Slacketh

[deadly7]

This is me from my PC that slacks going to be dual-booted into.
I still need to
-Partition my HD
-Do the Bootdisk crap
-Do the Rootdisk crap


Oh yeah, did i mention my PC wasn't fast enough?
(400MHz [not 755 like I told yago. :|, 320mb RAM)

[Joe]

Dude, wtf are you talking about? Slackoff is just fine, and its a 266MHz with 80MB of RAM. The install took about 8 hours, but meh.

[deadly7]

:O I misread the site I think.
When it said 486 Processor I thought it meant speed, not the actual processor.
Now go away if you're not gonna help, joe.

[Quik]

You're going to have to learn a few things before you install another operating system, I suggest installing on a completely different harddrive. You're also going to have to either use LILO or Window's version, and LILO has been known to fail and mess up your WinXP system. I suggest making a floppy called BOOTDISK that will allow you to boot into Windows in the rare occurence that LILO doesn't go as promised.

[deadly7]

Any site(s) that I can get the files for said "BOOTDISK" for?

[Newby]

Partitioning the hard drive is easy.

Boot disk? You don't need a boot disk unless your hard drive sucks major cock. Just install LILO into the MBR and you should be fine.

LILO has been known to eat up Windows though, so eh.

Windows bootloader won't load Linux either (Good luck making it work!) so you'll have to use LILO/GRUB. I suggest LILO.

[Quik]

Nice show of knowledge, Newby. Try this on for size:

BOOTDISK floppy has a backup of the bootsect file, because you'll be editing yours.

Edit the bootsect file to include Linux after you install. Boot from floppy (BOOTDISK) which will boot you into Windows. This is where you edit that bootsect file, to allow you to boot into Linux and Windows. Hrm.

[Newby]

Windows bootloader won't load Linux either (Good luck making it work!) so you'll have to use LILO/GRUB. I suggest LILO.

Believe me, I tried to get it to work. I didn't feel like doing all the necessary work, though.

Plus, LILO is sexy.

[Quik]

less than 5 lines, works flawlessly. Not as good looking as LILO, but same functionality.

[deadly7]

You're going to have to learn a few things before you install another operating system, I suggest installing on a completely different harddrive. You're also going to have to either use LILO or Window's version, and LILO has been known to fail and mess up your WinXP system. I suggest making a floppy called BOOTDISK that will allow you to boot into Windows in the rare occurence that LILO doesn't go as promised.

I'll go to best buy and check out if they have any (cheap) and (low-GB) HD's. In the rare occurance they do, what would I name it? If you boot up, you get Windows... regardless of what's on drive #2.

Also, where can I get said files for Bootdisk?

[Quik]

Use the SEARCH function for "bootsect"

[Ergot]

I believe you will be prompted to make a bootdisk when you install Slackware.
You can also make a bootdisk by formatting a floppy in XP and check that one thing that says make bootdisk.
On other Windows, It should be in Add/Remove Programs -> Bootdisk or something like that.

Best Buy isn't a very good place to shop, but meh :/

[deadly7]

You can also make a bootdisk by formatting a floppy in XP and check that one thing that says make bootdisk.

I don't get it..?

Best Buy isn't a very good place to shop

No duh, but it's better than newegg cause I don't have a credit card and my parents won't pay for online stuff.

I didn't see BOOTSECT in all of windows. :\

[Quik]

I'll get you more specific directions when I have more time.

[Ergot]

It's like you stick a floppy in.. right click it in my computer, format.. then there should be something about making a boot disk..

[deadly7]

@Quik: Mmkay.

@Ergot: I'll try that when I get home from school. (I have to leave now actually)

[iago]

Hah, I knew Quik would say to be wary of Lilo.

I've installed Slackware at least 20 times on different computers, and I haven't once had a problem with Lilo (ok, once -- but that was the computer's fault, the harddrive was set to slave and a master, or vice versa).

Partitioning your harddrive is easy, if you're willing to format it.  You'll want 2 partitions for Slackware -- one should be double your ram (this will be used for Swap) and the other should be whatever you have left.  You can do your partition tables before installing Slackware by running the command "cfdisk".  It's pretty straight forward to use, just don't forget to "write".

If you need to preserve what's on the harddrive, that's trickier.  Partition Magic can resize partitions, but it always seems to end up with me losing everything when I try, so I don't recommend it.

When you install Lilo, it'll let you add Windows and Linux partitions.  I would recommend choosing the "Expert" option, then, in the main menu, do "Begin" (follow prompts -- when asked, chose to install it in the MBR) "Linux" (follow prompts) "Windows" (follow prompts) "Install".  While Slackware installs, you automatically get to configure LILO -- it's the thing that asks you if you want to do simple/expert.

IF something horrible happens, Windows XP's recovery console can restore your MBR.  You'll probably want to do a search for this, but boot off Windows XP's cd, go into the recovery console, and the command is SOMETHING LIKE "restorembr" or "fixmbr" -- look it up.  If anything horrible happens (as Quik is convinced that it always will), you can do that to fix everything and have Windows booting itself again.

And yeah, Darkside is 266mhz, Slackware runs fine on it.

Any questions, feel free to post here.

[deadly7]

So yago says a "thumbs-up" for LILO.
Now to google it..

And as for slack, mmkay then, that LILO shit's done for now. i'll trust yago and if not, I'll trust my WINXP CD and GOOGLE.

Now then
Back to the Boot Disk.. which one do I need? I was reading more on their website and didn't know what to pick. :|
Root Disk: UMMMM... helps?

Partitioning HD: This is done AFTER you put your Linux CD in, right?

[iago]

You need disk 1 and disk 2.  You don't need a floppy or anything like that.

IF you don't mind starting with an empty harddrive, you can partition after you boot off Slackware.  When you first boot, you'll get a console where you can type "cfdisk" to partition and "setup" to start installing.

[Newby]

If you're really afraid of losing Windows data, get a second hard drive. 20gb is all you need.

[Quik]

There's more that you have to worry about than just that one bootdisk, because he's making his one machine into a dualboot on the same harddrive.

[Ergot]

:/ There's nothing to fear? My sister boots Win98 WinXP and RH9. There's not that much to worry about and she's a compy n00b!

[Warrior]

I have Linux on one partition and Windows on another (Well I uninstalled Linux because it was Minislack which blowed) but LILO works fine, and I did it withought losing my HardDrive data on Windows. All I did was make the partitions using fdisk and I was done. Not brain surgery like most of you make it out to be.

[Quik]

I'm trying to inform him in a correct way how to do it, not to just wing it and risk losing valuable data, or ruining anything important.

[Warrior]

Wing it? Like iago said IF ANYTHING bad happens he can use his XP disk to fix his MBR, stop being so paranoid.

[Quik]

This coming from someone who reformatted the wrong partition and lost a complete source code to an existing project. Nice backups, by the way.

[Newby]

Let's keep the personal flames (lol, warrior was owned by quik!) out of this, mmk? Help him with the problem at hand.

Quik has a point, if you fuck something up you could lose everything.

[Quik]

I was just trying to get my point across: Better to be safe than sorry. (I know it's a cliche, you'll get over it).

[Ergot]

mmhmm, but the two partitioning programs that come with slackware are pretty damn safe, i accidently removed all my partitions but I didn't write it unlike fdisk which you generously help me fuck myself up :] Yes, I know the pain of losing everyone because of a shitty ass distro.. (ThizLinux) which could not detect a partition but the whole drive and decided to format it for me :/

[iago]

I think if he explains exactly what he's trying to do here, it would make life easier.  Like, what do you have now, what do you want to have, what are you willing to lose, and what are you wanting to keep?

[deadly7]

I think if he explains exactly what he's trying to do here, it would make life easier.  Like, what do you have now, what do you want to have, what are you willing to lose, and what are you wanting to keep?

If that was directed to me:

The ONLY reason I need to dualboot is because my dad enjoys playing solitaire on WInXP since he's got nothing else to do :rolleyes: and anything even remotely difficult for him (computer-wise) would be devestating because I'd have to spend another hour teaching him how to type the right keys in.

And: I'd rather KEEP my WinXP part the way it is now, so I don't wanna have to format my HD for windows, like it said something about that on the site.

[iago]

Ok, you have two options if you want to keep your current Windows installation:
a) Get a second harddrive
b) Resize your main partition

You need about 10gb of unpartitioned space for Linux.  PartitionMagic can resize partitions, but that has always blown up in my face so far.

[deadly7]

Ok, you have two options if you want to keep your current Windows installation:
a) Get a second harddrive
b) Resize your main partition

You need about 10gb of unpartitioned space for Linux.  PartitionMagic can resize partitions, but that has always blown up in my face so far.

a) Can't do... money reasons.
b) HUH?

I have over 25 gigs of free space, I believe. I haven't "partitioned" anything as of yet.

[Ergot]

Are you sure your whole hard drive isn't just one fat partition?

[Quik]

I'm almost positive that's what he means, I doubt he's running the computer on a non-formatted/partitioned drive :p

[EDIT]: We could probably hook your father up with a Linux version of Solitare, compliments of Clan x86.

[Newby]

I think KDE comes with KSolitare or something similar.

EDIT -- Slackware 10.0 comes with 2 versions of Solitare I could count off the menu in KDE.

deadly, I think it's time to convert your family.

[Ergot]

It's callled Patience and my sister likes it better than Window's solitare =X

[iago]

Also, if you add shortcuts and stuff to the KDE desktop, it's no harder to use than Windows.  In fact, I think it's easier, looks nicer, and runs better.  And you don't have to worry about spyware and viruses

[deadly7]

I'm almost positive that's what he means, I doubt he's running the computer on a non-formatted/partitioned drive :p

[EDIT]: We could probably hook your father up with a Linux version of Solitare, compliments of Clan x86.

In that case, <3.

[Warrior]

Whoo personal attacks. Too bad I wasn't using Linux when I did that dumbass. I was reformatting a partition to store files on. Also I had backups of the neccessary files needed to get back on my feet ie Superiority BNCS classes

[Joe]

Warrior! /spack!

deadly: Ignore QuikMan and do this (seriously, I'm trying to help you. You need it..)

1) Grab a friendly Macinosh and plop it down on your desk to use as a FTP server. (If you have broadband, you can subsititute a FTP server on the WAN for this step.)
2) Upload anything remotely important. (This is why I love 100MBPS bandwidth.)
3) Stick in Slack CD, reboot, holding F12 as needed. (Dell.)
4) cfdisk. Delete it all! Flush! I'd go half to 3/4 the drive NTFS or FAT32 (Slack can read both), 1024MB of Type 82 (Linux Swap), and the rest type 83 (Linux).
5) Install Windows. I believe you should know how to do this.
6) Reboot to Slack CD again.
7) Setup. Configure your swapfile. Easy. Configure target drive. Almost as easy (BE SURE TO USE EXT3 OR GET FUCKED!!~). Select whatever packages you want, blah.
Watch all the pretty advertisments for the open source freeware of wub. On your processor this should take an hour or two. Its pretty tightly compressed.
9) At the end of setup, install lilo in the MBR (you have nothing to lose but a few hours of work and whatever you installed in Windows). I just used the automatic setup, and it found my XP Home just fine. For a kernel, use bare.i unless you need something else. My computer is fairly standard so I just used bare.i.
10) Remove slackware CD, Ctrl Alt Delete.
11) Meet LILO. Its pretty black and redness greets you, and asks you what teh fuck you want to do today. You probably want to use Linux, don't you? Press 2 (well, thats what it is for me) or scroll to Linux and press enter. PS: CR = Carridge Return, the *nix translation of enter.



Configuring X11 and ALSA: (Desktop and Sound)
Alsa is easy as fuck, so do it first.
1) Type "alsaconf" and press enter. Follow on screen prompts. This took no brain power whatsoever.
2) Type "alsamixer" and press enter. Adjust your volume.

X11 setup:
1) Type "xorgsetup" and press enter. This will automatically detect your shiz and you'll be ready to go.
2) Type "xwmconfig" and press enter. Pick WindowMaker, because all the rest are nub. You may want to look at them, though, so have fun.
3) Type "startx" and meet your new home. If the resolution is two high or two low, adjust it using Ctrl + Alt + Plus / Minus.



Network Setup:
Slackware's greatness usually detects this for you. Right click (assuming your using windowmaker), go to run, and click it again. In the box that pops up (you may have to scroll the screen. This only feels wierd for the first 5 minutes.) type mozilla. Your good friend Mozzy pops up, and you're surfin teh net.



Setting up accounts for the family:
1) At the command prompt again (Right Click --> xterm / exit) type "adduser <username" and press enter. Follow the on screen prompts and have fun with it.



Anything more, ask yago.

[deadly7]

Joe: Notice how I'm trying to avoid having to reinstall windows/lose all my files? I could live with it, but I'd rather not have to.

[iago]

In that case, like I said, you either have to resize your partition (which is very dangerous), or buy another harddrive (which you said you didn't want to do). 

[Newby]

1) Grab a friendly Macinosh and plop it down on your desk to use as a FTP server. (If you have broadband, you can subsititute a FTP server on the WAN for this step.)
2) Upload anything remotely important. (This is why I love 100MBPS bandwidth.)

Joe covered this, mmk?

EDIT -- I'd suggest using Gnome/KDE. He WILL get lost in WindowMaker.

[Ergot]

I'd suggest KDE because I believe Gnome is a pile of flaming shit. Yes, I think he will get very lost in WindowMaker, I can't even understand it :[!

[iago]

KDE is definately the best for new people.  Gnome is also cool, dispite what Ergot says.  I like it.

[Ergot]

KDE can also look very prettiful like mine :]

[Joe]

Me > Ergot.

I don't really understand how anyone can get lost in WindowMaker. I understand it just fine, and I have less than 24 hours expirence of using Linux (non-stop)

[Ergot]

Because those icon thingies keep piling up on the desktop -.-

[deadly7]

WAN for this step.)

Pray tell how I can do that WAN thing?

[Joe]

WAN = Wide Area Network (The Internet)

Make iago or someone give you a massive FTP account on some server, upload all your important shit, reinstall Windows, and download your shit.

[iago]

iago doesn't do ftp

[Joe]

gg2u deadly! But seriously, download bulletproof FTP trial and run it on one of your other computers (you can't tell me you only have one)

[deadly7]

gg2u deadly! But seriously, download bulletproof FTP trial and run it on one of your other computers (you can't tell me you only have one)

Hmm. Bulletproof FTP... never heard of it. I'm gonna have to postpone teh linux install for a week or two anyways (<3 crew things for my school play)

[Joe]

Go pirate VirtualPC (who cares if MS is loosing money, cept yago) and install Slack on that.