Im trying to install suse linux over ftp. Problem: I dont know my IP when it asks for it and I'm not connected cause windows hasn't even started and i don't have my ip because i have a dialup 56k and ips change everytime. Is there a program for dos where i can dial up from dos and also how do i find out my ip.

Windows or DOS never will start up in Linux without some sort of emulator. The point is you don't need Windows/DOS anymore (but you can still have a dual-boot system). Linux does almost everything Windows does, including dial-up Internet unless you have something evil like AOL. I don't know much about the SuSE installer, but I'm going to assume it can't do an FTP install over a modem. I would suggest using a distribution like Mandrake or RedHat so you can download the entire thing as ISOs and put it on CDs. What if you mess it up and have to reinstall? Do you want to spend 3 days downloading it again? If you have the money, buy a boxed set which will come with a handy instruction book.

I don't know if Suse can do an ftp-install using a modem. Besides, you'll need to download several hundreds of MB if you plan to use the grafical mode for SuSE, so I guess using a modem wouldn't be such a good idea. if you have a modem, take the advise from above and buy the whole thing. Or if a friend has the cd's, make a copy of them.

thanks im getting a friend with a t1 to dowload files to cds if that doesn't work ill go with the box