WHICH LINUX VERSION TO PICK

[knarlybill]

With all the versions, which is the best and less problemsome. I, like most greenhorns am a bit spooked by the notion of no Windows, but alas..I do abhor Windows and its lock on the entire software industry.

[hywaydave]

I would try CentOS.  It is built on the RedHat Enterprise Edition and they're just a few hours behind RedHat on updates.

If you would like addtional help, you can reach me at ResourcePC.

[GX1_Man]

Post your hardware specs, what your usual activity is and if you are a gamer. We can better advise then. (At least I can!) Most are free, but the easiest to use (for a Windows user) is Linspire which is not (although neither is Windows!). If you go to www.linspire.com you can check that one out.

[knarlybill]

I just got the 4 CD set of CentOS. Can I install it and have a dual boot system so my wife can still use XP? I have 24.6 GB free space on the HD, w/768 MB of Ram. This system is a Dell with XP installed w/sp2 and all updates. But, we only have the Dell disks that the sent to install drivers and etc.. no actual XP installation set. That is why I got Cent. I like having an alternative to MS.

[GX1_Man]

Sounds fair. Do you mean free space on the C Drive, or unpartitioned space? If the former, you will need to create a usable partition.

[GX1_Man]

Sounds fair. Do you mean free space on the C Drive, or unpartitioned space? If the former, you will need to create a usable partition.

If that seems too tough, then you might get a second 20-60 gig hard drive just for the Linux. What model Dell? Service Tag #?

You might want to look at Linspire. There is a Live CD (runs strictly from CD, with nothing written to hard drive) which will let you experience a modified KDE desktop as opposed to Gnome which is what CentOS uses. Of course it runs a little slow because it runs from the CD, but you will get the idea. It is absolutely the easiest to use Linux for a Windows user.

http://iso.linuxquestions.org/distro.php?distro=58

[knarlybill]

Yes, that is C:/...it is one big partition. How hard is it to just create a new partion at this point?
As for the system itself, its a Deminsion 4500S. Thats a low profile desktop. I had looked into another HD, but there is not room to fit one. I know..an external one would work, also. Tell me what it takes tp make a partion for it, if I need software for it, or whatever.
Also, if XP should crash on this machine, and I simply started from scratch with CentOS, could I do it? Would I have to format the drive first?

[GX1_Man]

You can use Partition Magic to shrink the primary partition and leave space for the new O/S. If the XP is on an NTFS drive, you wil be able to read the data, but not write to it. How big is the drive in total?

Do you have reinstall CD's or true Windows CD'S?

I would suggest if say it is a 60 gig drive:

25 gig for XP formatted FAT32

15 gig for Linux

20 gig for data that both could fully read/write formatted FAT32.

If you have only reinstall CD's that may be a problem, because when most do their thing, they delete ALL partitions and set it up the way when it came to you (usually 1 big partition).

So what size drive?

[knarlybill]

Total capacity of the HD is 37.24 GB. We don't have true XP install disks. You know how OEM's do it...you get the restore thing. My whole idea in this was to keep from springing for 140 bucks for a XP install license, and now they are coming out with this new Longhorn, or Vista. I'm tired of all the crap associated with windows and updates, patches, ad nauseum...
What I think you're teling me is, if I reformat, or partition, I'm subject to crash or need to fix XP, and that requires a set-up disk, which I don't speciifcally have. :-/

[GX1_Man]

Unless you use Partition Magic or some kind of partition management software. What happened to the Windows CD?

[knarlybill]

The only thing that Dell gives is a disk that restores factory settings, XP & and the bells and whistles. MS just doesn't want you to use anything but their stuff!

[GX1_Man]

That's for sure. You might want to google for QPartEd, a linux partition manager and see what distro's it is available on.

[knarlybill]

I just looked at Partition Magic and they offer a free download, but I know thats a gimmic...probably tell you what you can do if you but the full version. I also seen a version of it for 29.00..not bad.

[knarlybill]

Is there anyone that has used CentOS? I just tried to look at Disk 1 and XP wouldn't open nothing. How do I load this after I get a partion set up?

[GX1_Man]

Just boot with CD in drive. It will take it from there.

[knarlybill]

Thanx !!! I went to Linuxhelp forum last night and asked some questions also, and got some good info and partitioning.

[yramusa]

I too have been considering a dual boot (XP/Linux).  I'm not sure which Linux version to use either.  Are they all free?  

I built my own computer.   I have a P4 2.80 GHz processor, 512K memory, and an 80 gig HD w/60 gig open.  

Thanks,

Mary