Easiest Linux to use?
 

Hi, sorry im new to linux and am not the best with computers but i got a couple quick questions.

How can I put Linux onto a computer that has a virus? I read places that it would be best to reboot the computer with linux, it also has no internet right now.
I was also wondering if it would be possible to download Linux onto a CD to use it on the computer because it has no internet.
& finaly what would be the best Linux to use for a first time user? I want the best possible with being the least complicated.

thanks, much appreciated!

Welcome to LQ!!

I think it is typically the operating system that gets a virus. If you install a new operating system (eg Linux), the virus will be gone.

Running and maintaining any operating system without any internet connection is possible, but certainly not convenient. This is probably mor true with Linux, because of the use of software repositories, and the reliance on forums such as LQ for help.

What connection did you use to post this thread?

Yes, you can get a CD and install on a computer without internet, but getting updates and adding SW will be a problem.

Start with anything in the top ten on the "hit list" at http://distrowatch.com (except that I do not recommend Arch for beginners.)

Hi, and welcome to LQ!

Firstly, the easiest way to install Linux is to download and burn it to CD or DVD, then boot from the disc. If you're looking to switch from Windows altogether, you'll partition the entire HDD for Linux.

As far as 'easiest' goes, it would be Ubuntu; Great for beginners, but not much for learning anything besides the same ol' point-n-click that you're used to using. If you want more, go with Debian or Slackware.

Cheers

Sorrry I didnt explain that very well. Usually I have connection its just something or other happened after i got the bad virus so I lost my internet connection. But usually the computer has connection and hopefully will after I reboot with Linux.

and DragonSlayer, do most people switch from Windows all together? I'm just looking for a system where I can listen to my music, go on the internet, msn, and word processing I guess? nothing fancy.
thanks guys for the help.

You can do all of the common stuff on Linux (except that you will probably not get any viruses)

My guess is that most people using Linux for the first time keep a Windows PC (or a Mac) available. My first setup was with 2 computers and a KVM switch. Then dual-boot, and now (at home) Linux-only.

Given that your computer is sick, I would recommend installing Linux-only, but with an unused partition (#1) set aside for something else (eg Windows).

You might also want to look into virtualization. My (work) laptop is running Arch Linux as the primary OS, and then has Windows XP running in VirtualBox. It seems to work quite well.

Maybe Linux isint for me cuz i don't get most of this stuff.
I can only do a one person setup because the rest of the family doesnt want me messing with their computers.
I dont know what you mean by the unused partition :confused:
I was just looking to download something that will fix my computer.
So once i download it, I burn it onto a cd ( click and drag?) and put it in my computer and just go from there?

if you want this the most commonly used "version" (usually called a distribution) is knoppix, it has some tools to edit partitions and access your files and so on. you also don't need any linux knowledge or experience to work with it. If you want to start using linux as your default operating system you should try ubuntu for example and stop being scared of things you don't know.

I've been using knoppix to fix computers for over 7 years I think and I've been using linux(debian) as default os for 1,5 year. and I'm still a linux newbie, not because I now so little but just because the possibilities are endless!

Okay so I went ahead and downloaded Ubuntu and burned it to a CD.
Now I just need a couple steps of how I do this..
I turn my computer on, put the CD in, and open the file? or what?

Thank you all btw for the help.

insert cd, reboot, wait till you get a menu (with a big ubuntu logo above it), and select that option that says something in the line of: "boot from cd" or "try from cd" or "try without installing" you get the idea..
thus NOT something that actually will install it on your harddrive/computer.


then it will load the os, right of the cdrom, this might take some time, since cdroms are slower then harddrives.
after a while, you will see a desktop appearing (desktop is the screen with the gray bars, windows has 1 gray bar at the bottom, ubuntu has 2, one at the top, one at the bottom.) which you can use to try ubuntu out. The top bar is the most used one, and is comparible to horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen in windows, from where you start the applications etc)

once you're done with ubuntu, shutdown, start the computer and press the eject button of the cdromstation or dvdstation whichever has the ubuntu disc in it, and take it out.
It will (if you do this quickly enough) start windows again, just like before, with no trace of ubuntu on your system. (since there is none, all was loading into the memory of the computer, and during the shutdown, the memory was emptied.)

good luck

what cd burning program did you use to make the ubuntu disc?
if you use nero, you should have selected to burn an image, that way you can select the .iso file, and it will burn its contents to the cd/dvd.
In other words, don't just copy the iso file to the cd/dvd since that won't work.

An .iso file is a (described in human language) big closet with lots of things inside it.
What you need to have written on the cd, is the all of these things the closet contains, not the closet itself. So how would you do that normally? exactly, open the doors of the closet, and take all things out one by one etc..

I hope you understand what i'm trying to explain.
If you do, you now know why it has no use to simply copy the .iso file onto a disc, and why it has use if you put the contents of the .iso file onto the disc instead.

I can't believe no-one would tell you to download/obtain a copy of Puppy Linux, Which will boot up and run as a very effective live CD... No need to install... and use it to clean up your win install with xfprot. Heck I have friends that use puppy off of a cd/dvd all the time, some of them don't even have a hard drive in their machine!!
BTW use an "iso burner" to make your bootable cd/dvd!
Good Luck
RP

I used Infra Recorder, I hope thats a good choice.

and okay, I think i actually followed most of that, just one stupid question, how do i "reboot"? just restart? :doh:

Stupid questions don't exists. quesions can however be: asking for the obvious, over and over asking the same question (while the answer has been given many times). and that behavior would classify as "stupid" "lame" "silly"
however, none of these are valid for someone who has no knowlegde about the subject, or barely has for that matter.
So, don't worry about that for now ;)

anyway, regarding your questions:

i don't know Infra Recorder, but as long as you burn the image to disc, instead of copying the .iso file to disc, you should be fine. (most, if not all burn programs can do this, although the terminology could be different on each burn program. Maybe check the help file, or wizards for more info)

reboot is restart:
yes, you're right here! (see? the mind secretly knows more than we actually think we know :hattip::rolleyes:)

reboot, is also known as system restart.

for your reference:
Windows uses the word "restart" which means the same as "reboot"

in the meanwhile, how are things progressing?

haha thanks for not chirping me for my question.

Im about to start the process ( unless it continues to look like a storm soon, cuz im guessing it would mess up the whole process if I got unlucky and the power went out )
One thing I dont understand about this is why am I suppose to try from cd? and not do something that will actually put it on the computer?
How come after I put it on we want no trace of it ? :confused:

That's a good question. I myself would just go for it and install it onto the hard drive. You can run it from CD first to test it and see if you like it (sort of like when you buy a car -- you test drive it first). After doing this, if it seems good enough for your needs, then install it onto the hard drive.

Okay so im currently testing Linux out ( without installing it ) and its looking pretty good. One thing I dont understand is that I went to see if youtube worked but it said additional plugins are required to display the media but then when I went to install missing plugins it said no suitable plugins were available.. if I install it will it be different?