New To Linux, Can't get VMWare to work, Please Help!

[Liberator21]

Hi all, I'm looking forward to learning Linux. Specifically Ubuntu. More specifically Ubuntu Ultimate Gamers Edition. Anyhow I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium x64 if this matters. Once I load the ISO file it takes me to the black linux-rom screen or whatever it is, then hangs up. Unless I'm supposed to wait a REALLY long time, I always close after a couple of minutes. Any suggestions? All my settings are pretty much default. Thanks!

 

[Brazen]

click with your mouse inside the Ubuntu window, then hit Enter.

 

[Nothinman]

Are you sure it's booting from the CD? The Ubuntu boot screen should be a lot more than a "black linux-rom screen".

 

[Liberator21]

Yes I click in there and hit enter, also it's not a CD, just a mounted ISO image.

 

[Nothinman]

Yea, I get that but are you sure it's even trying to boot from it and are you sure the download isn't corrupt?

 

[Brazen]

maybe you should be more specific on exactly what is on that screen

 

[Liberator21]

After the VMWare logo loads, it's the black screen that says "ISOLINUX 3.11 DEBIAN-2006-3-16 Copyright xxx" And that's where it hangs.

@Nothinman: The download may be corrupt, I dl'ed it in three separate parts, then joined them together.

Thank you guys for helping me with this

 

[sciencewhiz]

After googling for "Ubuntu Ultimate Gamers Edition" I found this site: http://ubuntusoftware.info/ubuntu_ultimate_gamers/ and it appears to be a single DVD iso. I'm not sure where you got the 3 files and how you joined them, but you should probably download from an official mirror.

 

[Brazen]

check the md5sum. It should be f80f6adb2d97432a7e2353ab2880433e
You can google on how to check md5sums. It's really easy. My prefered method from Windows is to use md5sum.exe - just drag your file and drop on top of the executable and it opens a dos window with the md5sum.

Also, maybe you should try a stock Ubuntu iso.

 

[bwatson283]

use a 20lb sledge!

 

[Robor]

There's links to direct downloads from Europe as well as torrents right on their page.

 

[Liberator21]

Hey Robor, that's what I used, you download it in 3 parts..Anyhow as I'm waiting on the torrent to finish, I'll start a new question

First I want to say I like my Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit. I really do. At least visually. In fact I have ample storage so I don't really know why I'm bothered, but it just 'feels' bloated. XP felt the same way after I loaded it down with stuff too. I like efficiency, and there's nothing like a fresh install of Windows in terms of performance. It just 'feels' right. Shortly after though, I have too many programs and crap left over from uninstalls. The only thing I really need Windows for is the games, photoshop, and the "stability". I know Photoshop can be ported through Wine, but I'm going to have to keep Windows for the games. And well, dual-booting just doesn't seem as efficient and stream-lined as I like. So, here are my questions (from a complete Linux noob):

1) Is it true that Linux, specifically Ubuntu, is quick, efficient, and visually pleasing (more so than Vista)? Even after time? I hear that everything from the ethernet to the file allocation tables are generally just 'better'.
2) Can I virtualize Vista without having to dual-boot? Even if I could, it is my understanding that DirectX cannot be utilized...do I have any options?
3) Off hand, are most common apps available in the Linux variety? (iTunes, Blackberry software, DVD/CD utilities, ect.)

Most of my non-gaming time is spent with fairly common tasks. Lots of media, I need good burners/converters; Amateur photography work; Benchmarking...I also like lots of peripherals, connected without much hassle and not a different program for every one (still working on this in Windows, too). A streamlined, stable Linux experience would be awesome, I'm ready to shed my Microsoft skin.

I'm sure I'll have more questions, THANK YOU for helping!

 

[Nothinman]

1) Is it true that Linux, specifically Ubuntu, is quick, efficient, and visually pleasing (more so than Vista)? Even after time? I hear that everything from the ethernet to the file allocation tables are generally just 'better'.

Visual appeal is subjective so only you can decide if you like Linux or Vista better, but the available combinations available in Linux are virtually unlimited so I'm sure you could find something that you like if you take the time. IMO the open source drivers in Linux are usually better than those in Windows, they're more stable, smaller, etc while the closed source drivers are usually about the same as their Windows counterparts because they share a lot of the same code. Filesystems are more difficult to compare and NTFS isn't a bad filesystem so I'd say Linux's real advantage there is choice since in Windows your only choices are NTFS and FAT while Linux supports over 30.

2) Can I virtualize Vista without having to dual-boot? Even if I could, it is my understanding that DirectX cannot be utilized...do I have any options?

Sure, most of the time you don't want to put your physical installation into virtualization anyway since the different hardware can cause problems with Windows. Newer versions of VMWare and Parallels support some basic 3D acceleration so it might work depending on what you want to do.

3) Off hand, are most common apps available in the Linux variety? (iTunes, Blackberry software, DVD/CD utilities, ect.)

You won't find iTunes or official Blackberry software for Linux AFAIK. I believe some people have run iTunes in WINE so that might be an option for you, I have no idea about Blackberry software though.