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I am planning to buy a computer (brand new) with windows xp already installed, but I would like to put linux in it. I am planning to use kde version 3.5, and windows too.
Now the tricky part. I know that since I only have 1 hdd I need to create another partition. I am plannning to use Norton PartionMagic. Now my questions are:
Do I have to delete windows and re-install it?When I turn the computer on, how will I choose the OS that I want?
Thanks,
Master of All
You do not have to delete Windows. Use Partition Magic to make space for Linux.
If you have the option let Linux partition and format the empty space during its installation routine.
At some point during the installation you will be asked if you want to install a Boot Loader. Answer Yes and a Windows boot loader will be replaced by a Linux Boot loader in the MBR. Linux will recognise the presence of Windows and act accordingly.
When the installation is complete and you re-boot you will get the Option to boot to Windows or Linux.
Stuart
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Thanks, StuartS.
This is my problem:
I am not very old, and if the computer takes 1 more second to open internet explorer I get a sermon from my dad (lol.)
Can you please tell me what are the differences between windows boot loader and linux boot loader?
Some friends also told me that there probably will be some incompatibility and at some point the computer just wont load. For this I thought: if I make a windows and a linux boot-up floppy I can always boot the computer. Is this true?? if yes, how can I make the floppies??
Many Thanks :)
Master of All
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Incompatibility, no. During the Linux installation it will ask you where you want to install the GRUB bootloader. When it does tell it install it onto a floppy instead of the MBR. This will keep your NTLDR intact.
I have NOT lost my mind — I have it backed up on tape somewhere
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If you do not want to reshape in any way the computer as it is taken away from the shop, plan to install Linux inside a Virtual Machine (VMWare or VirtualPC).
These applications create a "soft PC" inside your real one and you can install and operate a Linux environment WHILE running Windows.
They are commercial applications and you have to pay for as for Office, but it is a lane to explore in my opinion.
See the website of WMWare or Microsoft for VirtualPC. (there are free emulatots too as QUEMU, but they needs a bit of technical comptence).
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The boot loader is a small block of code that is inserted in the Master Boot Record during the installation of any Operating System. The Master Boot Record is first created when the disk is partitioned.
The MBR code is the very first bit of data that is read of the hard disk by the BIOS during the boot process. It in turn starts loading the files that make up the operating system.
The Windows boot loader is a simple affair, loading Windows and nothing else. Different versions of windows have different boot loaders.
The Linux Boot Loader is a little more sophisticated. It first presents you with a menu of both Linux and Windows and give you the option of which OS to load.
If you want to keep your Windows system untouched, you could use a floppy disk to get Linux booted. The installation should give you instructions on how to do that.
However, reverting back to Windows only is not very difficult. All you need to do is to boot from your Windows XP CD and go into the Recovery Console. Run FIXMBR. This will replace the Linux boot loader with Windows own boot loader and you will be back where you started from.
You should not have any compatibility problems other than Windows will not be able to read data of Linux partitions. Linux has utilities to read Windows FAT32 and NTFS partitions.
I would be wary of using a Virtual Machine. If your computer is slow with Windows, a virtual machine is only going to slow things down a lot more.
Stuart
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If you were going to go with a VM I would suggest VMWare Workstation to create the VM and then use the freeware utility VMware Player to run it.
I have NOT lost my mind — I have it backed up on tape somewhere
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I think it is better not to use a virtual machine. Like that a will have a faster computer. But I also have another question:
If I install a firewall, antivirus, antispyware, etc. in windows will I have to install all those in linux for when im using linux.
And another thing. If I use a floppy to boot up linux, i wont have to choose the linux boot loader, right?
Thanks everyone,
Master of All
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About your first question regarding antivirus, antispyware and so on...
the Linux environment is not plagued by the malware that affects Microsoft operating systems, mainly because it is not widely spread in commercial installations. So hackers are not pulled to develop malicious software to attack educational or small professional sites. I do not know of antivirus or antispyware software designed for Linux, while spam and unwanted intrusions are ever present.
Be aware under Linux you have to install by ground all complementary software you have for granted in Windows: browser, mail client, office applications and so on, as it is an exotic environment that programs developed for Windows do not recognize.
As I do not operate Linux in dual boot mode, I can't answaer to your second question.
I suggested to use virtual machine as the advantage is that you can run Windows and Linux concurrently and you are not forced to reboot to switch from one environment to the other, so while you are running OpenOffice under Linux, you can surf by IExplorer just clicking the mouse.
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When deciding to use Linux you must first ask yourself, why are you using Linux?
What do you need Linux for that you can't do in Windows?
Is it just for the knowledge and experience?
Linux isn't something you can just start using like you can with Windows. The Linux learning curve is immence. Linux requires a bit more technical knowledge that other platforms as well.
Another option you have is installing Cygwin in Windows. Cygwin is a Unix-like environment for Windows. It allows you to run Linux and Unix applications without the need for a full Unix-like OS. You can even run an X-Server and use graphical and GTK+ applications inside Windows.
To answer you question about the bootloader, no you will not need to choose between Windows and Linux when GRUB is on a floppy. You will however, have to choose which kernel to boot.
I have NOT lost my mind — I have it backed up on tape somewhere
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Thanks everyone. I just discovered that kde is not and os (that is right???) and so i had to choose another one. i went to distr-watch and figured that if openSUSE is in first place, it must be good. i will try to install it tomorrow. Please confirm kde is not really an os, and if it is, where can I find it?? I already went to www.kde.org
Thanks
Master of All
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I haven't really understood this yet. It seems that you install a version of linux and then kde on top of it!! Is this right??
Thanks,
Master of All
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Kinda. KDE (K Desktop Environment) is a desktop environment, or shell, not an OS. The most popular desktop environements for Linux are GNOME and KDE. During install you can choose not to install a GUI if you wish, or you can install KDE or GNOME. This will let you use Linux without doing everything from the command line. The only time you would not install a GUI is on a server, but some admins do.
I have NOT lost my mind — I have it backed up on tape somewhere
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By the way, i heard somewhere that a program might still be working fine, but their GUIs don't refresh. What those a GUI stand for???
Thanks,Master of All
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A GUI is a Graphical User Interface. Basically anything that is not text based or command line is a GUI application or OS. MS-DOS is an example of a non-GUI driven OS. Windows on the otherhand is GUI driven.
I have NOT lost my mind — I have it backed up on tape somewhere
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Hi once again. Thanks for all the support. I have all my files now. Here is my next problem. When i put the disc with the iso image in the drive will i have to give it any command or do i just have to follow instructions?
Thanks,
Master of All
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When the CD boots you will be greeted with a command-like interface where you can specify boot parameters, or you can just hit Enter to launch the default, usually graphical installer. Once you get more comfortable with Linux and it's installation routine, you can start passing kernel parameters to the kernel to change the way it boots.
For now, since you are new to linux, and so am I, just hit Enter and use the GUI installer. One parameter you might want to use is the linux lang=en if your distro's language does not default to english.
I have NOT lost my mind — I have it backed up on tape somewhere
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