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Debian and Linux

A

ArisVer

Golden Member
I am downloading the os now. A friend is using Fedora and he is happy. Is this os capabilities the same as Windows (XP)?
I will install it on an empty hard disk. How long should i leave Windows on for dual boot until i am familiar with the new os?

And something more.
I have read all the pages of this forum and to my surprize there where only a few posts on linux. I remember around 10 years ago there were many debates on windows/linux oss.
 
I've been using Debian since the late 90s, mostly on servers and or such, and personally I think you should never get rid of the dual boot Windows, since there are always things you want to run/try with Windows. I always use triple or at least dual boot on newer machines, myself.
 
The capabilities are the same, but the apps are different and you won't be able to run Windows apps directly. There are things like WINE but they should be considered a last resort after you can't find a suitable Linux alternative.

Dual booting is a PITA and usually becomes a crutch that you end up using permanently. At some point you'll get tired of rebooting constantly and will stick with the OS you know better, usually Windows. If you want to keep Windows around for non-game things then try a VM using VMware, VirtualBox, etc.
 
I like windows. Even with the crashes i had. But they cost a lot. After almost ten years, i installed xp(pro) to start the computer but it is not original. And they do not sell it now, plus it will be costing 100 or more. And the distribution is free. Another main reason is the support you can have. Win98 support has ended some years ago and i have not known it. The same will happen with WinXP. I tried redhat(7) for a while ten years ago, had it dual boot with windows and it runned well. I tried to install it a few days ago and i couldn't. So i opted for debian and they have an easy (i think) installation proccess. Copy some files on to usb, start, and install from the net. So, next time i may be writing from debian.
Dual boot is nice considering you can use features from both oss, but i think it's better to stick to one os and learn it well. I'm still in favour of dual booting in case of system crashes, having a quick startup option to an os. Like a backup starter.
Btw, i'm just a home user. Internet capabilities is mostly what i need.
 
I usually have run Debian since it is such a wide distribution, with lots of new updates and software, left and right (from say 3rd party devs). For a more desktop oriented environment, I'd probably go for a 64 bit version of Ubuntu.
 
I second the Ubuntu suggestion. It's based on Debian, and probably more noob friendly. If you run into issues, you'll likely have more sources for help.
 
ArisVer said:
I like windows. Even with the crashes i had. But they cost a lot. After almost ten years, i installed xp(pro) to start the computer but it is not original. And they do not sell it now, plus it will be costing 100 or more. And the distribution is free. Another main reason is the support you can have. Win98 support has ended some years ago and i have not known it. The same will happen with WinXP. I tried redhat(7) for a while ten years ago, had it dual boot with windows and it runned well. I tried to install it a few days ago and i couldn't. So i opted for debian and they have an easy (i think) installation proccess. Copy some files on to usb, start, and install from the net. So, next time i may be writing from debian.
Dual boot is nice considering you can use features from both oss, but i think it's better to stick to one os and learn it well. I'm still in favour of dual booting in case of system crashes, having a quick startup option to an os. Like a backup starter.
Btw, i'm just a home user. Internet capabilities is mostly what i need.
Click to expand...

You can put Linux on a USB stick or just burn a Live CD for rescue purposes, keeping around an OS installation that you'll hardly ever use is not a good idea.

As for the cost of Windows, so what? You spend ~$120 on Win7 Home Premium one time and you're good for years. Most people get at least 5 years out of one license so that's ~$2/mo for something you'll use every day. If you paid for XP when it came out that's 9 years now that you've gotten out of that license.
 
This is an old system and i can have 1g memory maximum. It will not be enough for W7 even though it can be installed. On the other hand, why not try something else? From what i have seen, you can make linux identical to windows. I'm still considering W7 and will decide by the end of the month. Microsoft has two offers out there. A family pack 3 upgrades for 150, but i saw a strange post on that. And a very small laptop/phone combo for 200 (i do not need a laptop but i could use a phone). And it will cost me 200 for home premium. Am i allowed to install the windows on this machine? (And probaply linux on the laptop).
The way i'm seeing it, is that linux is as good as windows, even though not so user friendly in the beginning.
I did not used XP in the past. I think i installed it to see what changes they made but i had a dual boot of win98 and w2k/w2k server. I also dual booted win98 and redhat7 for a while. You can use only one system in reality and just 'exploring' the other. My license was win98se and was using win98 mainly. They where good only for 2 months. Then you just had to reinstall them. I installed w2k and w2k server to see their newer systems but have not used them much. I also installed illegal copies when i had a second computer for a few months just for trying the network (ethernet) capabilities. In reality instead of switching everything off i should have started using xp when they first came out.
 
From what i have seen, you can make linux identical to windows.
Click to expand...

Please don't go that route, you're opening yourself up to nothing but trouble and frustration. Linux isn't Windows, don't try and treat it as such.

The way i'm seeing it, is that linux is as good as windows, even though not so user friendly in the beginning.
Click to expand...

I think it's better in a lot of ways and the user friendliness that depends on what you're used to using. It's different, but not necessarily harder. Most people just have issues with new things and try to do everything the Windows way which will fail hard.
 
I should have said "making the desktop identical and running the same applications". I'm mostly worried about the syntax line when it comes to linux. I do not know much, just a few basic commands.

And my experience with redhat was very limited. It was a big package version, and asked my cousin if he wanted it. He stayed with linux ever since.
By the end of the weekend i will know if i can install it. I will only need a few programs to start. An explorer, a notepad and a disk copy to switch to my large hard disk.

I also tried w98 yesterday but i just cant see much with that.

Thanks and goodnight. Time here is past midnight.
 
You shouldn't need to know anything about the command-line (bash is the shell most use by default) to just get a basic desktop going. RH7 is the stone ages compared to what's available now, you should be amazed at the difference if you remember what RH7 was like.
 
I remember that it had a graphical enviroment, a lot of things on networking, and that you could switch desktops (gnome, kde). I may had it for a month, but have not used it a lot. It was a different enviroment from Windows and the programs runned in windowed mode. Thats user friendly and makes them not so different. The way they work in the backround (programming, loading, etc) i hear is very different.

At that time, i wanted to be able to start my computer from dos and loading w98 the same way w3.1 worked. Quitting w98 and returning to dos. I was not able to do that though and i understood that i was not good enough.

And a Debian issue. I chose the usb install method. Looks simple and easy. I have a question. Do i need to install a driver for my wifi card? (An extra file on the usb).
The information i found on internet, says that the driver is included in kernel 2.6.
 
Well, 2.6 is a major version with lots of minor releases. I'm currently running 2.6.37 from Debian sid. If your wifi chipset works without any firmware files necessary then you should be fine, otherwise you may need an extra package on there for the installer to get your wifi up and running. I've always done my installs with a wired connection available.
 
The wifi works ok, it only needed a driver install for XP.

I tried http://goodbye-windows.com/downloads/debian/ downloader but it did not work. My main HD letter is not C and this could have been the fault. I also left a blank space instead of assigning an ip address the program asked. I'm going to try once more.
If nothing happens i'll be off to my cousin to prepare the usb from there. I'll get two programs as well.
 
Just get Ubuntu or Linux Mint.

Linux and Windows are VERY different, but can do quite a lot of the same things. Linux is great for tinkerers, but has become a lot more noob friendly. Fedora is also quite good I think.

You shouldnt need to use the shell really.
 
ArisVer said:
The wifi works ok, it only needed a driver install for XP.

I tried http://goodbye-windows.com/downloads/debian/ downloader but it did not work. My main HD letter is not C and this could have been the fault. I also left a blank space instead of assigning an ip address the program asked. I'm going to try once more.
If nothing happens i'll be off to my cousin to prepare the usb from there. I'll get two programs as well.
Click to expand...

I've never used that so I can't comment, I've always just used one of the netinst CDs and installed directly from there.
 
Nothinman said:
I've never used that so I can't comment, I've always just used one of the netinst CDs and installed directly from there.
Click to expand...
me too. It is a small image to get started, then only goes out to get what is needed. I remember getting all 3 CD's of a distro once, probably redhat. What a waste of time, bandwidth, and cds.
 
Netinstall. I do not have a cd writer. I can boot from usb (mainboard bios option) but i am not sure how to load the neccesary files on the stick. There is a small file mini.iso, that i am suppose to burn on the usb disk. How do i do that? The only instructions i found on the net is to unpack the file using a linux based computer.
 
I'm not sure, I've always had a CD writer handy. Maybe Ubuntu will be simpler, I know there's a Windows app that will make a USB stick bootable directly into Ubuntu.
 
The application can 'unzip' the iso file into the usb and a hd. The hd option was limited to drive c. I tried to boot from usb but nothing happened. There is a bios option, but is boots into wxp. Then i copied all the files from usb into the hd and on boot up i get an error 'error loading os' or similar. The drive is ntfs formatted. I have 2 hd. I installed wxp for internet access on the small one (5g) which is drive c now after yet another win install, and i am trying to install the linux on the large drive. The web installer did not work properly. I asked a shop yesterday for any linux distros and they do not have any.

I have access to a second computer next to me and (i think) i can join them together with ethernet. Is there anything i can do from there?
I remember i did an installation like that (using win).

Any other suggestions?
 
You tried unetbootin, and it didn't work? The steps are install unetbootin on a working computer...
check off the Disk Image box, point it to your Debian iso

make sure the correct USB drive is selected, and then press OK.

That should write the files to the USB drive, and make it bootable.

You then restart the computer you want to install on with the USB drive in,

Press F8 to select your boot device, and boot to the USB drive.

Would it be a hardship for you to download a full 700mb iso? The reason I ask, is I think it would be a VERY good idea for you to pick Ubuntu instead of Debian for this project. There's a couple reasons I say this, but primarily, I think Ubuntu would be a better choice for your current level of experience.
 
I just downloaded a debian image.
I will also download an ubuntu image if you think is better. At the end all i want is functioning os that will remain for a year at least. I will check the ubuntu site now.
 
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