Just recently moved from windows to linux...

I had been using ubuntu but decided that if I really want to learn linux I should install slackware 12 instead. Yikes! Possibly a bad move on my part. I need to load the generic kernel rather than the hugesmp one but don't even know how to do that. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I understand this is a complete noob question but any links and/or instructions will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dig

The short answer is stop, it isn't that easy.

There is a phrase in linux used often to descibe a collection such as ubuntu. It is called a disto (short for distribution). That is to say you normally need a collection of files to go along with each other. If you are a noob then consider a complete distro. If you want to understand what it takes to make a distro then start on a Gentoo build. Gentoo is not a distro as such. It is the sources that you build and configure so that each part is exactly as you wish. It is the way we used to do it 20 years ago because there was no other way. It may take you a few days but you will learn a lot. I mean a lot if you ask questions along the way. If you want to know about building systems a few gentoo installs will get you on your way to a linux guru.

The second way to learn is to consider virtual machines. There are some 10 or so good ways to run one OS within another OS. You can pick all the OS's you want to run within almost any other OS.

I read it wrong and answer it wrong too. So get off my case you peanut.

To get started, you must of course make sure
you have installed the kernel you want to
use. The manner in which you will then
proceed will depend on which boot loader you
are you using. The two most common boot
loaders provided with Linux distributions
are Grub and Lilo. Are you using one of
these? If you are which one?

Each boot loader has its own configuration
file. The boot loader loads the kernel into
memory, and it is the boot loader you must
configure so it will load the kernel of your
choice. You can have multiple kernels
installed, with a boot loader menu item for
each kernel, thus allowing you to have a
backup means of accessing the system if the
new kernel does not work for any reason.

I'll watch for your reply,

Ernie Registered Linux User 247790
ICQ 41060744

Hi and thanks,

I took jefro's advice and re-loaded a distro I'm familiar with and feel comfortable with... namely Ubuntu 7.04. I think for us windows-users it's probably important to start with a distro that most resembles what we are used to. Otherwise we get discouraged and quit altogether.

As such, I am now running Ubuntu. Once I gain familiarity with this, I may consider re-loading Slackware to get down and dirty. But for right now, Slack is too much for me to handle.

Thanks much,

Dig

Hi Jefro and Ernie,

I'm a slacker once again. After switching back to Ubuntu I suffered some guilt about letting Slackware get the best of me, so I put it back on my machine and forced myself to learn it. I now know how to edit lilo.conf and use mkinitrd to create the initial ramdisk and I'm off an running now with the generic kernel.

Thanks for the info. I do believe I'm a slacker for life now. It's been tough, but anything worthwhile is.

Dig

Dig, you are a better man than I am (I could never have mastered Slackware when I started with Linux), and I understand your stubbornness in not wanting an OS to get the better of you. I agree that what is worthwhile is seldom easy. What does not kill you (or drive you insane) makes you stronger. A few things you should remember on your journey:

Look first to the documentation accompanying your distribution for answers (man and info are your friends).

An excellent source of information is the Linux Man Pages Online WEB site (and there are others).

Finally, remember you are not alone. You have joined a community consisting of millions of Linux users. Most distributions have a forum and often an irc channel specifically intended to provide help. It would greatly surprise me to learn that Slackware does not have such facilities in place. Use them since they will provide distribution specific information. In addition to what I have already said, you also have this forum.

In closing, it is important to remember that the only dumb (or stupid) question is the one that is not asked. Ignorance is a lack of information, and can be overcome with education. Education is obtained by seeking answers (asking questions). Stupidity is a refusal to overcome ignorance. There is no shame in ignorance, only in the refusal to overcome it. Remember to have fun on your Linux journey.

Ernie Registered Linux User 247790
ICQ 41060744

Thanks for the encouragement Ernie!