Pre-install Linux Questions

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Hello,

Recently, my Windows XP corrupted and I lost a bunch of important files. Now, I am thinking of installing Linux. I know that a lot of you here use Linux as your primary Operating System and was hoping you guys would answer a bunch of questions I have. If you are going to critical about my lack of knowledge of Linux, please don’t bother posting, thanks:). Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

1.   What’s an easy to use Linux distribution? I was thinking Slackware, since a lot of you like it.
2.   Will I be able to do the things I want? Including, Surfing the web, typing of reports, listen to music, etc? No, I will not be playing BW, I know BW is not compatible with Linux.
3.   Can someone give me a screenshot of Slackware, or if you think there’s a better distribution, that screenshot, please.
4.   How much space will the Linux Distribution take up?
5.   How does it boot up?
6.   I’ve been told that for you to use Linux, you need to always type in code to do stuff. For example, if I needed to execute my browser. I would have to type in code. Is that correct?
7.   And the most important question of all, how do I install it? I gave a decent idea of how to, but just incase, how?

I’m sure I can get these answers from Google, but I’d have to search all over for it.

Thanks in advance.

[iago]

Recently, my Windows XP corrupted and I lost a bunch of important files. Now, I am thinking of installing Linux. I know that a lot of you here use Linux as your primary Operating System and was hoping you guys would answer a bunch of questions I have. If you are going to critical about my lack of knowledge of Linux, please don’t bother posting, thanks:). Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

I fully support and acknowledge that you have to learn somewhere.  But asking dumb questions that can be googled continuously will start to annoy me

1.   What’s an easy to use Linux distribution? I was thinking Slackware, since a lot of you like it.

Slackware isn't easy; however, if you are comfortable with Slackware, you'll be comfortable with any distro.  It's a great one to learn on.

2.   Will I be able to do the things I want? Including, Surfing the web, typing of reports, listen to music, etc? No, I will not be playing BW, I know BW is not compatible with Linux.

Surfing the web = firefox
Typing reports = OpenOffice (which I love, btw)
Listen to music = XMMS (clone of Winamp)
BW = Install VMWare (I can help you find it), install a virtual copy of Windows, and run it in that.
There are many games that run on Linux (check www.happypenguin.org).  Some of the more well known ones are Doom 3, Neverwinter Nights, and the Quake series. 

3.   Can someone give me a screenshot of Slackware, or if you think there’s a better distribution, that screenshot, please.

When you're using Linux, you aren't seeing the distribution, you're seeing the window manager that you chose.  Linux works in the background, and the window manager (much like Window's Explorer) provides the look and feel.  I go with a very lightweight one, which offers no functionality.  Other people like fancier things. 

If you want fancy, you can be like Ergot [using KDE]:
http://www.javaop.com/~ergot/screenshots/
<edit> better yet: http://www.javaop.com/~ergot/screenshots/desktop
If you want plain, you can be like me [using WindowMaker]:
http://www.javaop.com/~iago/dec13.png
It's up to you.

4.   How much space will the Linux Distribution take up?

Between 1.4mb and 3gb.  Slackware's full install is 3gb, but I suggest having about 10gb so you can install stuff. 

5.   How does it boot up?

Good question.  When you install Slackware, it installs a program called "Linux Loader", or LILO.  Lilo writes itself to your Master Boot Record (MBR), which is the first place on your harddrive the BIOS looks to boot.  LILO can load any operating system (Linux, Windows, etc) that you tell it to.  You break your harddrive into "partitions", one partition can be Linux and another Windows.  If you are only planning on installing Linux, then it's easy++.  WARNING: If you install Linux, then install Windows, Windows will overwrite your MBR with itself without prompting, and you have to go back and fix Lilo.  Very rude. 

6.   I’ve been told that for you to use Linux, you need to always type in code to do stuff. For example, if I needed to execute my browser. I would have to type in code. Is that correct?

False.  I double-click on Firefox to run it.  In fact, I press alt-f.  But anyway, if you want to do something complicated, you can script it, but by no means do you need to know it.  I recommend eventually learning Bash scripting, though, it can save you a lot of headaches.

7.   And the most important question of all, how do I install it? I gave a decent idea of how to, but just incase, how?

That's a mouthful, and I'm only going to answer it quickly.  Maybe some day I'll put together a guide

- Download Slackware CD1 and CD2, and burn them
- Boot off CD1
- Hit enter when it asks what to boot, and follow the steps until you log in as root
- Run cfdisk (type it and press enter).  If you only plan to use Linux, make 2 partitions: one that takes up most of your harddrive, and one that takes up approximately double your RAM.  Change the second one's type to Swap.  Make note of the first one (like, if it's /dev/hda1, write that down)  Write, and exit cfdisk
- Run setup.  Press "add swap", and follow the steps.  When it asks you where to install Linux, tell it the path to your Linux partition (/dev/hda1).  For the rest, follow your common sense.  When asked, choose "kde".
- When prompted about installing Lilo, say use "Advanced" mode.  Press "begin", tell it to install to the MBR, when it asks where tell it your harddrive path without the number (probably /dev/hda).  Then hit "Linux", follow the steps, tell it where to find Linux (probably /dev/hda1).
- Everything else should be common sense.  Once it's done, eject the CD and reboot.  Hopefully it'll start up Linux, and ask you for a username.  Enter root, and the password that you chose.
- Once logged in as root, run "adduser". 
- Once the user has been created, type "exit" and log in as the user account
- Run "startx", and play with KDE.

[rabbit]

There is a very in-depth guide to installing Slackware on LinuxQuestions.org (click here for the direct link) which I found useful, even though I didn't do all of it.

In fact, linuxquestions.org will probably have someone who can answer just about any question you could have.  If you can't get Linux installed or whatever, you should try there, although I know that many people here are probably more likely to go through it with you step by step.

[iago]

yeah, I recommend here first, then linuxquestions.org if we don't know.

[Quik]

As for installation, there's a very thorough guide (maybe too much so) here, which helps answer many questions.

[Joe]

1.   What’s an easy to use Linux distribution? I was thinking Slackware, since a lot of you like it.

Slackware is a distro for old bearded UNIX sysadmins, that want their distro to stick to basic UNIX principles, through ten feet of snow, uphill, both ways. Of course, you can think of the community here as your snowblower (capable of handling the 10 feet, wow, thats good), yet uphill still may not be worth it for your first distro.

I'll stop speaking in metaphors. I like Slackware, personally, but I will tell you that it will not hold your hand and guide you. With a good support community, which I believe this one constitutes, you should be alright, however I personally use Ubuntu. Of course, my opinion is biased because my Linux computer is a PowerPC (and so is Torvald's, go Mac!), and Slackware doesn't run on Mac. In the end, expirament and pick the one you're most comfortable with.

2.   Will I be able to do the things I want? Including, Surfing the web, typing of reports, listen to music, etc? No, I will not be playing BW, I know BW is not compatible with Linux.

First, BW. Under wine, if I understand correctly (never played it personally), it performs flawlessly. I've played StarCraft under wine before, and it was just as fast as Windows, etc.

As for surfing the web, the Firefox browser (the best, IMO!), comes default with Ubuntu, and its mother browser, the Mozilla Suite, comes default with Slackware.

Typing of reports can be done with the Microsoft Office substitute, OpenOffice. I know it comes default in Ubuntu, but Slackware, I can't say. I know iago uses it in Slackware, so he should be able to get you set up.

As for listening to Music, *presents XMMS*, here's your new best friend. Basically, its a Winamp clone.

3.   Can someone give me a screenshot of Slackware, or if you think there’s a better distribution, that screenshot, please.

The look of Linux isn't dependant upon the distro, but on the Window Manager (exception, liveCD's that only support one). My personal favorite is Gnome. If you're used to Windows (which you are, switching from Windows XP), you might want to look into KDE.

Last but not least, the terminal. Hold your windows key and press R, type "cmd", and press enter. That's what Linux looks like without a Window Manager. Actually, its more like root@darkstar $ instead of C:\>, but you get the point.

4.   How much space will the Linux Distribution take up?

Anywhere from 50MB (Damn Small Linux) to 30GB (Ubuntu Linux, all packages on APT installed). Theres a wide variety of APT packages that you'd never use, such as GNU Hello World, screen readers, the Debian Hello World package, etc. The most, I think, is 5GBish, comparable to Windows.

5.   How does it boot up?

This is as variable as the distro size. On my Mac (400MHz, powerhouse!) it takes about two minutes (Ubuntu with base packages). When I had Ubuntu installed on my Dell (2.8GHz, real powerhouse!), it took perhaps 30 seconds.

6.   I’ve been told that for you to use Linux, you need to always type in code to do stuff. For example, if I needed to execute my browser. I would have to type in code. Is that correct?

Whoever told you that has been stuck in the command line too long. Sure, its possible to use Links or Lynx to browse the web, and then you need to type "links" or "lynx" in the terminal (they're console utilities), but for Firefox, you can have an icon on your desktop, just like Windows. However, over time, I spent more and more time in the command line, because the more you use it, like anything else, the more you know about it and find it easy to use.

7.   And the most important question of all, how do I install it? I gave a decent idea of how to, but just incase, how?

That's very dependant on which distro. When you decide, let me know, and if I have experience with it I'll give you a step-by-step.

Feel free to AIM me (joetheodd), YIM me (joetheodd), or MSN me (joetheodd@gmail.com) with any other questions.

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Thanks a bunch everyone:).

Since it's my first time on Linux, I'm going for simplicity. I plan on installing Linux alone, no Windows.

So, if I were to install Slackware, and how would I get a fancy desktop? Plain? I think I'm going to go with KDE.

I think I'm going to have a lot of trouble with installing Slackware.. By looking at rabbit's link & iago's brief tutorial, it looks complicated.. Are all Linux Distributions like this?

Warning - while you were typing 3 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

Wow, I must type slow.

[iago]

Thanks a bunch everyone:).

Since it's my first time on Linux, I'm going for simplicity. I plan on installing Linux alone, no Windows.

So, if I were to install Slackware, and how would I get a fancy desktop? Plain? I think I'm going to go with KDE.

I think I'm going to have a lot of trouble with installing Slackware.. By looking at rabbit's link & iago's brief tutorial, it looks complicated.. Are all Linux Distributions like this?

Warning - while you were typing 3 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

Wow, I must type slow.

When installing Slackware, it asks you which window manager to use. Pick kde.  If you want to change it later, run "xwmconfig", and you can pick a different one.  Try them all!

I installed Slackware the first time with no Linux experience and nobody helping me.  It's not really that tough.  Just follow your nose (err, common sense).  If you aren't worried about breaking something, all the better.  Experiment with different options, install it a couple times, or install it, play with stuff, and install it again if stuff breaks. 

I can't say how difficult other distros are, the only other one I installed was Red Hat Enterprise Server or something, which was 8 cd's, which was pretty nightmarish, walking to the server room and changing the cd.  Bah!

[deadly7]

Thanks a bunch everyone:).

Since it's my first time on Linux, I'm going for simplicity. I plan on installing Linux alone, no Windows.

So, if I were to install Slackware, and how would I get a fancy desktop? Plain? I think I'm going to go with KDE.

I think I'm going to have a lot of trouble with installing Slackware.. By looking at rabbit's link & iago's brief tutorial, it looks complicated.. Are all Linux Distributions like this?

Warning - while you were typing 3 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

Wow, I must type slow.

Well, what specs are the computer you're going to be running it on?  Don't run KDE on anything that has less than like 800mhz processor, 16mb video, and 384mb RAM because it will be SLOWW.
During the install it will ask you what packages you'd like from I think "O", and it lists KDE, XFCE, WindowMaker, FluxBOX and some others.  I use XFCE because it's really lightweight and loads like a charm on my 400mhz 384mbRAM 2mb videocard computer, and it's pretty neat.

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Alright, I think I'm going to go with Slackware, but I'll just try all of them, KDE, WindowMaker, etc.
Yeah, I'll be running specs over that.

If I were to try to install Slackware than screw up and when I try to re-install, will it override the screwed up Slackware or do I have to manually delete it off my HD?

I hope trying to install Slackware, than screwing up, then trying again over and over won't corrupt my HD .

[iago]

Yep, just install again and it'll delete the old one, by default.

BTW, when it asks how to format the harddrive, pick ext3.  I don't know why, but apparently it's best. 

When it asks you what software to install, just tell it everything. 

If there's a question you don't understand (like inode density), just pick the default.  Defaults generally work well. 

[rabbit]

Way to go Joe, you almost copied iago's post word-for-word....

Anyways, I installed Slack about 10 times last weekend...I seem to get the hang of it.  The best option for me was to just partition, then run setup, blah blah, and I just did "full".

[Ergot]

Are you by any chance SaNNy?  Well, if you need help just talk to me on AIM because iago would push you my way anyways .  I'll probably be free Friday night

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Alright, cool.

If I can't get it after about 10 tries, I'll either IM iago or you on my desktop computer and you give my step-by-step instructions while I install it on my laptop  .

No, I'm not SaNNy.

[Ergot]

iago knows the install like the back of his hand o_O.  Well... if I could get you both at the same time, it'll make my life easier.