Some Questions

[maxximilian]

Hiya,

I have an XP machine that is so badly pooched....a windows re-install is necessary. But before I do this, I am getting curious about this Linux thing. Besides, the last time I re-installed windows, I got a message telling me I had to call Microsoft because I had installed it too many times. I ended up talking to some clown who didn't speak English, trying to explain that three installs was not excessive. He let me go, but I imagine a fourth install would require a note from God and my first-born male child.

The machine is home built P4 (2.4 ghtz) with 1 GB of RAM. It's a Gigabyte board with Intel chipset. Two partitions on a 30 GB hard drive. The system is about 7 years old.

1. Can I wipe the drive and install this Ubuntu thing on it?
2. What about hardware drivers? I still have the mobo driver disc....but will it run?
3. The machine won't boot into windows.....how do I get Ubuntu to it. Burn something?

Any advice appreciated. Be kind.....up until a few years ago, I thought Linux was a command-line OS. That's how dumb I am on this.

[wonderinguy34]

If your bios supports it (boot from USB),you can run Ubuntu from a LiveUSB key.Basically you can use Ubuntu without affecting your HD at all,so you can test and see if there are gonna be any hardware issues prior to wiping the drive and putting Ubuntu on it.You can also run a LiveCD and perform the same process but from a CD.Both "live " options do not allow for saving any settings ,so any changes you make would have to be reapplied ,until you decide to fully install it.
You could also search their forums for any potential issues with your Hardware,but be warned,its so active that page 3 contains posts that were make only 30minutes ago.
http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=130

I'm running Ubuntu 9.10 on my Netbook dual booted with WinXP,I'm sure on a desktop it would be even more awesome

[maxximilian]

Ran a search there for my board...Gigabyte GA-8PE667 Pro

Didn't show up in the compatability list, but a couple people are using it and posted questions or issues. But nobody told them they couldn't use the board....

The current XP install is completly pooched. Can't get in even with recovery console, so there is no point in trying to salvage anything there. I had already moved the most important stuff to my win7 machine. Might as well try this Ubuntu stuff. Might be good for laughs...

So I go over with my win7 machine....download the ISO....burn to DVD...and drop that sucker in the dead XP machine?

[wonderinguy34]

Ran a search there for my board...Gigabyte GA-8PE667 Pro

Didn't show up in the compatability list, but a couple people are using it and posted questions or issues. But nobody told them they couldn't use the board....

The current XP install is completly pooched. Can't get in even with recovery console, so there is no point in trying to salvage anything there. I had already moved the most important stuff to my win7 machine. Might as well try this Ubuntu stuff. Might be good for laughs...

So I go over with my win7 machine....download the ISO....burn to DVD...and drop that sucker in the dead XP machine?

Don't burn it faster than 4X and you should be okay,there are problems when they are burnt faster.There is a utility on the disk to format/partition for Linux ,its called gparted.You are going to need 2 partitions

1)linux swap (usually 2-4gb?)
2) ext4 for the OS (whatever is left)

when it asks where you'd like to install the bootloader (grub2) select the root of the ext4 partition usually refered simply as /


I'm sure there is a more detailed runthrough at the location where you are going to downlaod the .iso from.

[maxximilian]

OK....thanks.

I'm sure I will be back in the days to come with questions. If it doesn't work out....there is always back to WinXP.

[maxximilian]

Haven't installed....but burned to CD and DVD (did both)......

Used the CD on the XP machine and trying the LiveCD version. Even in this mode....Firefox went to the net, so at least my networking functions are covered driver-wise. Before trying, I swapped out my USB keyboard and mouse for some old PS2 ones. Wasn't sure about USB support.

I think I might take the full install plunge. I am liking this. Feels like I did when I first started puting. Might be fun to "start over". Besides....I like the philosophy I read at the Ubuntu site.

[jdc2000]

If you do end up reinstalling Windows at some point, it may be a good idea to make an image backup after you get everything installed and running properly. That way, if the system gets trashed again, you can just restore it from the image and not have to worry about M$ getting uppity.

[maxximilian]

I will do that in the future. MS treats their customers like pirates.....and the real pirates just laugh.

I like my new win7 machine, but maybe time to broaden my horizons and try this Linux stuff. And maybe Google's OS (when it comes out). Microsoft's leash is getting annoying.

[maxximilian]

I wiped the drive.....and installed Ubuntu....

Am I "Bunting" .... is that the term?

So far so good. It won't run the motherboard drivers disc....but did go off on it's own and snag a graphics gard driver from Nvidia (I have a geforce 3). It is also reporting a bad sector on the hard drive....but windows told me that too. We'll see how long it lasts. This is just an experiment for the most part and I can always get a new hard drive if it fails.

I used the default setting for partioning, which only took 1.3 GB for swap, but that is alright. Not a power user and I do have 1 GB of RAM. This is sorta fun playing with this new MS-free computer. Thanks for the help.

There will be questions, but I will start new threads for that....