Just a few general questions about the 'Big Change'!

I want to change from my XP system to some form of Linux but need to know if i can still access my music collection and play it using linux. But i dont want to format my hard drive because my music collection is to big to copy to CDs.

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PLEASE HELP COS I REALLY WANT TO GET RID OF WINDOWS XP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks DAVE

You should have no problems accessing your Windows partition under Linux (reading at least). If your Windows partition is taking up the whole drive, then you'll need to get some software to shrink it so you can install Linux.

Buy a new hard drive and install a distro. Read up on dual booting and you can make a slow transition. You'll always have xp to run back to.
Linux is a BIG learning curve and in time you will have the system tuned to your own needs. It does take time, patience and the desire to succeed.
Linux distros are able to mount ms32 partitions and you can therefore access existing file systems to play you music.

have you looked into which distro your going to use? visit distrowatch.com and browse through the most popular list on the right hand side. also download afew live cds to test out how the linux system would run if it were installed on your harddrive, and how well it will access your windows partition and play your media files.

i suggest kubuntu, ubuntu, or knoppix live cds.

If your music collection is too big to copy to CD, then where DO you have it backed up??

Second the suggestion about buying another drive for Linux. To be really safe, simply unplug your Windows drive while you are installing Linux. (AFTER, of course, backing up said Windows drive.....)

Eventually, the solution I like best for dual-boot is to put all the data on one FAT32 partition for easy sharing. The BEST best is to have this data partition be a separate drive.

cheers guys your advise will help me greatly in my change to Linux. i have a old harddrive (really small 7.5gb) will this do to get me started??

Yes--Linux will fit nicely on that. Only downside is that it might be really old--as in worn out and about to fail. (But--nothing to lose...)

Drives are ABSURDLY cheap these days--80GB under $50

My personal bias in building systems is to never let the drive get anywhere near full. I'm sure that this traces to the Windows fragmentation issues.

to install the OS and the software yes.. the total space taken will be depending on the distro you choose. again i recommend looking at distrowatch.com

thanks one last question can i download Linux software to a CD and the install it on a diffrent computer running Linux.

i am downloading KNOPPIX it looks like it may allow me the best freedom for what i want to do.

Absolutely....yes

Yes, but it's usually easier to install it right off the net.

Don't put Linux on that 7.5 gb drive. Think ... Would you install Windows on such a drive? Linux is a complete OS just like Windows ... only different, and better (in the opinion of most everyone here anyway. Do set up a Dual boot system ... Have the default OS to be Linux ... Commit to doing anything that involves the internet via Linux, email, browsing, etc. Also OpenOffice will take care of all your 'office' computing. All this with little or no culture shock from moving to a new OS.

I would also suggest that you expect to install Linux 2 or 3 times in getting introduced. It's good practice and you'll learn a little more about Linux each time. The big difference in installing Linux over Windows, is that you usually have to fight a little bit to get your hardware set up correctly. Program installation on Linux, once you get used to it, is a breeze compared to Windows.

Thanks Everyone Already On My Way To Linux User

It would definately be a good idea to get a bigger hard-drive.

They are cheaper, and probably will run better/more efficent than that ancient beast you've got there.

Dual Boots are great, and I would recommend going with that (unless you are just going to use Knoppix directly from the CD, which is a good way to learn.. Knoppix also works as a great rescue disk).

Be warned though, Linux does have a sharp learning curve, as compared to windows. Once you learn it, though, you will realize the beauty in the simplicty in most of it.

Welcome to the club.