T&L Publications

I've been hemming and hawing for ages. I've heard how great it is, and now I'm giving it a shot.

First I tried to install it alongside w*, but that came to a sticky end. I managed to revive the computer and copy all the precious data, and now I've let the installation take the whole hard drive. It's taking a while, but it is showing progress.

I'll find out in a while if my ancient laptop gets new life as a sleek machine, or just gets bricked.

Hi,

Hey that's funny about the 'religion' he he.
I had used one version of Linux a while back, called the 'live' version.
I would use it more too but i couldnt get the settings to 'stick' to the USB stick,
so i would have to reset everything on every single bootup, which was a real pain.
Also, my graphics card was not supported so i was limited to 16 bit graphics. I thought
that was not good as i need at least 24 bit.
That was all a while back, some 2 years possibly. It may be better by now.

I bet most of us had considered the change, I know I had.
Keep us posted please! Where's the best place to start?
Also, is now a good time, since Google is about to release their own OS?
Maybe it'll be as solid as Linux?

Hm. It was going pretty well for a while, but got stuck at 74% then configuring gconf2. It was there for over an hour before I shut it down and went to bed. I'll let you know if it goes well for the next attempt.

I too have been toying with Linux. I have chosen Ubuntu as the one to pursue. It is readily available for free. You can download it and burn your own CD or Google it and send them your address and you will soon receive a free disk that will get you up and running. I am having great success and lots of entertainment in using it in lieu of MS. It recognized all my drives, printers, Zip drive etc. with no problems. I am still a neophyte at it so have lots to learn but so far, it is great. I had tried Mandrake and RedHat before with not nearly as easy a time as with Ubuntu. The one downfall so far, my CAD programs are not running on it but now all my surfing and most other tasks are being done on Ubuntu.

Rodney,

Which CAD programs? I know BRL-CAD runs on Linux, and there are some other open-source CAD apps that run exclusively in Linux, are you using (or trying to use) one of them? Running a Windows flavor on CAD in Wine might be tricky, is that what you're doing?

Just curious.

Several years ago I set up a nice little dual boot system running Windows 2000 Pro and SUSE Linux 9.3. I used the Grub boot loader for the dual boot. Each OS was on its own HDD and the thing ran well till I gave it away. I now have a Pentium D system and as soon as I quit messing with a few versions of Windows 7 RC1 I plan to install SUSE 10.0 and XP in another dual boot configuration. I also like SUSE because I have some good books on it.

Since I was messing with SUSE before Unbuntui came along I never changed from SUSE. I have run Unbuntu off of a little pen drive though. Some time back Wal-Mart had these little 2 GB drives for $4 each so I grabbed a handful.

I agree Al as to having to change the settings every boot but there is a workaround for that. I forget exactly but there is a workaround. What you want is a "persistent" option.

THIS TOOL looks to be a nice option taking the work out of putting Unbuntu on a flash drive and makes mention of the persistent option.

Ron

Hi,


I tried two versions of Unbuntu on my system and both failed to boot at all.

Hello Daniel, Al, and all.

The flag bearer of compfuser idiots has used it over 3 years now, and am very happy. If I can, anyone can.
Try Ubuntu live CD, and install from there onto an empty drive. I use V 7.10, and do not care to upgrade as serves me well without even adding any options except 'Flash blocker', and my paranoia prefers stuff as lean as possible.
I have pluggable hard drives with different operative systems, so any Windows-attracted crap won't contaminate Linux. Rarely go briefly plugging the XP.

I still after years do not grab many concepts, but still pleased enough to keep it. It is another planet, easy to get lost after used to Windows.

John: My paranoia tells me the Google operative system will be a disguised tool for Google to gather/track more data than they already have flooded the net with. They operate a multitude of intrusive data miners flying under the radar.

Miguel

Hi,

I did try the Ubuntu live, two different versions. Neither one would boot on my system.
Did anything change in the past two years?

MrAl wrote:Hi,

I did try the Ubuntu live, two different versions. Neither one would boot on my system.
Did anything change in the past two years?

A lot has changed, some for the good some for the bad. What make/model computer are you trying Ubuntu on? Report back and I think I can be of some assistance.

I don't want to steer an existing thread so start a new one or PM me but should anyone need help with Linux I have a fair amount of knowledge on the subject and years of experience. Happy to help when I can.

MrAl wrote:Hi,

I did try the Ubuntu live, two different versions. Neither one would boot on my system.
Did anything change in the past two years?

Hello Al. There is a forum: http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=140
but lately seems you need registration if cannot see the link above. Search for the brand of your compfuser for conflicts/bios and the related installation problem wording.

There is also available to download an older (7.04) simpler version of the liveCD

Are you able to boot/operate Linux from the liveCD but fails to boot after installed ?

Miguel

Hi,


Thanks for the replies SETEC and Miguel...


Miguel, i tried two of the live versions a while back, and after burning to CD the CD would try to
boot and then the screen would go nuts. That happened with both versions.

Where could i look my system up at to see if it would be supported?

I not a believer yet. I tried the "Graphic Installer" and that got hung up at 74% too, but it was "locales" or something like that. I have it going again with the "Netinst" version, but I have a bad feeling about it all.

The first time I tried to install it as a secondary and it gave some excuse for failing. I copied all the important files to an SD card because I have an adapter for the laptop, but w* wouldn't work with USB drives. Now I find that the media is one of the nefarious type: It holds maybe 2G, but aliases itself as 16G and perforates the files after it's full. I now have a few folders that contain nothing but can't be deleted because they're "not empty". I suppose this links into the "Corupted flash drive" post from earlier.

Hello Al.
The Ubuntu liveCD will not harm any compfuser; can you please try on any other PC ? Is yours a Dell ?
I assume the bios on the trial PC should be allowed to boot from the CD drive.

In case the CD has a defect and does not work; I could lend you a known good CD via mail for you to try.
A place to search for supported pc's is the Ubuntu beginners forum, or many like this:
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ubuntu ... oot-2.html
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-re ... 44554.html

I will do a test and be back and edit this message...

Edit: continued... Turned mine off, removed all hard drives (pluggable bay) ; inserted the Ubuntu liveCD 7.10 I have and boots up and works with NO hard drives at all in the system. This post written with no hard drive installed, and no Windows nor Linux installed. Just from the liveCD.

If you finally make it work, do not vomit yet; give it a chance as it is another planet with of course another jargon.
Miguel

Never thought of this before... Will get into the nastiest most infected virus-loaded site I can find now... they cannot harm me at this moment.