Currently, I use DOS, and have for long enough to know just about everything about it. I've got a few versions of console Linux on my old computer. Can someone explain some things about Linux and compare them to aspects of DOS? I know a little bit about GNU Bash but that's about all. But all this /dev/bin/crap/whatever/help stuff confuses me, I know they're just directories, but don't know what purpose each has. Also, I've got an Ext2fs partition that is above 1024 cylinders - I was making use of space I couldn't use in the FAT16 partition. Can I boot from this partition? When I added this, Linux FDISK said that Lilo might have problems. I use SmartBoot Manager and it seems to be able to boot from pretty much anything. And, also, how would I load a version of Linux to this partition? I was using BasicLinux and Grey Cat Linux, they both had a slightly skimpy (as in 2-page) manual included. They said to mount the partition at /mnt, Tar the filesystem to a file on the partition, and then Untar the file. I attempted to do this, I didn't know exactly what to tar, so I told it to tar everything in the Ramdrive that Linux ran in (BasicLinux and Grey Cat Linux run in a Ramdrive from a compressed file on the hard disk) to a file on the partition. It just sat there loading. I switched to another task and there was a file there getting continually bigger. It seemed to finish, but looked like it had run out of space. I untarred the file, or tried to, or something like that, and it crashed on me. Could someone please assist me?

If your just starting to use linux you might want to consider getting redhat linux. They give you a large refrence guide, instalation guide and good support. There are tons of programs that come packaged and its pretty easy to intall on a partition along with your other OS. There is lots of support on the web if you get stuck. Just jump right in. Thats how I started. With your computer experience you should pick it up fast.

Whew! Since you're asking for a books-worth of information, I'll suggest a couple: -Running Linux, by Matt Welsh O'Reilly Press -Linux in a Nutshell, also from O'Reilly Check out other recommendations here: http://www.linuxnewbie.org/bookshelf/bs-1.html

Well since you are a Dos user, my suggestion is simple, try to find a copy of DOS Linux. This is a stripped version of Redhat wich lives somwhere (can remeber where try altavista) on the net. I remember there where several howto's included exspecially for Dos users. Also: have you tried the manuals? (Use: man command iex "man ls". Play around with the: "mtools" The latest versions of lilo ~21+ support lba32 wich enables you to boot from above the 1224 C's success

to start with: /dev = devices /bin = binaries (programs) primary difference between dos and unix/linux is c: versus hda1. once you learn to navigate the file system, you should have no problems. dos uses drive letters, where unix/linux uses hda1 for what would be c: on first ide hd. Other have said to read the books on linux, and that is a very good idea. I will be getting a good one of those when i find one.