Needed - Mandrake Linux 9.2 or above complete binaries

[Sharjeel]

ASAIK you do not need partitions to install LINUX, but you should do a install it on a separate partition anyway.



Anyway, installed it after a full days tinkering, and trashed it immediately. Did not like it. But that was 2 years ago...

[LP]

ASAIK you do not need partitions to install LINUX, but you should do a install it on a separate partition anyway.

Anyway, installed it after a full days tinkering, and trashed it immediately. Did not like it. But that was 2 years ago...

Thanks.Yeah I was going to install it in a seperate partition anyway.I dont think you can have 2 OS's on 1 partition because Windows always formats the harddrive before installing itself(I dont know about Linux).

[CtrlAltDel]

...I am sick and tired of using CAD every couple of hrs....

:?

[Lucifer]

No, LP, Windows does not format the hard drive before installing. It just performs a scandisk, which, BTW, can also be bypassed by typing setup /is in the command prompt.



Windows uses a FAT, FAT32 or and NTFS partition. Linux needs what is called an ext2 partition. There is also the option of installing Linux on the Windows partition but I would not recommend that.



But, do not sweat. The installation CDs of Linux automatically format your disks accordingly. Just make sure you have one empty partition (disk drive) that it can format so that you do not lose data. Normally your hard drive would have atleast two partitions (C, D, E, ...). Just leave one of them empty, preferably the last one. If you have disk partitioning tools like Partition Magic, just create an ext2 partition. That would make the installation proceed much more smoothly.



I prefer the Madrake release. SuSE is good but it is not free. Red Hat is okay. But, if you plan using Yahoo! Messenger, then you should go with Red Hat because they do not have a release for Mandrake yet.



All said and done, there is nothing better than finding someone else's computer! The learning from that would be an insurance against all things that can go wrong with yours!



Just kidding. Don't worry. It is a very simple process really. Just choose the beginner option instead of the advanced one during installation.

[CtrlAltDel]

keep posting guys!



when i gonna install Linux, i'll first take a printout if this thread n keep it handy!

[Cowboy]

keep posting guys!

when i gonna install Linux, i'll first take a printout if this thread n keep it handy!

First of all, DO NOT install GNU/Linux before windows. Because, Windows does not detect any other OS (typical Billy-boy istyle). So, first thing you got to do is to install some crappy version of winblows and leave a drive free. I'd suggest making your windows partitions NTFS and Linux partitions "ext3".



All you need is some empty partition you can format. Minimum of 10GB would be great. I've never installed any other distro other than RedHat/Fedora/Debian. If it's your first time switching from Windows, please get Mandrake or SuSE. They are more like windows(ewwwwww!!!).



Hey CAD, I'm planning to organize a "install-fest" for newbees. May be you can come over with your box

[Cowboy]

Psst... CAD. You have an unsuspecting neighbour? It always pays to do all this stuff the first time on someone else's computer.

no such luck.......i am my own guinea pig

Yup just like me.Planning to install Redhat.BTW lucifer which do you think is better of all the linux's.I mean which is more easier to operate.Never used Linux but I am sick and tired of using CAD every couple of hrs. Oh and I heard that I need multiple partitions to install linux,now is that the case for all the Linux's?

If it's your first time, try Mandrake or SuSE. 'cos I'm 100% sure you won't be liking the default look of Fedora. You can have just one partition for Linux, but not a good idea if it's your first time. You'll need atleast 2, an ext3 partition and a swap twice the size of your RAM. THIS is the case for all Linuxes.

[Cowboy]

Forgot to mention. If your windows is on NTFS partition, go for SuSE. Fedora 2 does not yet come with NTFS-supporting kernel by default. You'll have to re-compile the kernel yourself.

[Lucifer]

Forgot to mention. If your windows is on NTFS partition, go for SuSE. Fedora 2 does not yet come with NTFS-supporting kernel by default. You'll have to re-compile the kernel yourself.

Kyon bacche ko confuse kar rahe ho? Abhi ise pehele apne haath to rangne do Linux se. Ek baar aadat lag gayi to Windows ko waapas nahi jaayega.



Really people, Linux rocks! Why? Because



i) it never crashes

ii) u never have to reboot the system, come what may

iii) u do not have to ever shut it down (btw, no windows machine can run constantly for more than 9 months... it will simply crash!)

iv) most importantly, things work as per expectations

v) even a pentium II 500 MHz can support the most recent versions of the OS, which means you do not have to upgrade hardware if you are upgrading software

vi) it gives you the great kick of being a part of the 2% of computer users who know what the other 98% are missing

[Cowboy]

Forgot to mention. If your windows is on NTFS partition, go for SuSE. Fedora 2 does not yet come with NTFS-supporting kernel by default. You'll have to re-compile the kernel yourself.

Kyon bacche ko confuse kar rahe ho? Abhi ise pehele apne haath to rangne do Linux se. Ek baar aadat lag gayi to Windows ko waapas nahi jaayega.

Yep. Caution ppl, it's addictive.

i) it never crashes

Not really.

#include <sys/time.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <unistd.h>

static void
Handler (int ignore)
{
char fpubuf[108];
__asm__ __volatile__ ("fsave %0\n" : : "m"(fpubuf));
write(2, "*", 1);
__asm__ __volatile__ ("frstor %0\n" : : "m"(fpubuf));
}

int
main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
struct itimerval spec;
signal(SIGALRM, Handler);
spec.it_interval.tv_sec=0;
spec.it_interval.tv_usec=100;
spec.it_value.tv_sec=0;
spec.it_value.tv_usec=100;
setitimer(ITIMER_REAL, &spec, NULL);
while(1)
write(1, ".", 1);

return 0;
}

This code will crash the kernel

ii) u never have to reboot the system, come what may

Beeeeep!!! Wrong.

main (int argc, char **argv)
{
void *foo;
int i = 0, max = 0, step = 256, keep = 0;

if (argc > 1 && !strcmp("-k", argv[1])) {
keep = 1;
argc--;
argv++;
}

if (argc == 2)
max = 1024 * atoi (argv[1]);

while (1) {
foo = malloc (1024 * step);
if (foo == NULL) {
if (step == 1)
break;
step /= 2;
continue;
}
memset (foo, 42, 1024 * step);
i += step;
printf ("\r%5dk", i);
fflush (stdout);
if (max && i >= max)
break;
}

putchar ('\n');
if (keep)
pause();
else
exit (0);
}

Try that and may have to reboot

iii) u do not have to ever shut it down (btw, no windows machine can run constantly for more than 9 months... it will simply crash!)

That's more or less true. Here's our mail server's uptime

[vamsee_k@students2 vamsee_k]$ uptime
22:11:19 up 247 days, 9:42, 3 users, load average: 1.09, 0.65, 0.35

iv) most importantly, things work as per expectations

Can't argue with that.

v) even a pentium II 500 MHz can support the most recent versions of the OS, which means you do not have to upgrade hardware if you are upgrading software

My 600MHz Celeron with 128MB RAM and other legacy stuff works perfectly fine. Runs GNOME and Kernel 2.6.8. I wouldn't say it's lightning fast, but it's surely better than Winblows.

vi) it gives you the great kick of being a part of the 2% of computer users who know what the other 98% are missing

And the freedom to mess around with *every* part of the code. Something the other 98% will NEVER know. Believe me, it really feels good to be able to use your computer the way you want it, without having to adjust yourself to suit your box.



You'll get a C/C++ Compiler and interpreters for around a dozen languages. Atleast 3 browsers and 4 mail-clients. A good messenger for multi-protocol support and better graphic capabilities. Switch today.

[Lucifer]

Well, Cowboy, those statements were made for an average user. Besides, I think even those programs that you wrote can be killed.

[LP]

Hey Lucifer and Cowboy,thanks a LOT for your help.I will be installing Linux this weekend.Thanks guys.

[Cowboy]

Well, Cowboy, those statements were made for an average user. Besides, I think even those programs that you wrote can be killed.

I was just having little fun. Nope, you can't kill those programs. Atleast, I couldn't figure out a way till now If you can, do let me know.

[Cowboy]

Hey Lucifer and Cowboy,thanks a LOT for your help.I will be installing Linux this weekend.Thanks guys.

All the best buddy. Make sure you don't screw up your system

[LP]

Hey Lucifer and Cowboy,thanks a LOT for your help.I will be installing Linux this weekend.Thanks guys.

All the best buddy. Make sure you don't screw up your system

Thanks.Well its already screwed right now with windows.So I am taking the risk.

[Red Combat]

Oh and I heard that I need multiple partitions to install linux,now is that the case for all the Linux's?

Not really, its up to you how you want to organize yourself. To start with first installation, you can go ahead with one partition.