insurmountable problem. The one exception, ironically, is with my one modern computer - a little Eee PC which CAN be a pain (although most distros eventually work wirelessly on it.)

Most distros have good forums, and a spot of light googling will often reveal a post or a tutorial dealing with your very problem - the whole experience seems a heck of a lot friendlier than a certain popular operating system with its product activation and goodness knows what.

Additionally, trying out the live CD will often, if not infallibly, allow you to see how the distro you're trying will get on with your hardware before you go to the trouble of actually installing it.

But generally, I've found connecting to the internet significantly easier with most Linux distros I've tried than it was with Windows 98, 2000 or XP.

[grumpy-cook]

An image file (usually a .iso) can be considered to be a bit like a zip file. It's actually a direct image of a disk. Like a zip file, you have to extract the "real" files and folders before you can burn it and have it do what it is supposed to do (e.g. become a self-booting linux distro).

Most CD/DVD burning software has the ability to extract and burn images, but it can be a bit hard to find sometimes. It's well worth downloading ImgBurn which EJ linked to earlier, because it's simple to use.

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[blackburn_stevie]

otherego wrote earlier .... Additionally, trying out the live CD will often, if not infallibly, allow you to see how the distro you're trying will get on with your hardware before you go to the trouble of actually installing it.

Ahhhhh. Now then, now then. A while back, I was talking to a Linux fan on this very subject. I asked him if a "LIVE" CD used it's own resources or the computer's pre-existing windows software to locate and run the proper drivers for a USB wi-fi dongle. He had to admit that the CD used the windows software so, in truth, a Live CD doesn't actually show how the real deal would work once installed.
Caveat ... that was a year ago so things may have changed.

I have 2 rules. I say exactly what I mean and I mean exactly what I say.

[ej-solutions]

Eh.. methinks he was talking through a hole... you get the drift 😉
Live CD makes no reference to any installed software (but often allows you to see what's on the hard disk).
"..a Live CD doesn't actually show how the real deal would work once installed" - that bit is partially true. Primarily relating to wireless networking but on rare occasions other items.
It is possible to use Windows networking drivers to make a troublesome network operate but even that's becoming pretty rare.
In fact, it gives a very good indication of how a particular distro will run on a machine, without having to install a thing.
Give it another try... go on, go on, go on... you know you want to :-p

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[otherego]

(Ventures out timidly)

For what it's worth - the first live CDs I ever tried out (Ubuntu 8.10. Mint 6 and Mandriva, I think) were on second hand computers with no operating systems installed - completely "wiped" hard drives.

I've mostly been lucky with drivers (except for the blessed Eee PC and even that has only "won" twice out of perhaps ten live USBs.)

And it's all been such unexpectedly great fun.

[grumpy-cook]

.. that was a year ago so things may have changed.

No they haven't Steve, there was never a time when a Linux live CD used any Windows software on the PC.

Stick with us and before you know it.....













....you'll be as confused as we are. :^O

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[otherego]

Live CD makes no reference to any installed software (but often allows you to see what's on the hard disk).

And intriguingly - I have used a live CD (Puppy Linux, I think), to copy a few files from a non-bootable Windows system - murdered by one of my little experiments.

Another use for a live CD !

[blackburn_stevie]

I've got an EEE(k) as well but mine is a 900 running XP. Or should I say I HAD one until my daughter-in-law and granddaughter got their beady, sneaky eyes on it. lol

I have 2 rules. I say exactly what I mean and I mean exactly what I say.