Any code I post here should be considered experimental and unfinished. Don't use it in a production environment. It is your own responsibility to evaluate the code's fitness for any purpose. Programming isn't done in a vacuum, so be prepared to do your own research and teach yourself to do better.
Most importantly, all your polite critiques, elaborations, and corrections are heartily welcomed.
Most importantly, all your polite critiques, elaborations, and corrections are heartily welcomed.
Try Linux before you switch
Posted 05-21-2011 at 07:22 PM by Telengard
Updated 05-23-2011 at 10:12 PM by Telengard (Much more info, links for reference)
Updated 05-23-2011 at 10:12 PM by Telengard (Much more info, links for reference)
Are you thinking of switching from Windows to Linux? Are you worried about the installation process? How can you protect your Windows system and data just in case something goes wrong?
Before you begin playing with an operating system you may know very little about, please consider backing up any data you care about to at least two external media.
Boot Linux from a live CD
Notes
Advantages
Disadvantages
Install Linux on a virtual machine
Notes
Advantages
Disadvantages
Dual boot Linux with Windows
Notes
Advantages
Disadvantages
Install Ubuntu within Windows
Notes
Advantages
Disadvantages
Before you begin playing with an operating system you may know very little about, please consider backing up any data you care about to at least two external media.
Boot Linux from a live CD
Notes
- A live CD is an optical disc, typically a CD or DVD, which has been prepared with a bootable operating system. The operating system, Linux in this case, will be loaded when you reboot your computer with the disc inserted into your optical drive.
- A Linux live CD is typically created by downloading an ISO file containing the image of live Linux distro, and then recording the image to an optical disc using the appropriate function of your burning software.
- Linux will be loaded into and execute from your computer's RAM.
- Booting a Linux live CD does not alter your existing Windows system in any way. Live CD Linux will not write anything to your computer's hard disk unless you explicitly tell it to.
- LQ ISO burning tutorials
- BurningIsoHowto - Community Ubuntu Documentation
- Downloading and burning an ISO of Ubuntu by Psychocats
- ISO Recorder power toy for Windows XP, 2003 and Vista
- Going Linux · Burn A Linux LiveCD
Advantages
- You can try many distros and gauge how well you like each without risking your existing Windows system.
- You get some idea of how well each distro likes your hardware configuration, and what problems you may have, before installing Linux.
Disadvantages
- The OS will not perform very well because it has to frequently read from the CD, which is much slower than reading from hard disk.
- Any customizations you make while running a live CD disappear when you reboot.
- If your computer is very old you may not have enough RAM to load the live Linux image.
- Lots of rebooting.
Install Linux on a virtual machine
Notes
- A virtual machine is like having a computer inside your computer. You can run a second OS, Linux in this case, inside a window on your Windows desktop.
- Virtualization - LQWiki
- Microsoft Virtual PC
- VMware
- Oracle VirtualBox
- QEMU open source emulator and virtualizer
- bochs: The Open Source IA-32 Emulation Project (Home Page)
- FreeOsZoo ready-to-run images of QEMU virtual computers, pre-installed with a Free Operating System
- VirtualBoxImages.com FREE Downloads and Getting Started
Advantages
- The least risky option. You can do anything you want to virtual Linux without any possibility of impacting your existing Windows system.
- No rebooting required.
- You can install and run many distros simultaneously, up to the limits of your physical RAM and hard disk space.
Disadvantages
- You aren't testing Linux against your physical hardware.
- Properly configuring a virtual machine and getting any particular distro to work with it sometimes requires more technical knowledge than simply booting a CD.
- Running multiple OSes simultaneously places heavy demands on your computer's resources, especially RAM, CPU, and hard disk.
- A virtual machine will never perform as well as physical hardware.
- It isn't always easy to share data between virtual Linux and physical Windows, nor is it always obvious how setup sharing.
Dual boot Linux with Windows
Notes
- To dual boot you will install Linux on your hard disk next to Windows.
- The Linux installer will insert a boot menu into the boot record where you may select Windows or Linux when you boot the computer.
- Dual booting - LQWiki
- See the distro's documentation for information on dual booting with Windows.
Advantages
- You test Linux on your physical hardware.
- You get maximum performance.
- Sharing data between Linux and Windows is as easy as copying a file.
Disadvantages
- Editing the partition table always entails some risk. Even though Linux installers make setting up dual boot easy, it is still possible to mistakenly delete your existing Windows system.
- You don't get full use of your hard disk for either Windows or Linux, so space may become an important concern sooner.
- Lots of rebooting.
Install Ubuntu within Windows
Notes
- Wubi creates a very large file on your Windows system and installs Ubuntu inside that file. It then creates a boot menu where you can choose between Windows and Ubuntu when you reboot your computer.
- Download Windows installer (Wubi) | Ubuntu
Advantages
- Similar to dual booting above.
- Ubuntu is separated from Windows, so things you do inside Ubuntu aren't likely to affect Windows in any way.
Disadvantages
- Similar to dual booting, above.
- Wubi edits the boot record to insert the boot menu. There is a very small risk that you may have to repair the boot record later.
- The very large file Ubuntu runs from is stealing hard disk space from Windows. If the file isn't created large enough you will run out of space inside Ubuntu rather quickly.
- Wubi only works with the Ubuntu family AFAIK. If you want to try other distros then choose another method.
Total Comments 11
Comments
-
Quote:Originally Posted by TelengardBoot Linux from a live CD
Quote:Originally Posted by TelengardDisadvantages
...
Any customizations you make while running a live CD disappear when you reboot.
Quote:Originally Posted by TelengardDisadvantages
It isn't always easy to share data between virtual Linux and physical Windows, nor is it always obvious how setup sharing.
Feel free to delete this comment, if you think I have gone overboard.Posted 05-22-2011 at 11:38 PM by Aquarius_Girl -
Anisha Kaul, thank you very much for your critique of my blog post. I really only write these posts as they occur to me, so they aren't very well organized at first. This one is still in its first draft, so to speak, and I expect to add to it over time.
Quote:
Quote:You can say that it is a "property" of the Live CD, not some advantage or disadvantage.
Quote:Of course it is not easy to do those things, but simply saying "not easy" without providing any means/links to make it easy can be frightening too. I think it would be better, if you had instead said "it requires a bit of work". if I were you I would have either linked to a "easy" tutorial for doing the same or I would have explained it myself there (after mentioning that it is not easy).
Quote:Feel free to delete this comment, if you think I have gone overboard.
I'll take the things you mentioned into consideration for the next revision.Posted 05-23-2011 at 11:43 AM by Telengard -
Quote:It is a disadvantage to a newbie who doesn't understand the properties of Linux live CDs, as you mentioned in the previous paragraph. Newbies might well customize the desktop and install new applications without understanding that all those things disappear upon next reboot. I think it is a disadvantage in the sense that a live CD does not provide the same experience as using an installed Linux system. It is worth pointing this out to newbies so they don't think that is the way Linux systems really work.
Also, It is a disadvantage of tarballs that they don't open a GUI where you can point and click with closed eyes!! Huh!
Quote:Sharing files can be accomplished a number of different ways, and VirtualBox has evolved some new functionality in the time since I've used it. No matter how you look at it, it requires some understanding of the virtual machine and various services to enable functionality.
Either you say it is difficult and then explain a some way to do it or don't say it is difficult at all.
Remember the article "Windows is not Linux"? There the author says Linux is "different". He never says Linux is "difficult"! There is a difference.Posted 05-23-2011 at 11:43 PM by Aquarius_Girl
Updated 05-24-2011 at 03:45 AM by Aquarius_Girl -
This isn't about Slackware, nor is it about tarballs. If you are trying to make an analogy, then I think I fail to understand it. Can you please stick to the issue at hand?
Did you notice that the post is now fully revised, and contains much more information and reference links?
And thanks again for commentingPosted 05-24-2011 at 10:44 AM by Telengard
Updated 05-24-2011 at 10:46 AM by Telengard -
Posted 05-24-2011 at 04:30 PM by brianL -
Quote:
TBH though, I really don't see myself as a kind person. So maybe it's my outlook that is skewed
Quote:Good article.
How can I make it better?Posted 05-24-2011 at 05:36 PM by Telengard -
Quote:
Dunno. Seems OK as it is.Posted 05-24-2011 at 06:21 PM by brianL -
Wonderful article!
I dunno if there is much I can add, but maybe a small blurb about USB/Unetbootin? Optical media is getting deprecated these days (netbooks especially).Posted 05-24-2011 at 10:48 PM by lupusarcanus -
Posted 05-25-2011 at 01:00 AM by Telengard -
Quote:
Quote:
My point was, if a newbie doesn't understand the properties/purpose of a live-cd, it doesn't mean one can label those properties as a disadvantage of Live Cd (like you appear to have done).
Anyways, sorry for being pedantic, I won't bother you more on this one now.
and secondly, reading Brian's comment on the above quote, I realize, I shouldn't be writing the statements whose meanings are not crystal clear to myself. Apologies for the above quote. I couldn't post this in due time since I had met a small accident.Posted 05-30-2011 at 12:26 AM by Aquarius_Girl -
Quote:
OTOH the live CD experience is very different from running installed Linux. I think it deserves mentioning, because it really is a disadvantage to someone trying Linux for the first time. If you really want the Linux experience then eventually you must install.
No need to apologize. Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog. I welcome your remarks on any future entries I may make.
Quote:I couldn't post this in due time since I had met a small accident.
Sorry about that. Hope everything will be okay for you.Posted 05-30-2011 at 07:00 AM by Telengard
Updated 05-30-2011 at 07:02 AM by Telengard