Considering Overwriting Ubuntu Linux

[halfpower]

I have a Windows machine. Recently I got another hard drive and installed Ubuntu on it. Since installing Ubuntu I have been unable to configure my wireless card. This means that I am not able to access the internet while running Linux. The most immediate solution might be to install another Linux distro and try to configure my wireless card by following the directions for that distro (maybe Debian, CentOS4, or Gentoo).

The problem is that Ubuntu has installed a boot loader on my Windows drive, and Windows will not boot up if my Ubuntu disk drive is not plugged in to my motherboard. Does anyone know what will happen if I overwrite my Ubuntu install with something else? Will I still be able to boot up to Windows?

 

[Megatomic]

Yes, windows will overwrite the MBR and you will be able to boot into it.

 

[halfpower]

By the way, I've been following the directions at <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/">https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/</a> and I have not been able to get things working. I it working a couple of times, but every time I rebooted it would stop working. Could I be screwing things up if I run a lot of super user commands and make a lot of typos? I can't seem to figure out where the wireless configuration is going wrong.

EDIT:
I've been hearing bad things in general about wireless networks and Linux. Should I just get a 1,000 ft of CAT 5e or CAT 6 and run Ubuntu?

 

[halfpower]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Yes, windows will overwrite the MBR and you will be able to boot into it.

Wouldn't that require doing another Windows install?

 

[Megatomic]

Yes, it would. I must have misread your first post. Try fixmbr instead.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: halfpower
By the way, I've been following the directions at <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/">https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/</a></a> and I have not been able to get things working. I it working a couple of times, but every time I rebooted it would stop working. Could I be screwing things up if I run a lot of super user commands and make a lot of typos? I can't seem to figure out where the wireless configuration is going wrong.

EDIT:
I've been hearing bad things in general about wireless networks and Linux. Should I just get a 1,000 ft of CAT 5e or CAT 6 and run Ubuntu?

Wireless would be a lot better if hardware manufacturers in the US weren't morons. You probably didn't set up the support to work on boot.

 

[bersl2]

Originally posted by: halfpower
By the way, I've been following the directions at <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/">https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/</a></a> and I have not been able to get things working. I it working a couple of times, but every time I rebooted it would stop working. Could I be screwing things up if I run a lot of super user commands and make a lot of typos? I can't seem to figure out where the wireless configuration is going wrong.

EDIT:
I've been hearing bad things in general about wireless networks and Linux. Should I just get a 1,000 ft of CAT 5e or CAT 6 and run Ubuntu?

The rt2500 is nice, because it's fully GPL. The current driver is derived from the NDIS source, but they're in the process of rewriting it, merging the two.

A couple of things: largely due to the way Windows drivers are written, the current one will not run well or at all on 4K stacks. That might be enabled in the default Ubuntu kernel. Also, remember to bring the interface up before trying to obtain an IP. I didn't realize that wasn't happening for several months.

The card is good, the drivers are good, and the only thing that's about to crash is me. :moon:

 

[halfpower]

Originally posted by: bersl2
A couple of things: largely due to the way Windows drivers are written, the current one will not run well or at all on 4K stacks. That might be enabled in the default Ubuntu kernel. Also, remember to bring the interface up before trying to obtain an IP.

The company that made the chipset has Linux drivers available at http://www.ralinktech.com/supp-1.htm. Unfortunately I don't know how to use them:frown:

What is meant by "bring the interface up?"

At what point do I go about obtaining an IP?

I don't know what 4K stacks are.

 

[n0cmonkey]

ifconfig eth0 up
or
ifup eth0

I can't remember which.

 

[bersl2]

Originally posted by: halfpower

Originally posted by: bersl2
A couple of things: largely due to the way Windows drivers are written, the current one will not run well or at all on 4K stacks. That might be enabled in the default Ubuntu kernel. Also, remember to bring the interface up before trying to obtain an IP.

The company that made the chipset has Linux drivers available at http://www.ralinktech.com/supp-1.htm. Unfortunately I don't know how to use them:frown:

What is meant by "bring the interface up?"

At what point do I go about obtaining an IP?

I don't know what 4K stacks are.

That is a closed and older version of the current drivers.

These look like good instructions.

BTW, don't mind all that junk I was telling you before. I had been in deep hack mode for hours.