OK, I'm convinced to try Mandrake 7.2... what do I need to know?

[zuffy]

OK, I'm hearing all these how great and rock solid Linux is for too long so I decided to give it a try. Right now, I'm still downloading the ISO install image (3-4 hours to go). I like to ask a few questions before I start.

1) Is this ISO image bootable from CD-ROM?

2) I have Windows ME installed on a FAT32 partition (4GB & 6GB). Do I need to do anything to install Mandrake 7.2 while keeping my Windows ME intact?

3) This is my second PC... configured with Celeron 400MHz OC'ed to 500MHz, 256MB RAM, Asus P2Z-VM (built in ATI Rage IIc and ESS sound chipset), Adaptec 2940UW, 3Com 905 NIC and a Plextor 32x CD-ROM. Do I need to worry about drivers download or they are native in Mandrake 7.2?

4) Will most of the 32-bit Windows applications run in Mandrake 7.2? Some common applications I use are Eudora Pro 5.0, ICQ, Xnews, Microsoft Office 2000, Internet Explorer (I can always use Netscape 4.76), Getright, WinAMP, etc.


Thank you very much.

 

[zuffy]

One more question:

Any other burning software beside Adaptec CD Creator can burn an ISO image? Any of these will support ISO image?

Nero
DiscJuggle
WinOnCD
CDRWin
CloneCD

 

[jtshaw]

Ok, here are some Answers to your questions:

1. The Mandrake 7.2 CD-ROM is bootable.
2. As long as you have un-allocated harddrive space Mandrake will install just fine without touching or destroying windows. It will also set up a dual boot for you. It might even be able to resize your Windows partitions if you need it to. In case you didn't know, linux runs on a partition type called ext2 which is more efficient that the FAT types Windows runs on. Linux can read/write to FAT32 drives however, though WinME can't read/write to ext2.
3. I am not certain about your particular sound chipset but I do believe the rest is supported just fine.
4. Very few applications that run in Windows run in linux. There are, however, applications that will do the same things for you. There is Mulberry (the only app I will mention for linux that costs money...but it is a great mail client) for mail, or just plain kmail. licq, gabber, and everybuddy can do ICQ. koffice and startoffice are good alternitives to MSOffice, Opera, Mozilla, Netscape, and many more can serve as Web browser. XMMS is a MP3 player that looks and contains the same features as WinAMP (you might think somebody at WinAMP even made it but I dunno). As for Xnews and Getright, you could probably find a schedular that could do downloads and there are definitly news clients.
5. Not sure about those CD writer programs, ISO is the standard for cd images so if they don't use it then that would be pretty stupid, but then again people do things that are far dummer so I wouldn't put it past them....

 

[zuffy]

jtshaw,

thanks for the answers.

I'm gonna resize my 10GB hdd to 6GB (WinMe) and 4GB (Mandrake) using Partition Magic 6.0. Is this a good size for Mandrake? Also, will Partition Magic support ext2 if I plan to resize in the future?

I think the burning applications I listed support their proprietary CD Image only, in their own ISO format.

 

[jeans2nd]

This is not my idea, someone else posted it, but go to linuxnewbie.org and check out their NHF's (newbie help files). I'm in the process of reading before I even start downloading!

 

[zuffy]

Just started the installation... looks pretty idiot-proof.

 

[zuffy]

OK, I am typing this message in Mandrake now using Netscape. My Netscape fonts looks like sh*t... too small and the fonts don't as good as Netscape in Windows. I tried adjusting the size and the font but still looks like crap. Man, I missed the Windows Netscape version.

How do I change the "resolution" in Mandrake? I don't like this "800 x 600" resolution I'm in. Is there a utility similiar to Control Panel where I can change the resolution, change IP address, host name, DNS, etc.?

 

[SUOrangeman]

First, try CTRL+ALT++ and CTRL+ALT+- to change res.

If that doesn't work, run XFdrake, but changes won't happen automatically. May have to log out and restart the X-server. CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE may also work.

Visit LinuxNewbie ... often.

-SUO

 

[jtshaw]

Netscape fonts aren't a function of the screen resolution.... I would get the newest snapshot of Mozilla from www.mozilla.org. There seams to be a bug in Netscape...Netscape 6 might fix it but Netscape 6 has a million other bugs as well.

 

[Trifecta]

good Lord...

This is soooo sad. I dont know why you people insist on shoving Linux on newbies. Linux is a propellerhead operating system made for geeks and seriously intelligent people.

To ask newbies to use linux is like asking a 15year old with a drivers permit to go race in Nascar.

Linux needs SOOOO much work to make it user friendly. And when it takes a person 2 hours to set up a proper screen resolution in one stinking game, this is sad.

Netscape Blows too. Use something else. please. do that company a favor and stop supporting them. let them die, so that a superior company will rise up out of the ashes to bring on some real competition to MS. Seriously, its like watching a cow drown in a pond full of pirahnas...

 

[KidViciou$]

thanks for the linux newbi link

i can finally do the shell scripting i WANT!!

 

[Batti]

Trifecta, have you LOOKED at Mandrake 7.2? It's come a long way towards being user friendly. Very easy install.

I agree with you on Netscape though. Ugh. Konqueror is installed on Mandrake 7.2, you could try that.

 

[Batti]

Zuffy,

Nero burns ISO images fine. Made my Mandrake CD's with it.

 

[zuffy]

<This is soooo sad. I dont know why you people insist on shoving Linux on newbies. Linux is a propellerhead operating system made for geeks and seriously intelligent people.>


Trifecta,

Why do you feel sad? There's always a learning curve to learn something. How else will someone learn if they never try? I've seen a bunch of Windows OS'question from newbies.. should I tell them to lay off the product because it's not meant for your ppl?

 

[zuffy]

I just installed Red Hat 7.0... typing this message frm the OS now. I think I perfer Red Hat over Mandrake 7.2. Seems like I have more control of the OS in Red Hat than in Mandrake. Not as colorful as Mandrake but I perfer Red Hat desktop interface more. Probably because it's resemple Windows more.

Hey look, Netscape still looks like crap but less buggy than in Mandrake.

 

[Daemonx]

jtshaw:

I agree, but are you saying EXT2 filesystem is more efficient than FAT32 Filesystem?? I highly disagree with that. EXT2 filesystem is older and highly inefficient filesystem which is why ReiserFS w/Journaling is slowly making its way into distros. If your linux box suddenly loses power, better pray that your files aren't corrupted and better grab a beer and a book, because it takes a long time for fsck to scan the HD. FAT32 is much better FS than EXT2...