Which version of Linux

[Gamingphreek]

Yes i know you guys answer this questions millions of time a day. However no one asks about it for a modern computer.

My Rig link is in my sig.

I have never used Linux before however i never start out with the very basic. Which is the best one out there right now? Im thinking Mandrake, SUSE, or Red Hat but im not sure.

I will be dual booting with WIN XP Pro.

-Kevin

 

[Crusty]

Fedora Core 3, Ubuntu, Debian, SuSe

take your pick

 

[IEC]

SuSE, perhaps Xandros (I hear it's good, downloading as I write this.). Whatever Linux distro fits your hardware best (look on the dev sites to check hardware compatibility).

 

[ColKurtz]

There should be a sticky for this question. Mandrake is good choice for "easy to get started", FC3/SuSE if you want to make money supporting Linux, maybe Slackware if you want to learn what's going on during the install. Say away from Debian or Gentoo as a beginner.

Once they're installed they're all very similar. Most significant differences are the package management system. Kind of like a different "windows update" for each distro, each set up and administered differently.

I personally suggest FC3 or Mandrake (though I installed Ubuntu and really like it's simplicity), as those have some of the more active support communities.

 

[Gamingphreek]

I agree it should definately be stickied.

What actually makes Debian and Gentoo so much more advanced. Not implying anything but im no noob.

Well im running an AXP, with Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe, and a Geforce FX5900XT with the Valance Studios drivers along with Soundstorm.

Mandrake and FC3 seem to be the most recommended. I think ill will download Mandrake.

-Kevin

 

[Gamingphreek]

Update: Well seeing as Mandrake costs i am downloading FC3. Looks like it will take 2 hours total time to download. HOPEFULLY i will have it all installed and running by tomorrow afternoon (School first )

-Kevin

 

[fishmonger12]

mandrake doesn't cost... i'm downloading it right now...

 

[Gamingphreek]

I went to www.Linux.org went to downloads and eventually found Mandrake. Then it took me to a different sight where it had a beginner intermediate and expert Mandrake all of which cost.

Would you mind linking me to the proper sight

-Kevin

 

[MadRat]

Lycoris is very newbie freindly and supports alot of hardware gadgets like CD burners and memory cards by default, no configuration. Plus you don't have to learn how to mount devices and install much for software dependencies because of the extensive freeware downloads available for it. And it auto updates like Windows.

 

[OffTopic1]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
I agree it should definately be stickied.

What actually makes Debian and Gentoo so much more advanced. Not implying anything but im no noob.

Well im running an AXP, with Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe, and a Geforce FX5900XT with the Valance Studios drivers along with Soundstorm.

Mandrake and FC3 seem to be the most recommended. I think ill will download Mandrake.

-Kevin

Debian got Apt-get that let you access over 8600 packages at a few key stroke away (also have excellent depenency cheking system).

Gentoo have Portage which is a derivative from BSD Ports, and the main addvantage if you are a micro manager that love to tweak everything, however the compile time can be tiresome after a few updates & application additions.

Apt-get can be employ as manager in many other OSes how ever their RPMs packages are limited, therefore it doesn't offer any advantage to use apt-get over RedHat base RPM package managers.

 

[OffTopic1]

Easy to use is Knoppix or its variants that can be run from a live CD, however you will get the full benefit of Linux once you install a distro on your hdd.

IMHO, Mandrake, Fedora & SuSE are good distro for beginer to try because it have great docs, supports and the fool proof gui install interface is a bonus.

Mepis, ELX, Lycoris, Xandro, and may be Ubuntu (I haven't try Ubuntu) are great distro to try, however the documents are not as complete as the above.

If you are willing to read, Debian also is another great distro to run because it have the mother of all package library (over 8700 packages) with complete docs.

Slackware & Gentoo are also great distro to use, however the annoyances is not worth the time, because you might as well go to BSD if you are willing to invest the time.

 

[BlueWeasel]

For someone new, any distros you choose is going to be the "best" since you need to get the basics down.

I personally asked this same question a few weeks ago and have tried the following:

Fedora Core 3
Ubuntu
Mandrake
SuSE
Mepis
Damn Small Linux
PCLinuxOS

In the end, I settled on PCLinuxOS but I could see myself using any of the above. I choose PCLinuxOS (I really liked Mepis, Ubuntu, and DSL as well) because it simply had A LOT of packages already installed with little configuration time and was a breeze to install.

Definately give some of the Live CD distros a try first, and see which ones you like....that will save you from having to install each one before you test them out.

 

[bersl2]

Thinking the same thing too. It's just too common a question.

 

[RandomFool]

i tried suse, it was pretty good and easy to use/figure out. I'm pretty new to this whole thing as well. My only problem so far is I just can't get my wireless card to work

 

[Gamingphreek]

I will mainly be using it just to have it. However; i do want to try some games out on it. Is FC3 as good as the others?

-Kevin

 

[fishmonger12]

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/ftp.php3

that's the three cd community release. the other stuff you are talking about includes all the extras that make linux easy (preinstallled drivers, etc.) and gives the mandrake folks money to keep on providing their flavor.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Well i downloaded and burned it to a CD. However it gives me an error when i try to partition the drive. I have a 120Gb SATA Seagate Barracuda. One partition is 4gig the other is 116gig. I am using about 35gig right now so i have plenty of space. What is going on here?

-Kevin

 

[KoolDrew]

The exact error you are getting would help.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Having not read the entire thread: You probably need unpartitioned space at the end of the drive to create Linux partitions.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Well knowing about Windows Disk Management and the software RAID i left 4mb unpartitioned space. I guess i will have to reformat, and reinstall everything

-Kevin

 

[calyco]

Originally posted by: ColKurtz
There should be a sticky for this question. Mandrake is good choice for "easy to get started", FC3/SuSE if you want to make money supporting Linux, maybe Slackware if you want to learn what's going on during the install. Say away from Debian or Gentoo as a beginner.

Once they're installed they're all very similar. Most significant differences are the package management system. Kind of like a different "windows update" for each distro, each set up and administered differently.

I personally suggest FC3 or Mandrake (though I installed Ubuntu and really like it's simplicity), as those have some of the more active support communities.

What he said. Also for notebooks go with Suse, desktop Fedora.

 

[Davegod75]

I would try Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.org) It is a great first distro

 

[imported_brad]

Fedora Core 3. Im pretty new to the linux world, but we're using it in a class right now and i like it pretty good.

 

[Gamingphreek]

This is the error i get:

Could not allocate requested partitions:
Partitioning failed:could not allocate partitionas as primary partitions

I press ok and i get

The following errors occured with your partitioning:
You have not defined a root partition (/), which is required for intallation. THis can happen if there is insufficient free space

Now i tried both Auto and Manual Partitioning, i would rather not have to format all over again, and i have PLENTY of free space.

-Kevin

 

[Dragonbate]

Quick answer- use whaterver partitioning softrware you are comfotable using and remove all partions on the drive. Then let the installation wizard partion the drive with default values. This will destroy all data on drive and should work with most distros.